Confession

A few weeks ago I began weaning Jude (for many reasons that I will not go into here). I decided to go really slowly since his only experience with bottles was in the first few months of life due to his jaundice and then later on only on days he attended daycare. I personally hadn't given him a bottle in a LONG time. He wasn't too psyched about it at first and took a long time taking them. Another problem was that I usually nursed to put him down for naps. Bottles didn't seem to have the same effect. Also I read that mothers should do something extra during this time to make their children feel loved and to spend time with them. So to hit two birds with one stone I started putting Jude down for naps (and sometimes for bed) by just holding him on the couch while we watch TV together (I never saw a baby that liked TV so much!). He quickly caught on to that and we began a pattern (as much as a pattern as I can get into--I'm not much of a schedule mommy!). I got to sit down and watch Hoda and Kathi Lee while he drifted off in the morning, and then Ellen or Rachel Ray in the afternoons. This method also worked well while I was visiting my sister Katie in Kansas City because Jude doesn't always go down well in new places. Getting to sit down and relax while Jude fell asleep in my arms was so wonderful that I confess I am not really trying to break him of this habit. I just love to hold my baby while he sleeps! Today (and many days) I stayed on the couch long after he fell asleep just because I wanted to feel the up and down of his body breathing softly as he slept (and maybe because I didn't really want to fold the clothes all that badly!).

Now he is becoming a champ at the bottle and I am down to nursing twice a day. I'm loving the freedom!!! Although I have enjoyed nursing over-all (and it saved much on $$ in formula) it was not without pain, discomfort, many many hours, and a lot of frustration for me and Jude at times. Poor experimental child. But Gil and I were both just that and we survived, so we have high hopes for Jude as well!