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Thursday, March 12, 2009

Milk mouth...

( This was harper at around 5-6 months)



Mommy's little milk mouth.


----------When Harper was first born, I tried to get him attached to the binky...for some peace, ya know? I tried every kind there was out there. I even did research on them to find the best. Ordered on line and everything. I should have figured out something was wrong when we had to physically hold the binky in his mouth for it to stay, or zip it in a jacket or prop it up. But without doing such tricks it always fell out. I had never heard of this problem happening with other babies, but I just assumed it was because he was so tiny and it would get better as he got a little older. Well, it didn't. I don't know if it had anything to do with his pallet... was it too high? Probably not he nursed awesome. But I gave up on that binky idea. No peace.


---------Of course you could have called me his human binky. That kid LOVED to nurse. From the moment we first tried he was a pro. I assumed I would have such a hard time since everyone else I know, did. My mom tried to nurse all of us kids, but had issues with every one of us, so she had it programed in my brain that so would I. Luckily I didn't and I loved it too. Its not only good for the baby but its cheap, and convenient. I was never embarrassed of doing it in public either, I just had my pretty Bebe cover up and I was good to go. We stopped nursing completely when Harper was 11 1/2 months. I wanted to wean because A.) He had some toofers that could hurt! B.) I wanted to be done by a year anyways and felt I had done a good enough job and C.) Since I had problems with previous pregnancy losses and I wanted to prepare my body before we began trying again for the next which meant I had to start taking certain drugs i.e. baby aspirin, that you can't take while nursing. The last reason was the main reason we stopped.
------------The whole time I nursed Harper we never supplemented with a bottle. Ever. And not because I am opposed to that. In fact, I so wish we had...just to have given me some sort of break. I mentioned earlier how my mom programmed me into thinking nursing would be hard, right? Well, she said that if I were to supplement a bottle early on, it could cause nipple confusion and Harper might choose the bottle over me. She meant well, but I'm fairly certain she was wrong. What happened was because I didn't get him used to the bottle early on, when I attempted the bottle when he got older, he acted like it was some foreign alien thing that he wanted NO part of! He wanted the warm soft boobies.. And as my husband said," can ya blame the guy" Well, I guess not. I tried several times anyhow in hopes he might take to it eventually. No luck.
-----------Every time I laid Harper down to sleep, I nursed and rocked him before hand. Which created a problem because he needed that sucking motion to fall asleep. And he didn't take a binky, suck a thumb, have a lovey he favored yet or do any other self soothing thing. I was his soother.
----------When it came time for the weaning process to begin, I was so nervous because he had rejected bottles as well as any type of formula I had spent some pretty bucks on, in hopes he might likey. I thought the reason he didn't want the bottle was because formula is so strong and icky tasting compared to the sweet light taste of momma milk. But I thought surely there had to be a brand out there that had to come similar in taste. There apparently turned out to be... Similac sensitive brand. I remember I even tasted it first ( okay so I'm weird:) and had a feeling it would be the one. Score! I was right. As it turned out, the weaning process became something that was much more difficult for me * tear* ( I cried for like a whole week after we stopped) than it was for him.
------------But now we have a new problem. And I need some help. Please anyone who has ANY sort of advice about this. I don't care who you are. If any random person even happens onto my page and you read this please help me! ( though by my numbers not many people visit my page yet--boo).
-----------My son is NOW attached to the darn bottle. Mornings, sometimes nap time, and before bed. And he turned 15 months on March 6th.
My worries are A.) the older he gets the harder to break the habit. B.) his teeth and decay...I do not like the thought of that sweet milk residue in his mouth as he sleeps. He's been on fluoride drops as per my bro-in-law since 6 mo and I brush his teeth, but still... and C.) I don't like the attachment he has to it.
----------I blame myself because I got him hooked on it a little too late. I was just desperate for him to be okay after me having took myself away from him and I wanted to make sure he got enough nutrients through out the day since his main source before, had just been mainly me. He had only been eating baby food maybe once a day before 11 mo. I was told that was okay since he was breast feed and he was gaining weight fine. He drinks out of big boy cups now through out the day and eats all table food no more baby food... but when it comes time for a nap or bed time, he still whines for that bottle.
----------Tell me what I need to do.
Do the cry it out thing? blah I hate that! But I'll do what I need to.
-----------Is there any plan that worked for any mother out there who was trying to wean from the bottle. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Sorry this was so long. This has just been really frustrating and its SO much easier to just give in to him. But is that the best for him? No. And I realize that.
----------I had spaces all in it but it won't allow for that????? Sorry it looks all run together. blah


3 comments:

Brian and Kristy said...

You don't know me but I'm Brian Harding's wife. I have seven sisters and six have children and a lot of them had this same attachment. One of my sisters told me that if Ethan ever had this problem, the best way to get them out of the habit is to put water in the sippie instead of milk and a lot of babies don't want it after a few times. I know it doesn't work for all babies but its something you could try. Water's better than milk on the teeth and eventually they learn to go to sleep without it. Anyway, I enjoy reading your blog! I can relate in many ways about the whole nursing thing. Ethan loves it but he also likes bottles so I can't complain. Its great being a mother!

Unknown said...

Lukes says, "I like your background." And he also says, "Say hello to your muthuh fo' me." (It's from SNL, Andy Sandburg as Mark Wahlburg) Anyway, Noa took a plug for naps and sleeping but maybe you can apply the same method with a bottle. When we got rid of the plug at 18 months I just told him, "Your plug went bye-bye." I told him that same thing every time it was nap or bed time for probably about a week. That was the end of that. He needed extra loves and snuggles and songs during those times but then he was over it. I also made sure to get rid of every plug so I couldn't 'give in' when I got frustrated. Maybe something like that could help.

Lastly, it is SOOOOO much easier to do it now! So good job. You'll thank yourself later when you see some kid who is 2-3 sucking a bottle at church or something!

Lance and Jessica said...

Hey Kristy, nice to meet you haha:) The Harding boys are great people, as Im sure you realize.
Thank you both for your input. I really appreciate it. We mommas can really help each other out.

I have tried the water thing.My son's kidneys filter it through his little system so fast, that he always has a pee up in the night. It could be the diapers... though I use huggies and a size bigger at bed time.

Brit- About the 2-3 yr olds sucking a bottle in church. I know!!!! I'm already ashamed about his bottle addiction, that I don't let him drink it out in public, only in secret lol. I'm bad. But I know you are right. It is best to stop it NOW.

Here's my plan.He has half a canister left of formula. When its gone, we are cutting out the bottle cold turkey. I am packing those babies up and putting 'em out of sight. He understands the concept of "all gone", so I think that will work best. I know that it will be difficult, but I have hope.


Thank you again mommas!