Stubborn Girl

Emma has always shown her stubborn streak in her nursing habits. She loved to nurse, but if something did not go her way, she would refuse to do it. She went on about 5 nursing strikes during her first year of life. She once got a stomach bug, nursed, threw up, and then refused to nurse for the rest of the day. I was in panic mode. She wouldn't even drink water. I called the pediatrician and they suggested supplementing with pedialite. I said, thank you very much, and proceeded to not take their advice. I know how much better breastmilk is for sick babies than pedialite. Pssh. She hadn't even had apple juice yet. So, I wooed her back. She was starving and tired. She was so hungry, she couldn't stay asleep for very long without waking up to cry to be fed. When we would try to feed her, she refused. So, I wooed her.  I laid her down in our bed and nap nursed her. It took a very long time to get her to eat, but she finally gave in. We slept together for a long stretch, then she woke right up and started back to nursing like normal. Her stomach bug was gone, and she was back on track.

Our family has come down with another stomach bug this week. So, guess what Emma did? The same exact thing. Only this time she is 14 months old. She only nurses 3 times a day- first thing in the morning, at naptime, and bedtime. The past 2 days, every time I try to nurse her, she turns her head and starts crying. She remembers nursing the first morning she was sick, and throwing it up. I wonder if she's done nursing for good. At this point, I just move onto breakfast, or put her down in her crib and she cries a bit and then goes to sleep.

She still isn't eating a lot and has had some yucky diapers. All signs that she is still sick. I'll keep offering to nurse for a few days and we'll see if she's really done. I don't want to take something away that she and I both love and has been so good for us. I won't push too hard though. If she's done, she's done. We'll see how it goes. 

I know most American women would tell me how great of a stretch this has been. We have gone a very long time breastfeeding. I know that I could just stop offering now and be done. But, for me nursing Emma is about a relationship I've developed with her. I can calm her down in a way no one else can. I can rock her, put her to sleep, and hold her while she snores. I can help to ease her into the morning after being asleep all night.  I don't know if either one of us is ready to give that up yet. 

My Baby Girl

Getting Bigger

Big Girl!