Milk

Since Maisie turned one 2 weeks ago, the idea of weaning has been heavy on my mind. Not that I feel she or myself (mainly her though) are ready to give it up quite yet. Honestly I feel she would go as long as I let her. She shows absolutely no signs of wanting to self-wean. But the weaning concept is intriguing me.

You mean I could finally have my body back!?

Like I said intriguing... very intriguing.

Reasons for NOT weaning (yet):

1) Well of course all the health factors for her.

2) Her not being ready (but I feel she may never fully be ready on her own)

3) Goes along with 2, but the battle of weaning. Tears for mommy milk.

4) No more being bitten. OUCH!

5) Losing the ultimate soothing technique.

6) The close bond created through nursing.

Reasons FOR weaning:

1) I will finally be able to lose the pregnancy weight.

Yes. I just happen to be one of the rare few that don't lose weight while breastfeeding. Instead my body clings to every calorie and fat molecule in order to produce milk. I haven't lost 1 pound since she was 3 months old. So sad.

2) Losing the pregnancy weight so we can start thinking about getting pregnant again. I am not doing this for vanity issues, but simply for health reasons. If I gained another 40 pounds like I did with Maisie on top of the weight I haven't lost (40 pounds) that would be bad. So my goal before we plan on trying, this old pregnancy weight has got to go! It would be nice to have a good 6 months in between that too!

3) Bye-Bye nursing bra! Finally be able to wear cute bras again! Wahoo!

Ok so obviously the reasons to not start the weaning process totally out-weigh the reasons to, but when will be the right time!?

Since I have been thinking about this whole weaning thing, I decided to give Maisie some organic cows milk (not instead of nursing, but just for her to try it). I started giving her sips from my glass which she seemed pretty happy about, but then again she is always happy when she knows she is eating or drinking something that was intended for me or Austin. So then after a couple tries of that and having good results, I put some in her sippy cup and she seemed offended. She spit all the milk out and refused to drink it. Hum... I have been trying it every morning and still no luck!

So that kind of put a hamper on my weaning dreams, but to make it worse...

Maisie just started signing the word milk. I used to sign it to her before I nursed her and during, but I have been totally slacking. Then last night totally out of no where, while I was playing with her on the floor, kissing her belly, she sat up looked right at me and signed milk. At first I thought it was on accident, but then she came flying towards me as she started to settle in to the "feed-me position". I was laughing so hard. 1) because I was so impressed and 2) she was so dang cute. So now she does this seriously all day long. I think I nursed her more times today than when she was a newborn in a growth spurt! She just kept coming up to me all day signing milk and then would chuckle because she knew I was going to feed her. They were all very short, but a million tiny sessions and I think shes doing it for a couple reasons. I think she finds it amusing that when she signs it, I immediately feed her and the other reason being she is teething very badly and constantly needs comforting. But regardless now that she learned how to sign milk, the weaning idea has gone out the window for now.

But it's still an appealing idea to say the least.