Bed time routine

Little Zoe,

I've been trying to reduce your nursing because "you're a big girl now, and big girls don't use boob," as I try to explain to you, and because it's damaging my bones. So in the last two months we gradually reduced nursing to four, three, and finally two times a day. And in the last four days, we came down to one.

It hasn't been easy, and it's still a struggle. It makes me sad to refuse when you point your finger and ask for "meh" (milk) or "bub" (boob). You insist, and pull my shirt. I give you the speech about big girls not using boob, and look for ways to distract your attention. You are not ready to give up the session right after daycare yet. If I refuse, you cry so much, like your world has collapsed. So I give in. As for the bedtime session, we managed to develop a routine as a substitute for the boob. I can't say it works great, but it is manageable. Here is what we do:

After dinner, we all go to the bathroom and give you a bath. You enjoy playing in the water. Then we put your pajamas on, and go to the big bed. I read you a book. Lately you've been wanting to read "Counting Kisses." With the first line of the book - "My tired little baby, do you need a kiss?" - you bring your head to me for a kiss. When we are done reading, we both put our heads on the pillow and I sing you songs. When you ask for the boob, I give you some milk from a cup, and sing some more. Then I kiss you good night and leave you with Papa. You walk to the edge of the bed, closest to the door and cry "mamma mamma mamma." And cry some more. Against my instinct, I don't respond. From what Papa tells me, you give up, go back to the pillow, put your head down and sleep.

Love,
Mommy