Weaning, co-sleeping, and toddler timelines

Yesterday I had to see one of the alternate doctors in my doctor’s practice, for meds for this sinus infection that is never ending (new allergies? Stress? Dry air in the office?). I said I needed a drug that is not penicillin-derived because Noah is allergic to penicillin, and that we are still nursing.

There was a long pause while he, white Boomer male, rifled through the file and then said, obviously not able to find the documentation, “How old is Noah?”

“Just over 2,” I said. This sparked a mini-lecture about nutrition and weaning which basically came down to: wean your toddler you hippie freak.

Now I don’t care about this doctor’s opinion and I checked with the pharmacist that the drug he prescribed is ok for nursing toddlers. But it did bother me, partly because I have been thinking a lot about this weaning thing. I am getting tired of the nursing routine, which is currently “before sleep, and from 4-6 am, and maybe a little snack at midnight. And maybe 2 am.” The maybes are more related to colds and things, I think, and cosleeping does make them fairly low-stress. But I am still tired of the whole thing. I also did the math and if we have another baby and I nurse for the same length of time, that will be 5 years of nursing.

At the same time I’m finding that I like cosleeping more than I ever thought I would. It’s just nice to all nestle down after a crazy day of work, school, play, chores, dinner, and so on, and to feel Noah curl up into my armpit at 3 am or whatever.

(Out of the womb for 2 and a third years, and he still likes best to sleep in a manner that I assume reminds him of being head-down against a cervix. If no person is available, he uses the corner.)

I have this theory that it helps smooth out the rough edges of separation during the day. And I was kind of pleased to see that many Japanese parents agree with me, at least if I believe this article.

So although we have plans to get Noah a big-boy bed over the holidays, I have no plans to push for him to use it, except for naps. But I do have a plan to try weaning over the break. So this morning I decided to start talking to Noah about it.

“When you were tiny baby, you didn’t eat toast,” I said, “You only nursed. But then you grew and grew and started eating toast and cereal and eggs and cheese…”

“Cookies,” Noah supplied.

“And cookies. So now you are getting to where you don’t need to nurse any more. Mummy doesn’t nurse. Daddy doesn’t nurse.”

“MY nurse!” he said.

“Yes but soon it will be time to say bye-bye to nursing.”

There was much protest over this, so I dropped it for the moment. Noah went on with his playing and then he came back and said, out of nowhere, “No sleep big bed.”

“No sleep big bed?” I repeated.

“No. My sleep MY bed.”

Apparently he just has his own plans. I’d better get myself to Ikea.