Weaning Woes

My goal was to stop nursing after a full year. 

Let's just say that Raegan's goal wasn't necessarily the same as mine.

Can you say,"Challenge"? 

Yeah.

My first attempt was the sippy cup, rather than a bottle.  I mean, if she is going to need to transition soon from a bottle to a cup anyway-why not skip the middleman altogether?  I will admit that I did revert back to a bottle (in between sippys) in my desperate attempt for her to A) get nurishment and B) to not waste milk that I spent hours upon hours pumping in a tiny room at my office.  Seriously.

Back to the sippy...

So, we tried this:

Spout too hard...she couldn't even chew on it. No interest in this one. At all. 

Ok, no biggie.  We had a few other brands stashed in the cabinet, washed and ready for use. 

Next up: NUBY

More interest than Dr Brown's.  But, only because of the soft spout that she liked to chew on.  After 4-5 attemps, decided to reach back up into the cabinet.  Why not?

Batting #3?  Playtex. 

I had high hopes for this one.  I'd heard great things.

Another hard spout.  Cried every time she saw it.  On the floor in a matter of minutes.

I, at this point, become stressed. 

It had been 2 weeks. 

I really needed to start weaning. 

And, between me, Chuck, and her teachers-we are having no luck whatsoever.

Time to get serious. 

One trip to Babies R Us, one Ped visit, and two calls to my favorite Lactation Consultant later----I attempt the straw cup. 

Come on, Nuby, work with me.

Fingers crossed.

Suffice it to say, no luck.

At this point, Raegan began missing meals.  Ped and LC assured me that she would be fine and that she would soon learn that if she wanted milk, she had to take a cup. 

Wow.  Cruel, right?  But, at the end of the day, it was one nursing session that I was dropping.  One.  Not all four.

And, I was doing everything all of the books said.  It just wasn't working. 

Meanwhile... 

Attempts were still made based on suggestions from any and everyone. 

Let her drink directly from the cup?  2 sips and done. 

Let her drink from a cup with a bendy straw?  Only chews the straw. 

Take the straw and dribble milk into her mouth with it.  Ok, this works.  But, come on. 

Really?!?

As we are packing to head home for a wedding, my mom tells me that she and my dad will work with Rae and that "maybe Pop Pop will be able to get her to drink from a cup". 

PPUUUULLLLLLEEEEEAASSE 

I give her the "mm hmm.  Maybe." 

Thinking-"There is no way that 'Pop Pop' or 'De De' will be able to do this. 

No. Way."

Fast forward to my parents' house.  Friday, 3pm. 

Ater continued unsuccess at getting Rae to take her sippy (we have moved onto Munchkin brand at this point), she is in her chair eating her solids. 

My dad gets home from work and wants to finish feeding Raegan.

Have at it.

I take the opportunity to take a breather...only to hear the following within about 10 seconds, "Hey Kami.  Come here for just a sec." 

I walk into the kitchen to find Raegan gulping down the milk in her sippy. 

Gulping. 

Loving every minute.

Not fighting it at all.

Dad: "Is there more milk?  I think she's thirsty."

There really are no words....except these:

Mom was right.

Dad is good.

Munchkin was and continues to be the winner.

The latest?

While the sippy is still "hit or miss", we are definitely moving in the right direction. 

I'm unsure how much credit to really give to the Munchkin cup itself.  (Pop Pop, of course, likes to believe that it has zero to do with the cup.)  Either way, being that I'm slowly moving back into a normal bra size, we're sticking with the sippy that worked!

If anyone is interested in a cabinet full of gently "used" sippy cups, you know where to find me.