Breastfeeding and Weaning Experience

As I am typing up my thoughts, EJ & I are enjoying this brisk weather walking near lake Amistad in Del Rio, Texas & watching the deer pass by. EJ is snoring soundly to the Swan Lake music box in his stroller. I remind myself, “I am enough as a mother.” I am writing this note to help release any guilt or shame around when to end my breastfeeding journey and how to feed my child and myself.

I reminisced about our marathon morning breastfeeding session from 5:30-6:30 am the other day. It felt very bonding for the both of us. It was our exchange of love and memories of comfort for one another. We also had one last night session around 8 to 9 PM with my husband next to us as well. EJ was laying in the middle of both of us on the floor bed in his room.

Like many other moms, I am feeling a mixed bag of emotions from grief to relief about transitioning away from breastfeeding. I often wonder if I am ending the breastfeeding journey too soon. I remind myself that EJ & I can share more foods and outings together where he can independently drink milk when he wants to. After one year, our sessions dwindled down from around 5 to 3 sessions. During the first few weeks of September, we spent time in San Antonio during my husband’s work training. We filled our afternoons with lots of fun bonding activities like going for a train ride near the San Antonio Zoo.

I still worry about EJ getting enough to eat from time to time especially when he is teething.Thankfully, I premade a lot of smoothies that I can mix with yogurt as a backup.

Eventually, I am going to make an art piece in honor of our breastfeeding journey and look through some breastfeeding photo sessions in honor of this transition.

I encourage you to find your own rhythm with your family. Celebrate your milestone of breastfeeding for however long you chose to breastfeed.

My official date I ended breastfeeding was a few days before EJ turned 14 months, around 14 October. My predicted date was 15 months, 16 November.

My Variable Weaning Schedule:

I breastfed every other night if EJ woke up and sometimes in the early morning. I fed EJ a banana before bed so he’d feel full or fed him a 7 PM dinner since he often went to sleep at 8 PM. For example on 9 October, I breastfed at 4 am in my cozy plaid pajamas. On 8 October, we weaned since he slept late on own.We still have lots of cozy reading time and baby wearing together to fill in the times we bonded through breastfeeding as well.

19 October 2021

Last evening, I saw a doe breastfeeding outside my window. I pointed it out to my husband too. It felt like a symbolic gesture from mother nature saying, “Congratulations, you breastfed EJ for over a year!” Now we bond even more together by enjoying other activities like cooking and eating delicious food together.

@Wanderingwomanphotography, Carly photographer