To Wean or Not to Wean...

[Warning: The following blog contains content related to breastfeeding.  If you're uncomfortable with this topic, you might want to stop reading now.]

To wean or not to wean... that is the question.

I woke up Friday morning to begin my usual routine with Snuggles... He began nursing, and then immediately let go and started screaming.  I recognized his "I'm hurting" cry, so I scrambled to figure out what happened.  I checked his hands and feet, his head, his legs, wondering if I accidentally sat on him or pulled his hair.  What's wrong with my Snuggle bug?!  Then, suddenly it occurred to me.... I wonder if he's teething?

I stuck my finger in his mouth, and sure enough!  There were two little buds of sharp teeth poking through his bottom gums!  Snuggles' pearly whites finally decided to make an appearance.

I guess this means I can cancel Snuggles' upcoming denture fitting.

I took Friday off work, and Monday was a holiday.  So I was home with Snuggles all weekend, which was the perfect time for him to start teething... depending on how you look at it, I guess.

Snuggles refused to nurse all weekend.  That means I spent the entire weekend pumping.  I'm not a huge fan of breastfeeding, but I'd rather do that then pump.  I hate being hooked up to that stupid machine, sitting there trapped like a cow on a milking carousel, listening to the monotonous *weee oosh, weee oosh* of the pump.  Ugh.

Knowing Snuggles was slowing starting to self-wean over the past few months, I've tried to feed Snuggles several different brands of powdered formula using samples I received in the mail.  I wanted to see if he would take formula so I could begin reducing the number of pumping sessions I have to do when I'm at work.  The little stinker refused every powdered formula I tried.  Since he refused to nurse last weekend, I turned to the last remaining option: ready-to-serve formula in a can.  [Translation: Ex-pen-sive!]

At first Snuggles refused the expensive stuff.  But when I didn't feed him anything else, he eventually got hungry enough to drink the formula... but only warm.  (I wonder where he gets being particular about his food?!)

I supplemented with expensive-formula over the weekend since I couldn't keep up with Snuggles' demand through pumping. As of today, Snuggles still refuses to nurse.  He starts crying and turning his head as soon as I put him into the nursing position.  He's just no longer interested.

I called my Mom/On-call Nurse this morning to ask her opinion. She confirmed what I suspected:  Snuggles is self-weaning.  He's done with nursing, on his way to whole milk.  Mom recommended I continue pumping as long as I can, and to supplement with formula when necessary.  In 2 months, when Snuggles is 12 months old, I can switch to whole milk.

I'm seriously considering weaning Snuggles off breastmilk entirely.  Please don't report me to the nursing nazis.

I'm so ready to be done!  I don't want to pump non-stop for the next two months.  I'm leaning toward pumping for a few more weeks while I transition Snuggles to formula.  (Cold turkey would reek havoc on his digestion and could cause mastitis for me. No thanks.)

I've read lots of literature.  I understand the benefits of breastfeeding for Snuggles and me, and I know the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends breastmilk through 12 months.  But I have to be honest, it's only by the grace of God I made it this far.

I think it's time.  The cow needs a break.