Natural Parenting Newsletter Archives
the "right" time to....
Hello friends
the "right" time to....
My son will be two next month and there is no end in site to nursing on demand. He is madly in love with milkies. He nurses to sleep, wakes at least 3 times (often 5 or 6 or...) a night for more, and never goes a whole nap without sidling up to the mammary bar. It seems that I'm entering the unpredictable territory of "extended breastfeeding".
I'm certain that some people think I'm insane while others consider me a champion. Either way, I get the "looks" when I'm out in public, boob exposed for this sweet gangly creature sprawled across my lap.
I'll admit that sometimes in the middle of the night, when I'm twisted into the familiar, uncomfortable position for the zillionth time, I declare to myself...tomorrow I will research 'weaning' on the attachment parenting website. I never do. It's just doesn't seem right to swim against what is.
We create our own suffering when we get caught up in worry that whatever is happening isn't o.k. The shoulds take over our thinking...
-he should be sleeping through the night by now
-she should be in her own bed
-it's not right to still be breastfeeding
-it's not right that he weaned so early
Think of all the different shoulds out there for everything...foods, potty training, learning to read, schooling or not, and on and on.
It's enough to make us nuts.
When we follow our children's rhythms and trust them to naturally be who they are, then the right time (and the right way) is simply when and how it actually happens. If your child is weaning easily and naturally right now, then now is the "right" time to wean. If not, then now is not the right time. Do you see what I'm saying?
What IS, is what's right. Whatever is happening right now is perfect. Whatever is not happening right now is perfect. Stop worrying. Step into the perfection of your life AS IT IS.
And as for my middle of the night freak outs? I'm learning to remind myself that "this too shall pass". And when it does, I will probably miss it like crazy.
Love what is.
Lovingly,
Kris
2007 kris laroche : all rights reserved