feeling a little sad about ending nursing....

[Anonymous]

hi. i am ending nursing, as my baby is almost a year. milk is pretty much dried up now but i am feeling a little sad about it most likely being my last time nursing, as i don't think we'll have more children. please don't email me to keep nursing, as there is no more milk now. i am having cold sweats at night and feeling a little under the weather, is this normal? i can't remember what happened with my first child. i don't have any lumps or anything. anyway, has anyone else felt sad when they stopped nursing? it was time for a million reasons, which i don't want to elaborate on...

[Anonymous]

I went through the same thing, especially after DC2 because I knew this was it, I would never have this experience again. I was definitely melancholy and sad. Fortunately my baby transitioned really well and was very excited about using the same sippy cup as her big bro. Three months later and I don't even know if she remembers nursing at all. The feelings you describe are normal and will pass. Weaning can also cause hormonal shifts and a bit of the "blues", but it's temporary. Congratulations on getting through a year of nursing, no easy feat.

[Anonymous]

The same thing happened to a good friend of mine...She suffered from a mild (and short-lived) depression due to the hormonal changes that occurred after she stopped nursing. My DD is only 4 months old and I plan to nurse until she is 1 year, but I already wondering if I will be affected the same way once I stop.

By the way, congratulations on nursing for so long!

[Anonymous]

I can totally understand feeling sad.

I have to tell you though, if I had to do it over again, I would probably stop at around a year too. My daughter is now 2 years and 4 months and still nursing at night and very occasionally for comfort. It actually seems - with some children - to get harder when they get older, not easier.

Congratulations to you for giving your child such a wonderful gift for a full year!

[Anonymous]

I felt really sad when I weaned my son too. I nursed him until he was just about 19 months, and I really missed it. A bit of a background though, I nursed through pregnancy, and tandem nursed, weaned my older child, and after 32 months of non stop nursing I was just fracking done. I was actually glad I had a medical reason to stop, I needed that crutch. I didn't think I would ever miss it, but there are still times, a year and a half later, that I do miss it. Then I remind myself that I am crazy for thinking such things, because mine were the type of children who refused bottles (of breast milk), and hated formula.

My DS was always so busy that nursing time was our only real cuddle time, and I was sure that was going to end, but he still wanted to be held a couple of times a day.

[Anonymous]

I had a tough time BF at all - milk never came freely and it was stressful when I went back to work....but even for me it was hard to stop and I was sad that that special time between me and DS was over. Very natural.

[Anonymous]

I know just how you feel...it's part of being a mom.

[Anonymous]

Hang in there. It is totally normal to feel sad both from an emotional and hormonal sense. There is a huge drop in hormones and I felt emotionally nuts for about two weeks during the end of nursing my son. It will pass and you will feel good again. Congrats on nursing your DC for a year!

[Anonymous]

I felt the same way weaning last month. It was exacerbated by the fact that I had just miscarried and felt it might be the last time I nurse I'm still feeling sad. It gets better, but I miss that snuggle time as my toddler is too busy to snuggle much anymore.

[Anonymous]

Just keep focusing on the other great milestones especially the "firsts" and not so much the "lasts" - the baby's first steps, first sentences, the first successful pee pee in a toiledt (no more diapers!), all the family vacations the baby will finally be old enough to appreciate, first day of school, first time he/she can ride a bike, etc...

I know it's hard. But don't feel like the bonding and dependence-on-you is gone.

[Anonymous]

op here...thank you to all of you wonderful women for your kind and helpful posts! i will hang in there. i do feel the chills though and night sweats. is this normal? part of the hormonal changes?

[Anonymous]

Yes, hormonal.. it might go on a little while.. hang in there!

[Anonymous]

Wow this was timely for me!!! I am getting so sad too. My DS is our second and (almost certainly) the last. I love when he wakes up at 6:45am ready to nurse-- because he balls up in a snuggle against me. I know I have just a 7 weeks or so left and I keep trying to push that fact to the back of my mind. I still pump like crazy at work just to keep my supply up in case I want to nurse for longer than one year but I know (for me) its best to begin the weaning process. It feels like a death though.

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