weaned

Where has the time gone?  Days blur into weeks as I battle the persistent nausea and fatigue that this first trimester is dealing me.  Thankfully (hopefully), the symptoms are subsiding a bit and I'm seeing the light at the end of this prenatal-induced hangover.

The most notable development around here this week has been the complete weaning of Ella.  I've successfully managed to put her down without nursing for the past three nights (quite the feat, since Ella loves her ni-ni).  I'm happy and relieved that the transition has been pretty smooth (and free of meltdowns and tears).  We switched to a different bedtime routine (kind of on accident as I was feeling exhausted by the evening and Adam simply took over bath duties all by himself), and she's been pretty cooperative falling asleep with some rocking, singing, and looking at stars from her ladybug nightlight. I thought going to sleep without that final feeding would cause her to wake in the middle of the night or super early in the morning, but she's been maintaining her 11 hours of sleep each night.  We are thrilled and relieved that slowly, but surely, she will no longer depend on me to put her down each night.

That being said, I'm a bit sad that my little baby has grown out of this stage in her life.  Breastfeeding was so challenging in the beginning, yet it was so rewarding to see the benefits and know that I was providing the very best for my little baby.  And while I was by no means the type of mom that stared longingly at my child while she nursed, it felt really good to know I was able to sustain her through her first year of life.  So it's a little bittersweet for me, but hey, if I miss it all that much, I get to start again in 39 weeks.  Ha!