[weaned]

Sigh, I typed up the entire blog post, then Internet connection was lost so here it goes again (abridged version - which was truncated.... sorry!) :

When I was expecting G, I was determined to embark on the whole natural bfeeding, wholesome food journey with her. Of course, what I didn't know was how bfeeding wasn't a natural process as i assumed. O! how we struggled..... No amount of reading and researching prior to the birth could prepare me for the journey from nonparent to being a parent! The feelings of helplessness, of inadequacy, of guilt, of generally not being able to satisfy this curious little being that was so easy to carry for 9 months in my tummy, but as soon as she's out, relentlessly demanded our attention. It was a nightmare both adjusting to being a new mummy and to 'learn' the whole process of bfeeding.

But we did it! I'm really lucky that both my girls relished and really loved milk, they would look forward to each feed and have never turned me down before! It was a joy to bfeed them, the feeling of fulfillment and pride at being able to nourish those small babies, watching G grow from a spindly newborn to a chubby exhuberent 2, 3 month old baby.

With K, the whole journey of bfeeding was infinitely much more carefree. There wasn't the constant monitoring of feeding times, no obsessive weighing of the baby every other day, no recording of the feeding time (including which side she fed on!) in the little notebook. With all the attention on helping G adjust to her little sister, it was just feeding on demand for K. It worked like a dream! Either K was a less needy baby than G, but the whole after birth experience was so much more relaxed and definitely zero stress on the bfeeding part. Amazingly, K bfed for 20months, compared to 10months with G.
Now that she has weaned, while I relish the liberation of not having to feed her before bedtime, the ability now to wear 1-piece dresses (haha, only bfeeding mums will understand!), the hope that she can do sleepovers now at my parents (hee!).... I really really miss the warm feeling of a dozing baby cuddled close. And i think K misses it too.. she will wake up in the middle of the night, crawling over to me and crying piteously for milk. It's Day 03 of no 'mama's milk' and she's slowly adjusting to taking a bottle. Let's hope she'll stop waking in the middle of the night soon! :)