Officially finished breastfeeding
OUR CLOSING RITUAL 3 years and 2 months later
Hey friends,
In this substack I’ll be sharing a bit about our actual process finishing breastfeeding with Rafi. You may have already read my other publication (Our three times of trying to wean and failing over the last 18 months). If not, you can read it here:
I’ll also share the details of how we had a completion process for Rafi and I. A slow burn, over time but the last three days have really brought it all to a close, gently, beautifully, with a big bow on top for the both of us.
Closure for Rafi, Completion for myself, a celebration of our family. Through a ritual I hope to repeat for all of my children when the time comes.
I’ve included some photos from our afternoon today and why it felt so special to ritual and close this chapter in this way. AND a very special cake recipe.
Love Kat
PS. This email with the pictures may be too “Large” for some of your emails so it could be better to go to the app to read xx
For $2.25 a week AUD
It’s not that I needed to breastfeed for as long as possible,
It’s moreso my heart wasn’t ready to stop.
I’d get the occasional comment on social media or from someone we know - trying to gently guide the ending, wondering when or how long we were planning to breastfeed for.
Though this is hardly a story of overcoming adversity. I just like to do what I want.
Breastfeeding until my heart and his said stop, is just one of those things.
I’ve shared a publication in here about the three times we tried to wean. Once right before he was two, and twice over the last year.
All helped us, and had us learn. Though none were the right time, and honestly, no other time than right now , after three years and two months, has felt so good to stop.
It’s been a slow burn.
We began by cutting out feeding through the night. This was kinda consistent though if he were having a really hard night, or was unwell, of course I’d offer him some.
He knew he would have a feed to go to sleep, and then would have to “wait until the sun comes up” to have a bit in the morning (Normally, the SECOND dawn cracked, and I absolutely needed more sleep so It worked for both of us.)
He’s also feed to sleep at his midday nap, and occasionally on waking if he was distressed.
I became pregnant in December 2022, and by 8 weeks my nipples were SORE. SO sore. Though for some reason it still didn’t feel like the time to stop. I knew that even for him pregnancy would be a big and tender time, and I didn’t feel right removing this version of emotional regulation.
Some how I just pushed though - though with less patience.
I had sore nipples in the past. No big deal.
I remember someone saying once, when it’s no longer “enjoyable” fo you then it’s no longer a relationship and it’s a one way street.
but,