Monday, April 19, 2010

The Slow Wean


One of the best parts of being a Mother so far has been the bond between my daughter and I because of nursing. It has been our lifeblood, our link, a deep connection tying her spirit to mine. It is beautiful and nourishing and inspiring. But some days it is also hard and exhausting and a real challenge. You see, my daughter is now over 18 months old, and nursing a toddler is nothing like nursing a wee babe. A toddler is spirited and inquisitive and not always gentle. And my little one in particular, quite likes her milk, thank you very much, and isn't so keen on replacing it with regular 'ole food. Which brings us to our current state of things...the slow wean. I first gathered some info from some other dear nursing duos, and then made a loose plan for how often I wanted her to nurse. Now admittedly I kinda cringe when I think about creating a schedule for this, her thirst, her hunger. I am a believer in doing things naturally, and nursing has always been led by my daughter. But as with most things there comes a time when we need a little push, a gentle nudge to move us into the next stage.This is especially necessary when Mama is tired and getting sick a lot, and desiring a solo outing once in a while. So, for us right now the nudge has been me offering more fruit and yogurt, and creating impromptu dance parties as a means of distraction. Much to my surprise it is working and hasn't been as painful as I thought. In fact, I think it's been harder on me than on her, and as much as I look forward to the next stage of sentences and dress-up, for now I am cherishing the sweet baby times we have left.

Monday, April 12, 2010

Starting Again

It seems my fears of over-writing were unsubstantiated. Surprise, surprise! Well, I could blame months of teething and sleep deprivation and play dates and tea parties, but really why the blame? I'll just begin again and see what happens. I wasn't always so quick to let go of my mistakes (as I saw them), but it's almost like being a parent forces you to live in the moment. Frankly, there usually just isn't time to dwell, and mind space is taken up with remembering where we have to be and when we last ate. Yes, it's a glamourous life! I love it though, I really do. Being a mother is so very much a gift for me. My daughter teaches me more each day than I could have ever imagined and for that I am so grateful. Speaking of living in the moment, I'm reading a wonderful book right now: Buddhism for Mothers by Sarah Napthali. I've always gravitated towards Buddhist principles, but I haven't studied the path extensively. This book is a wonderful, simple summary of Buddhism in general, with examples and stories of how it can be applied to the unique challenges a mother faces. The best part is that it's truly a book for Mamas, about how we can better cope and flourish in the face of everyday life. It's beautiful really, and I haven't wanted to part with it. Unfortunately I got it from the library and now it's 3 days overdue. Better get on that!

But before I run off to the library I want to thank someone. Through her inspiring blog, and generous giveaway (which I won!) I found the push I needed to try again at this blog thing. Thank you again Lauren! :)