Bittersweet

Christopher is growing so fast. I suppose he would now be classified as a toddler, being as that's what he spends most of his time doing, toddling around. He's using signs, talking, eating more and a larger variety of foods. He's still in 9-12 month clothing and only has his bottom two teeth, but he doesn't let his size slow him down or his lack of chompers stop him from eating anything.

We reached a bittersweet milestone however. I took a weekend hiatus to prepare for a week long one coming in July and I decided if Christopher did well with Adam over the weekend and didn't seem to miss nursing much than I would wean him. We were down to one session a day as it was, nursing just when he woke up in the morning at 6 a.m. or so. I've had awful hives the entire time I've nursed, they started as soon as my milk came in and have not gone away. After consulting with 3 doctors or so we've come to the conclusion that I'm allergic to the hormone breastfeeding produces. I enjoy the half hour or so in the morning when he's just cuddling with me and was a little worried I'd have a hard time giving it up. I was pretty sure Christopher would be ok, he's never been "boob crazy," tugging at shirts or demanding it, it was really just food to him and not so much of a comfort thing.

Well, he did great with Adam and took to getting whole organic milk instead of breastmilk just great. I wasn't having any engorgement issues and was doing well with the transition emotionally, so we weaned him. I'm proud to say I nursed him for 14 months. I know many moms who didn't choose to continue it that long and I know many who, had they had the hives I have would certainly not have gone as long. So, I pat myself on the back for a job well done. It's been a week, I still have hives. I'm hoping they will go away, if they haven't within a month which I believe should be enough time for the hormones causing them to subside, then I will have to consult a specialist and maybe go get some allergy testing done. They truly do make me miserable and I can't see having them for much longer being as I've put up with them so long already.