Weaning in His Own Time
Sally Kneidel
Old Bridge NJ USA
From: NEW BEGINNINGS, Vol. 6 No. 4, July-August 1990, pp. 103
We provide articles from our publications from previous years for reference for our Leaders and members. Readers are cautioned to remember that research and medical information change over time.
My son stopped nursing last
month. It was a momentous occasion celebrated with a new toy and a small
"congratulations" party, complete with chocolate cake. For me, it was
proof positive of a La Leche League message: that babies and children
grow and change at their own pace. It was this knowledge that helped
me through some mighty intense times as the first-time mother of an
extremely high-need child.
Fortunately, I found LLL
meetings and publications invaluable in helping sustain me through the
rigors of raising a poor sleeper and a marathon nurser. At my first
La Leche League meeting, when John was three weeks old, I found a copy
of Dr. Sears' book, THE FUSSY BABY. I did not buy it then because I
did not want to admit that I had a fussy baby. However, I bought it
at the very next meeting and read it at least ten times during those
first two years. This was followed by NIGHTTIME PARENTING also by Dr.
Sears, The Family Bed by Tine Thevenin, MOTHERING YOUR NURSING TODDLER
by Norma Jane Bumgarner, and When Your Child Drives You Crazy
by Eda LeShan.
I found the family bed, unrestricted
nursing, and almost constant physical contact were a necessity with
John for the first three years. As difficult as it was coping with his
round-the-clock needs, it was always easier to respond promptly to him
than to try to make him less dependent on me by ignoring him. John just
needed a tremendous amount of contact, love, attention, stimulation,
and togetherness. Any slowdown on my part and he squawked loudly until
I got it right. So, in this sense, John was a terrific teacher. He was
determined to get his needs met, no matter what.
Last updated Friday, October 13, 2006 by njb.
Page last edited Sun Oct 14 09:30:04 UTC 2007.
