On Breastfeeding

Remember my earlier post on how Amir was weaned? Well, ho hum do we have a major update on that. 

The first week Umar was home, he started acting up. The usual terrible twos tantrum. Added with the arrival of a new sibling. Or so we thought. But then it got worse. 

He wouldn't even want to come into the room at night to sleep if Umar was there. And was basically crying something about Mommy but we couldn't understand what. At first. 

Coaxing manage to bring him to the room but he would still be crying and wanting to be comforted. Out of the blue, I asked if he wanted nen (we avoided this subject with him before) and immediately he smiled in the midst of his tears. 

Allahurabbi. He was trying so hard to be brave and to be a big boy (as per Mommy's nightly talks with him before on why he needs to stop nen). How he didn't say anything about it because he knows he is not supposed to. And how happy he was when he knew that he actually could. 

While feeding him that night, I cried.

So, I am tandem feeding both boys now. Biiznillah. 

Weaning

After he turned 2 and seeing that his baby brother will be out soon, the thought of weaning him has been going through my mind. In all honesty, I really do not know how to go about doing it. In one hand, it was our bonding moment.. a ritual if you may. The only time of the day where I felt really important and connected to him. On the other, he is 2 and I have completed my obligation to give him what was best for him (plus, I really did not want to encourage early contraction and stuff like that)

In a way, the transition has been made.. With the feeding being at night only ever since being pregnant. Only sometimes would he ask during the day and since he always asks so nicely, I can never say no. :P (of course after that, I would be so lembek for that whole day)

And so, each night after he turned 2, I told him that he's a big boy now and don't need his nen anymore and he can just go to sleep with me instead. Everytime, he would stop sucking and look at me as if to say "really?" and stare at me a bit before continuing as though he does not think my idea is a good one. Haha!

But for a week now, he has been on a routine where he says good night to everyone and once ready will tuck himself in the duvet and "try" to sleep by himself, without the nen. And amazingly enough, he's done it. Albeit takes longer. And needs a whole lot of twist and turn. And the occasional tepuk bum in a rhythm. But he's done it. No crying, no tantrums whatsoever. Subhanallah.. MasyaAllah I am so impressed!

And now I feel bereft.