I guess that Addie has technically been "weaning" since she started solid foods, according to the books anyway. Today is the firs...

Weaning?

I guess that Addie has technically been "weaning" since she started solid foods, according to the books anyway. Today is the first time that I have ever intentionally skipped a feeding though. She very naturally moved from 6-8 feedings, then 5-6, then 4-5, then 3-4, and down to three a day for the past two months. I never did any of this on purpose. Today is different though. She moved to going down for her morning nap without nursing, and she did this by herself. It just happened one day and then another until she was just too tired to even bother with it so we cut it out completely. I want her to move towards going to sleep better on her own and to eventually wean her.

Afternoon nap has continued to be a "nurse down to sleep" situation though, until today. I read the suggestions to develop a fun activity, a routine that you can continue at nap/bed time, but that distracts them from the fact that you would usually be nursing. I had to stay out of THE chair, so I took her to her room, turned out the overhead light and put just the lamp on. I turned her lullaby cd on very quietly and then spread a blanket on the floor. I laid down on my tummy and sat her beside me. We read a book, a good one that she could flip tabs up on and be involved with. Then we sang a few quiet songs together and by the end of it she was laying on the blanket too! She fussed for a few extra minutes when I first put her down, mostly because I initially forgot the pacifier (that will be a battle for another time!) but I brought it to her and a few whimpers later she was quiet! Hooray! The only thing I fear is that this may lead to much shorter afternoon naps since she won't have a full tummy, warm and cozy with the best sleeping potion ever. I can hear her rustling around even as we speak. Keep your fingers crossed, because if she gets up in 20 minutes I'm nursing her!

1 comments:

Amanda said...

I'm all for doing whatever you want in the weaning department. After a year, of course! I do/have done similiar things with all my kids. But, I'm starting to see how it can be hard...but that will make for a phone convo! Sorry I had to go so abruptly yesterday. We were leaving, and I had that sinking feeling I was forgetting stuff--I was. I ran back in to get a water bottle and my jacket. I can multitask sometimes...but not in that moment, I guess!