A Reality Check In Which I Cry

Okay, so this isn’t the super fabulous post that I promised for today.  I will get to that…in the next few hours.

This post is about reality.  About where I am right now.

I’ve been having an issue going on with my lower right leg since Memorial Day. It started out as some sort of insect bite and now it’s just majorly gross. I won’t show you a picture because you would die. Thankfully I’m on medication to help it heal.

Unfortunately, the medication that I have to take requires that I stop nursing Ridley.

I never dreamed that I would nurse him for 17 1/2 months.  For us, it was hard to figure out, but once we got the hang of it, breastfeeding was wonderful for both of us.

Recently, I’ve nursed him less and less.  He just hasn’t been too interested.

Today, the whole weaning thing has hit me like a freight train.

I had no clue how much my hormones were going to wack out when I started weaning.

Oh. My. Word. I’m a disaster.

And to top it off, Ridley decided to take a head first dive off of my bed.

My heart stopped beating for at least two minutes while I made sure he was okay…which he was.

So yeah, it’s only lunch time and I’ve cried enough for a week.

Have you experienced hormonal imbalances when you’ve weaned?  Also, will you pray that my leg will get better quickly?

I’m off to finish my project, so I can share it with you tonight.

38 Comments

  1. I am a total nutcase when I wean a kiddo……a bigger hormonal mess than the weeks following labor! I totally understand……I’ll be praying for you!!!
    .-= Julie Johnston´s last blog .. =-.

  2. I’m praying for you! Love you! May you know the comfort that God gives! He cares for you! And underneath are the everlasting arms!

  3. I nursed my son for 6 months. I say “nursed” instead of “breastfed” because he was on formula the whole time because I had only drops of milk, even though I pumped every two hours day and night.

    My son knew that nursing would put him to sleep so he started fighting me and biting me every time I tried to nurse him . . . so I stopped. I didn’t have hormonal imbalances because the milk supply was so low. I did miss the mommy/son cuddle time for sure, but I make up for it with lots of cuddle and play time throughout the day!

    I will pray for you about that and about your leg. Hope it heals soon!

  4. Oh my, I’ve not considered the hormone swing for when I’ll wean Susannah (not for a while yet)… Lovely. This morning I was just thinking that I hope things get evened out soon so my hair will stop falling out before I go totally bald!

    I hope your leg gets better super fast, that Ridley won’t attempt skydiving again anytime soon, and that your hormones settle down. ((hugs))

    1. @Miriam, Thank you so much Miriam! Your bald comment cracked me up! I never anticipated the hormonal insanity with weaning, but it’s something I won’t forget.

  5. I’ll be praying for you. I know my Mother in law experienced hormonal triggers when she weaned too. She nursed all 7 of her kids. I hope your leg heals fast and the weaning process is easy on all of you 🙂 Hang in there 🙂
    .-= Chels R.´s last blog ..Weekly Menu 7-5-7-11 =-.

  6. Hi! I cannot relate to what you are going through because I was not able to nurse. What I can do is add you to my prayer list, and I will definitely do that. 🙂 In the meantime, tell Ridley that Clark Kent is way cooler than Superman. You might able to convince him of that at least for the next couple of years. 😀
    .-= Kristine´s last blog ..Follow Me Back Tuesday =-.

  7. oh wow – I never realized that it could cause those hormonal issues … makes sense though! I’ll be praying for your hormones and your leg! (Thanks for not posting pictures cause I’m eating right now! haha)
    .-= Lauren´s last blog ..Pruning =-.

    1. @Amy @ Finer Things, Amy, you know what’s weird? Ridley was down to 2-3 feedings a day (morning, naptime and night). We were getting close to weaning anyway, so I’m surprised that I’m having the swings….

  8. I will keep you in my prayers that your leg heals quickly and your hormones go back to normal quickly. I had a spider bite that got really bad and was in the worst spot ever, so I know how your feeling with that bug bite. I know very well about the not being able to breast feed. I had to pump for 10 days just to throw my milk away when I had my daughter because I ended up with an infection. I was able to go back to breast feeding as soon as I was done with the heavy antibiotics. If your really not ready to wean him ask your doctor about being able to go back to breast feeding after your done with your antibiotics. It might help instead of just going “cold turkey”.
    .-= Cherees´s last blog ..Off to Camp =-.

