I brought Jaren to the doctor yesterday to have a little problem checked out. While we were there they weighed him and he came in at 18 lbs, 5 oz. Which I thought was great, until I put it on the chart and realized that he has dropped from the 60th percentile at birth to down in the 20s. I think I may have been unintentionally starving the kid these past few months. Maybe that's why he's been so crabby. I never had a problem with nursing and my girls. They just packed the weight on and we joked that I made half and half instead of milk. Jaren's feedings have been really short, but he never acted like he still wanted more. I figured we were just really efficient. My girls were fast eaters, too. I think that he was just getting enough to not feel hungry anymore but he wasn't full. And he wasn't getting what he needed to continue to grow.
I decided yesterday to just wean him to formula. I have been contemplating this move due to my lack of weightloss but I didn't want to quit for selfish reasons and short change him. But now I think that to keep feeding him and not know how much he is getting is probably harming him. Now I will be able to monitor how much he gets. Maybe he will be a happier kid now. It was really emotional (surprisingly so) last night when I nursed him before bed. I mentioned how I felt that my bonding had been different with him and now we will lose this closeness. I also realized last night that after going almost 18 hours without nursing him (we started formula yesterday morning) that I wasn't engorged or anything. I know that he has been getting SOME milk, but evidently my body slowed down production a long time ago. I think this is the right decision. It just makes me sad. Jaren is quite possibly my last baby. That means no more nursing, no more little clothes, no more "firsts." It just hit me that we are ending the baby era and moving on.
5 comments:
oh, I bet that was a hard thing. I've never been too sad when weaning my kids before, but I'm sure when I do get to that last one it will be tough. We moms have got a hard job -- over & over again we dedicate our lives to some thing or stage and then without our permission our duties are no longer needed & we're expected to move on! I guess that's life.
Okay, that made me feel sad too! I totally understand where you are coming from. I had a really hard time weaning Zach too, he was ready but I wan't. I wanted to keep that closeness. But I'm sure this is the best decision for Jaren, and like you said, it might bring relief in other ways as well. Maybe he will be more content with a fuller tummy. Hang in there, I know it's hard.
That is just so hard. I know you know you are making the right decision and now he will probably be a lot more content and then when he is always happy you will be able to bond even more! Good luck!
While I understand, he IS still a baby. You haven't given that up. I starve my kids. Their percentiles are so low and they don't pack on the pounds (okay, Kennedy is still a munchkin) until they start solid foods. I think that his weight is fine though. 20ish pound sis normal for a year and he's not even a year yet and is pretty close to that. So, you were doing great! I never got engorged when I stopped breastfeeding either, so I understand that also.
and maybe.....just maybe....he wont be your last *wink* :)
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