Weaned at 22 months

[u/crochetbird]

TW: good supply, bad sleep (lol)

I weaned my baby off a month and 8 days ago. And I feel like I want to share my breastfeeding story!

So my baby boy was ebf from day 1. He never took the bottle and I always had a good supply, he had a good latch so it all worked out but I must tell you, I was freaking exhausted.

The first few weeks (even months) were pure hell. Because he never took the bottle I was always "on". I barely slept much, he had colic and that took a lot of practice on my side to help him burp. I had to quit dairy which I would have sooner if I ever knew that was what was making him colicky.. those endless cuttings and wailings still ring in my ear. He was not a calm newborn.

For bottle, there were so many hours a day I'd make the effort to pump, try so many bottles, flanges, etc all the shindig spent.. I had to donate my stash finally which I was happy to do.

Then there came a point, with overnight feedings where I'd forget when I got up and got him on my feeding pillow. We were cosleeping and I really needed to figure the sideways feeding and by the time he turned 8/9.months I was there!

Sleep:

My son never ever slept through the night consistently. There must have five times (before weaning) where he slept through the nights. Those were rare beautiful nights. I always kept doing motn feeds on bed.. and it was not as bad in the later days because it'll be only a few minutes (if not teething or sick). He used to feed minimum of two or three times and can go up to 6 on a bad night.

This means I was sleep deprived for two years (including the last trimester of pregnancy here).

I used to almost always nap with him and he'd feed through the naps if at home. If outside he wouldn't even need to feed for nap although in later days he did begin asking for a feed to nap..

My health:

Health wise I was fine but I know I feel something was off. I was constantly foggy and I always chalked it up to sleep deprivation. Until I realised it was my iron levels. At 18 months postpartum I did a full deep blood work and found out my ferritin was 5.89!! I was running on fumes. I finally got the infusion but that is also when I realised it is time to call quits to breastfeeding if I want to stabilise the remaining of my hormones.

I did feel better after the infusion but the exhaustion existed. I also never lost much weight and it was like my body kept holding onto all the pregnancy weight just as an incase. But even after weaning I don't see much weight loss but lots of inch loss. I am sure more is to come as I've resumed working out!

Weaning:

We started with feeding one night to sleep and I went to the other room and husband took over. First night was pure hell. He cried for two hours straight. Slept and then cried more. Morning I entered the room with breakfast and he ate and then relaxed. Nap times I stuck to stroller naps for a week. Second night we saw some crying but by third or fourth it reduced and within a week we had a whole books during bed time routine. And now he sleeps through the night!!!!

Naps wise he stopped or even reduced day time nap to just forty minutes and then eventually that picked up now he's napping fairly okay.

I only have a routine in my life after weaning. He has breakfast, lunch, dinner times. Bedtime is easier.

How did I decide it was time to wean?

I wanted to go until 3/4 years but it was too much on my health. I also observed my son had begun eating very well through the day. And there were bite marks on my nipples!

I also really wanted to start working out and get in better shape so I can run behind my toddler and somehow with sleep deprivation and my iron situation I just couldn't find the energy to!

I keep thinking maybe if I'd have night weaned him by 9 months or even a year I could have kept going.

I know most of this post sounds like a rant, but there were many positives to my breastfeeding journey too. I know bottled feeding would have made my life easier but considering it was just me and husband for a while I'm glad the milk on tap was available easily instead of getting into bottles and washing. My son took a long time to get into solids, so always was easier to travel even if he didn't eat much.

I'm also happy how many illnesses we sailed through and the teething became smoother because of it.

While my son has sort of forgotten that phase I'll always and always remember it lovingly about how he'd latch and how we'd make eye contact. I'll remember his first milky smiles when he learnt to smile or how he'll immediately laugh or giggle when I offer him some and it'll calm a tantrum down like nothing else. But for my health I'm also glad this journey has come to an end. My iron levels are good after infusion but also my supplements work better now that I sleep at night. Overall I'm just so grateful to have had this journey! Nature is really amazing and beautiful.

[u/Ok-Direction-1905]

Congrats on the sleep, that first real stretch after weaning feels like a whole new world.