I passed The Milk Trial!

So this is it. I have come to the end of The Milk Trail. I have passed my Milk Trial. The end. Sigh. Yes, I'm actually kinda sad. I have mixed feelings about it really...

On one hand, I feel kinda relieved to have stopped breastfeeding coz... it's a kind of freedom. Freedom from having to wake up several times in the night to breastfeed. Freedom from worrying about whether I need to pump now, or later? or how to store milk? etc... Freedom from worry about whether I'd get blocked ducts, or mastitis or plugged ducts or sore nipples... Freedom to wear other tops during the weekend instead of my nursing tops all the time (Impossible to find Spiderman nursing tops!!!).

On the other hand... I will miss breastfeeding. Already, when Shawna weaned herself off, I was starting to feel a little sad. As Shawna drank more (longer sessions and more frequent) than Asher did, I didn't aspect that Shawna would be the one to stop drinking before Asher did. Neither did I expect her to wean herself off. Silly as it may sound, I felt kinda hurt when she decided to wean herself off. But that's just how my little girl is - she's one strong character who has a mind of her own.

So... why stop? Well... There's a school of thought that follows the theory that: the longer you breastfeed your child, the better it is for the child - nutritionally, and for the mother - against breast cancer etc, and good for mother-child bonding etc. I generally belong in this camp. So I would have been happy to go on breastfeeding for like FOREVER. Plus I really get a kick out of people going like "Wah!!! You so good ah! Still breastfeeding ah!!!" Makes me out to be a super mummy like. *hyuk*hyuk*hyuk* Oh and when one is lactating, you practically EXPEL calories, right?! What's not to like?! :)

Well... yes, all the inconveniences as previously mentioned. Plus there is the other school of thought that breastfeeding past the first year isn't really any much point (they claim the nutritional benefits have largely decreased by then). Also, the lack of a straight night's sleep for almost 4 years straight was starting to have a toll on me physically... And... I really wanted to start losing weight in earnest - you can't go on a diet or lose too much weight when you're breastfeeding - coz the toxins (that you produce while losing weight or whatever) would get into the milk, and we don't want the babies to drink milk with toxins in them (no matter how organic these toxins are... :p)

So, there was another agenda behind my recent trip to Europe - to wean Asher off the breast. Asher had recently (before my Europe trip) been enjoying suckling very much. He'd always enjoyed it, but since we came back from Australia, he's been having it good coz he can have both sides to drink from since Shawna didn't want any.

Ask any mother who's been breastfeeding for quite awhile and you know that it is particularly difficult to wean a child off the breast. Frankly, it's not only the child, but also the Mummy, I feel. I find it extremely difficult to refuse baring my chest (kekeke) to my children when they ask for milk... Breaks my heart to say no. So... I know, the only way to stop, the easiest way rather, was for me to go overseas - without Asher. Hence, this trip was designated The Trip to bring The Milk Trail to an end...

Thus, it is to be recorded, that I breastfed Isaac for more than 24 months, Shawna for 17 and a half months, and Asher for just over 18 months.

Sobz. I miss breastfeeding already!!!