A year...one whole year

I know I'm jumping the gun by 13 days but I'm pretty sure I will make it to the finish line. That finish line is one year of breastfeeding. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I would breastfeed for an entire year. It started a little rocky with my milk not coming in right away and Dylan losing more than 10% of his body weight while in the hospital. I think we might have given him a total of 4-6 ounces of formula between being at the hospital and the first few days at home. Once my milk came in, there was no more supplementing. I will say that there is no book, class or mother that can help you prepare for actual nursing. They can guide you in what to do but until you put an actual baby to your breast, you really have no idea what to expect. Those first few weeks were very trying. There were quite a few tears and toe curling cries. I can't even being to explain the kind of pain I endured to provide my little guy with the best. Once we got past those first 6 weeks it was smooth sailing. We were in a routine. I always had enough milk for him. Once he started sleeping through the night at 6 weeks, I continued to wake up and pump in the middle of the night to start building my freezer stash. I am so happy that I did because without that stash, there is no way I'd make it to a year! My period didn't come back until Dylan was 10 months old. My supply tanked! I went from pumping 15-17 ounces at work to pumping 10-12 ounces at work. I am now barely pumping 5 ounces while I work. Dylan is only taking two 5 ounce bottles while at daycare so he gets one bottle of freshly pumped milk and one frozen milk. It just amazes me that I have supplied him with the nutrients that he's needed for the past year!! I feel very fortunate that it has been easy for me to provide him enough milk each day. I knew I wanted to make it to a year and if we make it longer, then I'm okay with that. I'm thinking we probably won't go past year because I'm pretty sure Dylan is self weaning. He's refused to nurse the past few mornings and refused the past two night nursing sessions. I can still pump, so I'm okay with it but I always thought that we'd make it to a year and then I'd continue to nurse him in the morning and night until 18 months, maybe two years. I was going to let him be the judge but I guess he's deciding now. I have built an incredible bond with my child and am so thankful for the support and encouragement Jason has given me. Thank you Jason. I would not have made it without you!!

This has been an incredibly fast year and I will have many memories to carry on in years to come!!

I will say that I will NOT miss my damn pump and cannot wait until the day I can go to work with a PURSE and not some nasty black "bag" that I'm sure every single person knows is a boob milker!

Until the next child, I can enjoy having my body back. I can enjoy a glass of wine, eating onions and broccoli. We can go places and not have to worry about me having to nurse Dylan somewhere or make sure we have a bottle and enough milk if we leave him with someone.

BUT I would not have changed one single moment!!!