Wednesday Tip of the Week

I am writing down a tip that I had to use myself today! When changing something in the routine for kids you have to 1) be consistent and 2) be confident.

Here's the deal, Baby Girl is still nursing. She only nurses at naptime and bedtime but I think it's time to move on. I've struggled weaning her not because I will miss it or want to keep her my "baby" but because I've allowed her to rely on breastfeeding to fall asleep. I know, I know rookie mistake. But for the last 2 years I have nursed the girl to sleep and now she's two and has to learn how to fall asleep on her own. I didn't do this with my boys, they had to cry-it-out starting as infants. I have no idea why I changed it up with Baby Girl. Probably because I needed her to sleep so badly in order to get a rest myself or get something done. Maybe I just couldn't stand to hear my girl cry..........I don't know but I know it's not a good idea to let Little Ones make a habit of falling asleep at the breast because it's so difficult to "undo". I may be in for a long haul here.

Due to the reasons above I've been really wishy-washy with weaning. I've tried it but after she asks 2-3 times for milk I give in. I've tried just nursing her a little bit and then putting her in bed but as soon as she whimpers I pick her back up and nurse until she falls alseep. I've actually asked her, "Can we not have Mama Milk today?" Like she is going to say yes!!!!!!!!!!!!! And I am the grown up here and I believe that I need to direct this. Today, I reminded myself that I have given weaning a great deal of thought, I have decided that weaning Baby Girl is the right thing to do so I need to make a plan and present it to her confidently and follow through consistantly. I told her before her nap today, "We are going to read a story, then Mama will sing you a song and then you are going to get into your bed for a rest." She said, "No!" of course! But we did just that. She whined and whimpered when I put her in her bed but I told her I would stay next to her (I know, I know then I will have to "wean" her off me being in the room while she goes to sleep but one step at at time people!). Through the whole process I said to myself over and over "Be confident! Be confident! She needs to know that she can trust her Mom! She needs to know that you are in charge!"

I stayed in the room until she drifted off to sleep. She asked for "Mom" several times, meaning she wanted me to pick her up but she never once asked for "Milk". I know it wasn't pleasant for her but I think it was a great start to her being able to go to sleep without nursing. I plan to still nurse her at bedtime for a while and just wean at naptime but eventually I will stop altogether. And I promised myself that when I know the time is right to wean her completely I will be confident and do what's best for me and my kiddo! Be confident! Be confident! Dogs, bees and kids can smell fear or worse when a parent is waffling................