Are we at the end of nursing?

Mallory is 21 months.  I weaned Eleanor at 22 months so I think we are getting to end stages of nursing.

I've recently dropped our morning nursing session leaving us at two (nap time and bedtime) and although she wakes up and asks/whines for milk every morning I can usually distract her.  I do however miss the morning session because it allowed me to lay back in bed for a little bit.

I have mixed feelings.  On one hand it is the one thing that ONLY I can do for her.  One the other hand I have been constantly pregnant or nursing or both since January of 2013.  Since I got pregnant with Eleanor I have not had a single day where I have just been able to take a medicine without thinking if it's safe or just not have to worry about how what I do to my body is going to effect my girls.

I am planning a girls weekend right before Mallory turns 2 so I want to be done nursing/pumping then.  It was annoying having to deal with that and transporting milk through security and pumping in a dirty airport bathroom when I did it last year.

Generally though, while sometimes annoying having to plan around nursing I love it.  I love knowing that I'm giving my daughter nutritional benefits (while not her main source anymore it still has benefits) & a sense of stability and routine.

I love the way she snuggles into me when I nurse her, and her eyes get having and she drifts off to sleep.   Often I wish that I hadn't set the nursing to sleeping precedent but those are some of my favorite moments. 

I think there is nothing wrong with full term nursing but I know that nursing Mallory as long as I have isn't the norm.  I also know there is nothing wrong with people who choose not to nurse or not as long.  So I've never felt people question my choice to nurse as long as I did, and even if they did it's still my decision so no pressure.

Mallory Update ~20 Weeks~

Breastfeeding:

I had a recent bout of Mastitis this week.  I started to feel uncomfortable Saturday and figured she just hadn't nursed in a while.  But then when she did it hurt.  A lot.  Something that hadn't happened before.  And then when I started to feel kind of icky over night I knew what was happening.  I had mastitis with Eleanor but didn't know what it was so I didn't get the antibiotics.  This time I wasn't going to do that so I called the on call and got antibiotics. I still felt mildly icky Sunday, and super full for a few days but pretty much better now.

I'm becoming more comfortable with nursing uncovered.  I did at the zoo and it was fine.  I tried to choose a quieter place, used the stroller on one side and turned my body. I didn't have a cover so I would have had to anyway, but it was fine.  

She's been nursing more this week.  I feel like it's been every 2-3 hours during the day. 

Sleep:

My best friend was in town this weekend.  We took the girls (well Eleanor) for ice cream.  Mallory was fussing and as I was loading her in the car Eleanor said to my friend:  "We have to go for a ride to get Mallory to sleep"  So clearly it's something we do occasionally. lol

The car isn't always a given though.  The last few times she's been in the car she's screamed.  Like stress me out screams.  Not just little whimpers.

I just don't know how to get her to sleep on her own. If she does sleep it's always in my arms. It's so hard to get anything done when I spend half my day trying to get her to sleep for only a brief time.

Misc:
Watching her interact with Eleanor melts my heart.  Eleanor is super protective of her, and Mallory really does smile when she sees her.

I pulled out the high chair for her this week.  She wasn't a huge fan of it yet, but it's nice to have her closer to us at the table.

Mallory's face!

Mallory ~18 weeks~

Breastfeeding:  Still going fine  I nursed uncovered at the museum last weekend.  I don't have a problem when other women do it, and I have done it before, but generally I don't because I'm just not super comfortable with it.

Sleep:  She doesn't settle down for the night sometimes until 10 pm and then is up by 7 am.  Today was 6 am.  I am not a fan of the  6 am wakeup call. 

6 am!

She also doesn't nap, as I mention every week.  There have been a few desperate car naps. 

Misc.  She had her four month checkup yesterday.  So she's cranky today.  She's almost 24 inches, and just over 14lbs.  She has a 98% head.  No surprise there though. 

I need to go shopping for clothes for her.  Because Eleanor was in the 3-6 month size in winter time I have a limited amount of clothes that actually will work for 3-6 month summer.  It'd just stick her in onesies if I could but I don't even have many short sleeved ones.  I knew this would eventually be a problem with seasons. 

She's discovered her toes and loves to put them in her mouth.

Three Week Update ~ Mallory

Some of her newborn sized clothes are starting to get snug.

I need to get more newborn diapers though since I'm almost out.  I tried a size one earlier this week and it was still way to big.  

She's had a few times where she's gone 4 hours between feeds (start to start time) and sometimes she will go an hour and half so still no consistency.  I would say average is 2 1/2 hours though.

She's been fussier this week so I think she's having some sort of digestive/gas issues.

I would also bet some of the fussiness is because it's hard for her to sleep when Eleanor is in her face waking her up all the time.

Still no real weight change for me.  I know I shouldn't care and it's only been three weeks but I don't like it anymore.  I'm still not going to diet or watch what I eat yet.  I'll start that in March.  It's hard to exercise though because it is still winter her in Michigan.  I just don't like that flab of skin that hangs over.

Nursing is still going well.  She's gaining weight well (she was 8 lbs 6 oz).  I've had a few instances where I've leaked milk but that's generally not an issue.  She still does the latching on and off thing which is annoying.  I get that it would make sense if I had a quick letdown and it was squirting but it doesn't.  I do think it does get fast because she does start gulping/choking.

Two Week Update ~ Mallory

I'll likely say this every week, but if time could just slow down that would be super great!  I mean two weeks doesn't seem like much but at the same time it feels like Mallory has always been with us.

So she's still doing some quick nursing sessions which is annoying when it's 2 am and I want her to nurse for long enough that she'll sleep a few hours and not 3 minutes which means she will be up in an hour ready to go again.  I know her stomach is tiny so she needs to eat more and I really do cherish those middle of the night snuggles when it's just us, but it's tiring.

Still I know it won't be like this forever (or hope not anyway) so for now it's just how it is going to be.  

She had her two week checkup today and she was at 7 lbs 15 oz.  At birth she was 7 lbs 2 oz so her pediatrician was happy that she was well over her birth weight.  She was up just a little in the height department and is still rocking that 90% head.  

She's still sleeping a lot - which is expected - but her alert periods are lasting a lot longer.  Last night was a rough night here (mostly due to Eleanor's lack of desire to sleep)  and my mom came over this morning on her break so I could lay down for a little bit and Mallory was up the whole time (so like an hour).

She had her first bath at home (had one in the hospital) this week and after the initial what is going on she chilled right out and fell asleep.  Rob actually did the bath and he said she didn't like the fresh warm water and preferred the water that she was sitting in to be poured on her.

She had a fussy day or two this week and I don't know if it was a growth spurt since she did eat a lot the next day or something I ate (and I did have more soda with caffeine that day so maybe?) but is back to her 'normal' self today.

Her hair is looking lighter I think and her color has approved and looks good. 

My weight is starting to move a little but I'm not worried about it.  My stomach is still super flabby and I'm a little self conscious of that.  But recovery wise I'm still doing good.  I'm feeling good but still trying to take it easy.  

Eleanor is still in love with Mallory which was something I was worried about.   I do feel like Mallory is going to wind up with a cold soon because Eleanor get's in her face and kisses her a lot.