When A Lightsaber Is Not Enough

A couple weeks ago I wrote Breastfeeding by Star Wars.

While it's a good description of what often happened, it's not the whole story, sometimes a lightsaber just isn't enough.

Truth is, how Aedyn works into mine and Jaron's nursing relationship has changed and changed and changed again.

At first Aedyn didn't really seem to notice. He'd play and I'd make sure that he had a cup of something to drink.

"Jaron eat me?"

Then for a little while he wanted to nurse again too, but he couldn't remember how to latch, so that was a no go. But he decided that he would "help" and hold my breast for Jaron to nurse from. That was so cute and sweet! But then he started trying to dictate when Jaron was "all done."

Of course phases of "helping" tended to alternate with times where every. time. I. sat. down. to. nurse. Jaron. Aedyn would have a potty training "accident" or would do something else off limits that he never tried or did when I wasn't nursing. It was those times that reminded me to give him a bit more attention during Jaron's naptimes. Fortunately that phase passed with the help of Star Wars and completing potty training.

As Jaron got older and more distractable, I had to change things around a bit. He was too distracted to nurse enough (to few wet diapers) during the day so Aedyn wasn't allowed to be around. Jaron needed to focus. Ultimately that led to the crutch of the electronic babysitters by the name of Disney and George Lucas (Star Wars).

Now Jaron primarily night nurses and is mostly weaned during the day so there's not to much issue. Aedyn sees Jaron nursing for hunger and comfort and on occasion will lift his shirt and try to get Jaron to nurse from him if he thinks Jaron is scared or hungry.

We've had to talk about girls and boys, and who can make milk because of that. I'll be honest, I'm kind of afraid that Jaron will take him up on the offer and then bite because there's nothing there! Can't even imagine what kind of chaos that would cause!

Brothers

Jaron will be 1 in a week (AHHH!) and I'm starting to think about our next baby and how far away that will be. I'm not sure if I will tandem nurse or not. Depends on supply and how Jaron handles the change in taste/consistency. I'm hoping that Aedyn will prove to be a distraction and buddy for Jaron once I'm nursing #3 and that will make the transition and process easier for him.

Or maybe I'll just have to nurse hands free all the time so I can have a lightsaber battle going on both sides of me...

Who knows? Anyone have advice for nursing #3 and keeping a toddler and preschooler occupied at the same time? Share your thoughts here and link up your own posts on nursing #2, #3, or more with the Breastfeeding Blog Hop!

Who Needs A Crib?

I never thought it would happen to us. We left on a trip, came back, and the crib was gone.

Ok, maybe it's not so melodramatic as all that, but we are now crib-free and I really never thought that would happen.

A couple months ago I read this post by The Gnome's Mom about how they had just gotten rid of the crib they never used. I thought it was great, for them, but I liked having somewhere to put Jaron when (if) he napped. And at that point we still used his Pack N' Play for occasional naps. Our real crib was and is currently Aedyn's toddler bed and Jaron had outgrown his cradle.

The cradle had been a wonderful and necessary thing because of Aedyn. Aedyn is a thrasher, when Jaron arrived Aedyn started wanting to co-sleep again and of course we let him. I was too nervous to allow Jaron to sleep on the outside side of me and too worried about what Aedyn would do in his sleep for Jaron to sleep on the inside side. Aedyn sleeping on the outside of Jake was never an option, he just wouldn't do it.

For the first few months it worked great with Jaron sleeping in the cradle right next to the bed. I'd bring him into the big bed to nurse and then move him back. Then, around 5 months he began to wake up every 45 minutes or so all night long. After trying just about everything I brought him in bed with us pretty much full time. The waking didn't stop, but it was much less disruptive to just pull up my tank top instead of having to get up and down with him.

We finally figured out that he was reverse cycling because he wasn't nursing enough during the day. While some would see it as early self-weaning, I knew better. I've tried to alter things during the day to help him focus and nurse longer, but in the end, if he needs to nurse all night long, it is what it is.

Aedyn has mostly started sleeping in his bed again, but even if he doesn't, the two of them wallow like little puppies until they're both comfortable and settle back into sleep. Just think of what they'd be missing if Jaron were in a crib!

I still used the PNP for naps for awhile because Jaron needed to be in a separate room to nap and I didn't want him crawling off the edge of the bed if I couldn't get to him the instant he woke up. Then about a month ago, (9 mo old) he learned how to get off the bed on his own. And then he started trying to climb out of the PNP...never succeeded, but was making enough progress for me to realize that it wasn't going to last long.

Still, I wasn't quite ready to give it up. It sat there, filling up with clothes and toys that occasionally I'd clean out. Aedyn would climb in and play in it, but the PNP was never used for sleeping.

Fast forward to 2 weeks ago. I was heading to Tennessee to visit family. I was on the fence about taking the PNP with us since it had already been decided that the boys and I would share a bed. But in the end, my be-prepared OCD kicked in and it made the journey. Then it made the journey back. Now it sits...ummm, somewhere in our house...can't remember where I stashed the thing when we unloaded the car.

Obviously we haven't missed it.

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