Now You Tell Me

The American Academy of Pediatrics has a favorite pastime: making recommendations. They have ideas about everything, and when Rain was first born, we let the Academy's opinion trump our own common sense. Nevertheless, when I was told the Academy recommended that babies be breastfed until they are a year old, I tried to mentally prepare for the loooong year ahead of me.

Now, here we are, one year later. I have dutifully nursed Rain under all kinds of unsatisfactory conditions. I ate meals cold, woke up at all hours of the night, went home early from events, ignored back pain, and more to meet the Academy's goal. True, Rain always looked healthy (ruddy cheeks are kind of cute), and she never once this past year, not once I tell you, had an earache, cold, or anything else besides a few fevers (lasting only a few hours) when she teethed (the Academy will tell you I'm making that last part up, but honest, she felt feverish during bad teething bouts). The problem is, Rain (like her other breastfed counterparts, I'm sure) is almost comically addicted to nursing. We have all kinds of running jokes in our home over her attachment. We often refer half-seriously to Rain's "breast friends." I told my sister the other day, "I can't even go into a dressing room with Rain anymore. The other day, she was with me as I was trying on a shirt. After a second, I was like, 'Who dimmed the lights??'" I won't even hold Rain horizontally, because she thinks it's snack time. I know it's not Rain's fault; for cryin' out loud, I spent the first 3 months of her life encouraging her to nurse with gusto. But now she seems a little too wise about the whole thing. It's almost as if I waited too long to wean her, and now it's going to get ugly. I waited because (here it comes) the Academy recommended it.

So, today I decided I was not going to let Rain have her usual afternoon nursing session. I thought, "Hey, it's ONE time ... just a test run ... no reason to panic ..."

Results: Ugly.

I mean, she cried, and cried, and cried, until I thought I could hear the upstairs neighbor joining in. After 15 minutes of her screams, I caved. I dusted off my old standby parenting manual (What to Expect in the First Year) and read all the techniques on how to wean. Under the list of times not to try to wean? During a major change, such as moving to a new house.

Doh!