The End

I think it is safe to say that Bailey is done nursing. I really thought it would be a more emotional experience but we were both ready and it seemed to just work itself out. I remember thinking about weaning when she was close to a year and I was just about an emotional wreck thinking about it!

When I found out I was pregnant in June Bailey was still nursing 2 or 3 times a day. It was mainly the morning, afternoon, and evening. Although the afternoon session was usually hit or miss. Anyway, when I found out I was pregnant my breasts were so sore especially in the morning and nursing then made me nauseated and so I decided to distract her in the morning and change up the routinue. For the most part she really didn't ask to nurse and if she did I could usually distract her with a good breakfast snack. If she was really persistant I would let her. After that it got to were she really only wanted to nurse in our bedtime routinue or if she awoke in the middle of the night. However if I wasn't home in the evening she was fine because out of sight out of mind. As the weeks of pregnancy progressed the milk train left the station and she did become frustrated with me a few times signing more and trying each breast twice but she soon settled for a before bed snack and a little nursing. She had always been more about nursing for milk than comfort so I had a feeling the nursing would work itself out. I really had no desire to nurse her and new baby at the same time. The rest of the summer was sort of up and down on when she would want to nurse and sometimes she would ask but then when she realized the milk was in fact gone she would move on to something else and was happy to sit in my lap and read books.

Anyway, in the last few weeks she nursed about every other day and then last Tuesday 2 days before she turned 20 months old she asked to nurse in the morning. She latched on and nursed for quite some time, longer than she had in a long time, and then that was it. I guess she had her last hoorah. She did ask to nurse one other time in the week but when I got out the goods she laughed at me and went on to something else.

So, its the end. I will never foget those 20 months that we shared something that no one else could share with her. It is truely a wonderful experience. Yes, the beginning was hard and yes there were times that I didn't want to sit down and take the time to nurse her when she wanted to. But, that's just the thing about nursing. It makes you stop and sit down with your child and enjoy the moment. As we all know they grow way too fast. So, its another check in the old book that my Sugie is slowly becoming less of my baby and more of my little girl. Its happy and sad all at once. I will leave you with a few pics of her sweet little face.