The Last Time to Breast

If you’ve been following for awhile, you know the struggle that breastfeeding was in the beginning for us. After a lot of work with each other and an amazing lactation consultant, we got it together and it’s been a great journey since then.

Owen turned 16 months at the end of February. Or I guess March 1st since February only has 28 days. Around his 1st birthday he started to just nurse about three times a day (morning, mid-day and bedtime).

This week has been very different. It’s the end.

Monday and Tuesday he went all day without boobies, but nursed to sleep for bed.

On Wednesday I came home from bowling to find him asleep. Tom put Charlie to bed and I cuddled with Owen. He didn’t wake up to nurse, just continued to cuddle to sleep with Mommy.

Today has been the same way. He’s now in bed without being nursed again.

I’m sure if I offered, he would gladly breastfeed. If he was having a really rough day, I would definitely put him to breast.

The realization that our breastfeeding journey has come to end is rather bittersweet. I mean sure, it’s going to be nice to not have a toddler climbing on me to nurse. Have you nursed a toddler? They can definitely be a little crazy.

Had I known that Tuesday might be his last day to nurse, would I have treated it differently? I think I would have savored it more. It sounds weird, but he’s my last little baby. Breastfeeding has created an amazing bond between us and I truly cherish that bond.

I don’t think that bond will change, but it will be different. I realize that makes no sense at all.