What can I say? Nursing releases oxytocin -- a hormone that induces uterine contractions and, in sufficient quantity, can lead to labor. While I am trying to hold on to amniotic fluid with a broken amniotic sac on bed rest, this is pretty much breath-takingly counter-productive. Gently my doctor advised weaning. Immediately. Completely. That was last Thursday. Twice Lucilla snuck up on Thursday and managed to nurse before I caught her and gently removed her. Since then, I have been giving her milk from a bottle and being very affectionate with her. The surprise? She seems accepting. She pats me gently and says "No nursing. Nursing no, no." She shakes her head sadly at her brother and tells him: "Not nursing." Of course she has also had some screaming tantrums and hit and scratched. But a bit of rage is normal. What softens my heart is the extra hugging and kissing. As if she is making up for the shortfall by offering and claiming extra love. I am pretty sure with her varied diet and reasonable fluid intake that this will not be a disaster for her health. She is 20 months, after all. I just want her to feel cherished, you know? She struggles to fall asleep independently, but has had several naps and gone to sleep at a time not too far off from her normal bedtime every evening.
And it feels like we are taking care of the littlest one.
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