My Breastfeeding Journey with Felicity. What worked this time!

19 months. It seems it just was the right time with both of my sweet babies.

My sweet girl just finished nursing 2 weeks ago and it was a smooth transition for which I’m so thankful.

After a much harder time with my firstborn I’m so happy to say this one was much easier.

She was definitely just as clingy in those stages of baby to toddler but the transition to eating food and alternative milks was more simple.

Here’s just a few things that definitely helped our weaning process this go around be incredibly smoother.

1. She started weaning and dropping nursing sessions on her own at 11 months. Even though we nursed on demand, the older she got, she was way more interested in what her brother was doing and eating. And so here’s the second thing that helped. 👇

2. Introduced foods sooner and more often. This girl loves her food, and that made it that much of a helpful distraction when she was looking for milk. She’s always loved most of anything put in front of her and trying new things. When it came time to try alternative milks she loved them too. My firstborn wasn’t like this much at all so that was part of our struggle with him.

3. Moving her to her brothers room just before 1yr. Felicity has been much more of an independent sleeper than her brother since the beginning. So when we felt ready we decided to try them in a room together. It worked out so well. They loved it and because she was in a separate room she didn’t smell my milk and started going a little bit longer without at night.

4. I started weaning night feedings gradually. With Hudson I pretty much went cold turkey at night. That was rough. I don’t know I made it without being miserable but thankfully some of those harder moments I’ve forgotten. I do know that doing it slower with Felicity helped immensely in my milk supply gradually decreasing instead of dealing with an oversupply and having to pump.

5. I picked our last feeding to drop be an early morning one. It helped when we got to the end because it was when she could sleep longer instead of me doing that last little dream feed. So how it ended was; with the time change I accidentally forgot it, and went ahead and got our day started. Later I realized I hadn’t nursed and just went with it to see how the next day would go. She didn’t look for it again. So I knew the timing was just right. I’m so thankful God just worked that out to be so peaceful and not like an impending end to our breastfeeding journey.

This has been everything and all the things. I’m so thankful God’s allowed me to nurse both my babies and the beautiful bond it’s created with them. This go around I had mastitis 3x and was able to cure it without antibiotics. That was not only a huge blessing, but from it I was able to see a very good lactation consultant who helped me start figuring out why I keep getting it. I’m also grateful I was able to finish weaning this time without mastitis and issues with my milk drying up smoothly.

I love this part of being a mom and I pray this either gives another mom some helpful tips or just the encouragement you need to keep going. The painful moments and hard emotions pale in comparison to the benefits babies reap from the precious nourishment you provide them! This is what I reminded myself of day after day. It kept me going and made me see the beautiful light at the end. 🥰

Love, Shantel