Weaning my babies from breastfeeding...

It is hard to believe that after 13 months, I am officially finished breastfeeding my babies. It is going to be hard to put into words how incredible my breastfeeding time was and I am going to be working very hard on a very long post all about breastfeeding in general and even more specifically, breastfeeding twins. I am beyond thankful for these 13 months, and weaning my babies was seriously a breeze. I wish I was able to tell you HOW TO wean your baby, but for us, it just sort of happened, so here is our story...

My babies have been exclusively breastfed since they day they were born. This means every single meal was from me from the start. Sometimes it was by bottle, most of the time by breast, but I can count on one hand the amount of ounces of formula they each ever had (their first three days of life they were supplemented 2oz per day until my milk came in) which means a LOT of milk was produced over the past 13 months. Between 9 and 10 months my milk supply started to diminish a bit. They really started eating substantial solids around that time, so I believe they started drinking a little less, making my body drop in supply. We kept on, as I knew my body would give them what they needed on top of the solids, but a couple weeks before their first birthday, I began to give them a small bottle of coconut milk after each feeding. We wanted to give them a dairy alternative and after researching, coconut milk seemed to be the highest fat alternative to cows milk. They took it with out any fuss. They chugged away as if it was my milk, probably because my poor babes were hungry! My body was not keeping up. On their first birthday I nursed the babies first thing in the morning and right before bed at night, giving them milk after those feeds and two additional full bottle feedings during the day. We kept this up for a couple of weeks and then one day Jack Henry refused my breast. He turned his head away from me and arched his back, showing NO interest. I didn't force it obviously so I offered the breast at each feeding and after three days of denying, I considered him weaned. Boom. Done. My little baby bear who was the most "in to nursing" who wouldn't take food, and only wanted me, weaned himself at the snap of a finger. It was a little sad, I'm not going to lie, but I knew he was finished and it was time for him to advance to the next season of life. Hadley nursed a couple weeks longer than Jack Henry, until she was 13 months. She only nursed when I put her on, and seemed like she could take it or leave it. Once Jack Henry had stopped, my supply REALLY dropped and so Hadley was just getting n ounce or two snacks, so I knew the time had come for both of us. It was really crazy. The last time I nursed her, I didn't know it would be the last time. I think that was a good thing. If I had known that night would be the last time nursing these babies, I think it would have been a really emotionally difficult for me. The day we stopped, I just never offered her the breast, and she carried on like normal. And that was that.

God was so good to me in SO many ways through this. I honestly never knew how long we could make it, and a year was our goal and we even exceeded that goal! He gave my babies the perfect weaning experience. Neither of them screamed and cried for the breast, while I had to deny. And He gave ME the perfect heart for weaning them. I in NO way was thinking "CAN THIS PLEASE BE OVER?" I enjoyed every minute of it. But I also, wasn't holding onto nursing them in an unhealthy way. I was excited for them to grow and develop onto the next stage. Yes, this means my babies were less "baby" and I SO MISS snuggling them and bonding in such a way that God created us so beautifully to do, but I was ready. I knew it was time. My body knew it was time. My babies knew it was time. And I began to look at all the positives... Having my body completely back to myself. WOAH like I didn't even know what to do?! I can go somewhere with out having to worry about pumping in the car or storing milk and keeping up with schedules.  No more waking up at 3am every morning to pump to keep my supply up. I figure I roughly nursed my babies FOUR THOUSAND times! Thats 2,000 nursing sessions per baby. SUCH a HUGE part of our lives for 13 months. Nursing was a sacrifice in some ways, but I have nothing but sweet and precious memories. It is one of the best experiences I could have imagined. I wouldn't have had it any other way. So, friends, I am officially finished nursing these babies. My heart is full, I feel at peace and I am so thankful I got to nurse my twins for thirteen whole months. God is certainly good.