Warning: Might be too much information for some.
Mark is 7 1/2 months old. They say that babies usually start getting their teeth between 6 to 10 months. He has 4 already. That is pretty fast for that many. I did however find out that on my side of the family that isn't the least bit uncommon. My older sister, Vanessa, got her first one at 3 months. Now her youngest, Caleb, 3 1/2 months old, just got his first one.
What do all these teeth mean to me? Nursing is a real pain. At first, he would bite, a lot. Not on purpose, most of the time. There were a few times, when the giggling afterwards was enough of clue to his enjoyment at my pain. Moving on, when he finally caught on to biting means, no more nursing, he stopped. But what happens next, the top two teeth come in. While he is actually teething, he likes to chew. Not on chew toys though, heaven forbid. He really doesn't like them at all.
With all this, I have considered weaning him for good. He eats solid foods rather well, and I know he could live off that, with out too much trouble, but then there is the part of "Mommy's milk is the best for ME!" bit. How do people decide when it is best? I have heard people say their own kids would stop themselves, others went through a very long weaning process, and some if the kid could still be nursing, they would. Then how to do it, slow weaning off, cold turkey, leave for the weekend and hope the kid doesn't notice that hey, no milk? One thing for sure, I will stop at the one year mark, if I don't stop sooner.
There are pro's for both sides.
The pro's for stopping:
1. No more awkard moments of feeding around random people.
2. No more worrying about whether I am wearing the right clothes, or covered up with a blanket for the moment. (Blanket feeding is extremely annoying)
3. No more being a chew toy.
4. And honestly, I don't enjoy it all that much, so stopping period just seems better.
5. Since he has started crawling, he likes to try crawling while eating, meanwhile taking me with him. Very painful.
Pros for sticking with it :
1. Its healthier for him.
2. It can be convenient, no making up a bottle, no cleaning up the mess, no making sure its the right temperature.............
3. It's still a bonding thing.
4. He still really likes it.
5. Its great at calming him down.
Let me know what you think.
3 comments:
I struggle with this one, too! I hope that you find something that works for you. Either way, you'll probably find pros and cons with anything you do-- Have you thought about pumping? You could pump and then feed him with the bottle, that way you are not being eaten alive and he is still getting all the benefits of breastmilk. However, pumping is no fun either, but hey-- you're a mom, fun is no longer an option :) Good luck-- let me know what you do!
PS-- whatever you decide, make sure it is what works for YOU-- don't let anyone or anything guilt you into continuing to breastfeed. If you want to wean him, then go for it--- you are his mother, you have every right to make that choice and no matter what anyone else thinks or says about it-- it is YOUR choice. He'll be just as smart and healthy and strong and cute as a formula fed baby, I promise. And if you do want to keep breastfeeding, don't let feeding in public stop you... people can get over it! You have to feed your baby and if that means whipping it out in public to feed him, then others will survive.
Sorry to rant! I just know opinionated people can be. Remember, it's your life and your son.
Hi Margret,
Just thought I'd throw my two cents in, With my first two babes I could not nurse, believe me we tried. But with babe number three it is all about nursing, and I can tell you she has been our least expensive babe in regards to Dr.'s bills! Seriously!
And I have to say the first year was tough to make it through but the second was great, I was no longer in pain, she did not need to nurse in public, and the time was a sweetness I will never forget or regret. :)
In regards to him hurting you remember your the boss of the milk! :)
Love and hugs,
Aunt Danna
Post a Comment