Friday, October 20, 2006

O god make it stop

Tandem nursing is all about that blissful time in the middle of the night when I hear crying - or yelling demands, usually - and I crawl into Toddler's bed and pretend it's just the two of us again. I feed her and she rolls over and spoons into me and we snuggle up until Baby wakes me a few hours later needing a feed. It's probably the most satisfying sleep I get all the brief night (midnight to six am is night, at present).

It's also one of the few parenting issues I'm proud of at the moment. And I'm certain it has made the adjustment to a new sibling easier. If Toddler is annoyed that I'm feeding Baby, I just offer her milk too. Sorted. The rest of the time, Baby is relegated to the sling, which she gullibly believes to be a reward, and Toddler gets all my shattered, blear-eyed attention.

Monday, October 16, 2006

Oh no, not again

I have been working on my embarrassment at feeding Toddler in public. I have now fed her in front of my in-laws (definitely public, given their various attitudes) and at the doctor's, while having my postnatal appointment for Baby.

The doctor just said "You're still giving her a bit of breast then."

This blog is empty mainly because after the first few feeds, tandem nursing is just life as normal. There's not a lot to say about it. I did feel odd tandem nursing them at the local breastfeeding clinic where I go to offer peer support and advice on babywearing, because I prefer not to come on too strong in front of people who are looking for help with insurmountable problems. But I did it, and I think it was a good thing.

Now I find myself wanting to nurse Toddler less. I grow resentful. I'm tired, and I ache a bit. I'm sure a good night's sleep would do me the world of good, but I have easily two years before that's a possibility, on previous experience. Perhaps it's time to send Toddler and her father to the in-laws for a weekend again. She enjoyed it last time and didn't miss me a bit. I'd get more sleep with only Baby to wake for.

Because there's no way Toddler is ready to wean yet. She's still using the immunity (it's cold season!) and the comfort. Oh, yes, she's using the comfort...