Beginning of the end, pt2

D and I had a quick visit with his pediatrician this morning. I'd intended to just write her an email, but the website wasn't having any of that, so then I called the advice nurse line and asked them to have the doctor call me back, but then they happened to have an appointment for right then and I figured, "What the heck?" I'm all packed basically and the office is just down the road, so on down we went. I figured if I'm seriously thinking of weaning my child in the next couple weeks, or at least starting the process, it seems a good idea to consult his doctor first. I told her about my concerns about my milk supply and D's diminishing wet diapers, and she agreed that it's time to turn to formula. She suggested a few different types of sippy cups that he might have an easier time with, and gave me some more tips, then agreed to see us again in another month or so to check how things are going.

Right now the plan is to offer D formula in a cup/bottle/whatever he'll possibly take before every feeding, then I'll nurse him after (at least till he's taking a reasonable amount of formula). This morning he actually drank about 1-1.5oz, but that was with me following him as he played and offering him the sippy cup every 10 seconds or so, he'd take a couple sips and then turn his head and on like that we went for about 10 minutes. (Jenny suggested the problem is we need a better name for the cups, like a "gulp cup." That calling it a "sippy" cup is confusing the poor child =P). I'm hoping he might be more willing to take the formula from someone other than me, and that we can go from there. If needed there's always the option of mom just, um, disappearing for a day or 2 while little D gets acclimated to using a cup/bottle/whatever, but I'm gonna try to avoid that situation if possible. I'm not sure it'd be D so much who'd get traumatized there, as whichever grandparents he was left with. (BTW I will still keep up a morning and nighttime nursing session for as long as my supply lasts)

I'm also working to get better at keeping snacks with me to offer him throughout the day, just to get more calories in him overall. I need to get in that habit of always having some food and water for him when we go anywhere, which requires forward planning, which is not exactly my forte, but needs to be done.

D is currently having a great time playing with our tupperware in the kitchen. Zach should be coming home in the next hour or so, later this afternoon we're leaving for Texas again for the holidays. Looking forward to a good break, friends, family, seeing Daddy again after his trip to Chile, christmas fun, and going through our usual family traditions except with Donovan added to the mix this year. I'm quite excited to watch him play with discarded wrapping paper on christmas morn. Zach and I haven't actually gotten him any christmas presents (is that awful of us?). I'm thinking of getting him a baby walker once we get back... Though I do also have a feeling that between 5 grandparents, 2 great-grandparents, 11 uncles and aunts, and one cousin, D might not need worry about any lack of gifts.