I have mostly done posts about what I think new moms might be needing help with so I thought, this time, I’d let you into my little world for a second.  I did the same in a more general way over here, but here, I thought I’d dive deeper into our nursing relationship and what it looks like today.

Maddy is 20 months old now and is still loving the boob.  She still nurses, but just not as often.  She will almost always nurse to sleep and will nurse to wake.  And that’s usually about it.  On weekends when she is with me all day she will nurse to sleep for her nap, so when I’m at work I still pump one time to make up for that session.  I get 4oz and that’s what I send with her in a cup for school.  She doesn’t drink cows milk or juice, just my milk and water.  And that’s all she needs.  She does get dairy through means of yogurt and cheese (her favs) and gets healthy fats from things like avocado and EVOO.  She also eats just about everything we provide, and we try our best to give her (and ourselves) whole foods and lean proteins, staying away from fried foods, processed foods and sweets.

I still nurse on demand when we are together.  She will ask for it when she gets hurt, when she just wants to reconnect and cuddle, is having a rough time with her teeth or just feeling yucky.  But most days, when she is just her happy little self, she will usually go without all day long except for a quick nap-time nursing session.  I am beginning to see the weaning process unfold and I feel we are on the cusp of it.  There have been a handful of times when she has gone to sleep without nursing at all.  And she is starting to fall asleep completely on her own after nursing rather than falling asleep at the breast. This is a sweet change. She says “Night Night” and gives me kisses before I leave.  And she is consistently sleeping through the night as of last month.  It’s so magical watching it happen right before my eyes, and a little sad too.  She is growing up.

On the days when she really just needs me, and really just needs to nurse for no other reason than to be with me, I try to soak it up for all it’s worth because I know this time is fleeting.  I also know that she is getting all the good stuff to protect her from the sick kids in her school and the fats that help that powerful, growing, little brain of hers thrive.  Even if it’s only a few seconds or a few minutes, I know she’s getting some really good stuff to help her stay healthy and strong.  And while it makes me sad to know that this time is almost over, I’m also excited, because the time of the little girl is upon us, and that little girl is pretty awesome.