  9. Katie has been threatening to wean for a while now–in fact, Sunday I was pretty sure she was done (I only offered it to her once and she was not interested at all!), but then yesterday she was sick and wanted to nurse all day.

    Even though my next one is bakin’, the thought of Katie weaning herself makes me so sad–I can’t imagine being forced to do it! I’ll be thinking of you and praying for you.
    .-= Mary Jo´s last blog ..Arroz con Pollo Chicken with Rice =-.

    1. @Mary Jo, Thank you Mary Jo! I’ve missed you. I hope that you had a good trip to FL. Can’t wait to see you in October. 🙂

      Weaning has been quite easy for Ridley, but much, much harder on me. It’s something that I didn’t even think about.

  10. I wanted to nurse Barclay for 2 years:-) But he weaned a little before 10 months…devistated me and made me crazy emotional for weeks. I cried at the drop of a hat. I literally still try to nurse him! Event hough he hasn’t for 7 months! It’s so sad. Like stab you in the heart sad. I’m so sorry:-(
    .-= Helen Joy´s last blog .. =-.

    1. @Helen Joy, Awww, I’m right there…crying at the drop of a hat. Thank you for understanding. It is such a comfort to know that I’m not alone. ((hugs))

  11. I was not able to nurse any of my children for very long so am not familiar with the imbalances. I will pray that you both get through this peacefully and that your leg heals quickly!
    .-= Barbie´s last blog ..God Is Like Colors =-.

  12. Hugs and prayers to you! I was emotionally weird when my son weaned even though he’d been nursing less than once a day in the final few weeks. I have two pieces of advice:

    1. You may find your child less appealing than before and get annoyed with him more easily. Try to stay aware that it’s the hormones talking and look for new ways to enjoy time with him.

    2. Orgasm also produces oxytocin, a happy cuddly hormone. Having more sex (not that that’s easy with a young child around!) may help to take the edge off your mood.

    I hope your leg is fully healed very soon!
    .-= ‘Becca´s last blog ..Tangy Honey-Apricot Tofu =-.

  13. Sending some hugs to you (:) I’m a mess when mine are weaning too (both times due to the next pregnancy—my body just doesn’t do well supporting two). Be sure to give Ridley lots of extra cuddles. It’ll help you both feel better 🙂

    And since no else has made this comment (I feel bad saying it, but there is so much misinformation out there about medications and weaning), I’m curious about the source your doctor used to tell you that your med wasn’t safe for BF. The Physicians’s Desk Reference is what a lot of them use, when actually the LactMed Database (you can use it yourself) is much more accurate. And as far as books go, Medications and Mother’s Milk is a fabulous resource too.

    I’m not at all saying you shouldn’t wean even if your med is actually safe—just hoping you have the right info to make your decisions with.

    This is a really helpful link for doing medication research: http://www.kellymom.com/health/meds/med-risks.html

  14. Sending you lots of prayers and hugs! Weaning was very stressful for me, we stopped just short of 14 months. Hang in there mama, you did a wonderful job nursing him for as long as you have.
    .-= Leah´s last blog ..Happy Birthday- =-.

  15. Myra you are adorable in your description of this unique hormonal roller coaster! 🙂 You are so normal!

    I’ve had similar conversations with girlfriends about having “serious road rage” and “blubbering over spilt milk” because of the dramatic readjustment of hormones during the weaning process! ((big hugs))

    FYI it has lasted about 4 to 6 weeks for me to totally level out after weaning each of my boys…. but the first 2 weeks were the worst!
    .-= Ann Marie @ Household6Diva´s last blog ..Kindred spirits =-.

  16. just wanted to reach out and say I’m going through this right now, and it really is tough. I’m a bit of a mess due to the hormonal changes. And is your weight fluctuating like crazy right now? Mine definitely is, but I wasn’t sure if it was due to the hormones or what. we’re talking swings of a few pounds every day.
    Tiffany´s last blog post ..Rocky Mountain One Size Diaper Review

    1. Oh Tiffany, I’m RIGHT there with you. Yes, my weight is bonkers right now. And my hormones are all wacked out too. I just keep telling myself that “this too shall pass.” It’s so hard. When I rock Ridley to sleep at night sometimes I just bawl my eyes out because I don’t feel “needed” anymore. I know I am needed, but just in a different way. I am thankful that he wants to snuggle more than even when he was nursing. It helps my mommy heart. Please know, that I’m praying for you. Genuinely, really praying for you. ((hugs))

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