If the truth can be told (and I'm telling it), I am still nursing my daughter, who will be four years old in May. I'm planning to wean her completely over the next couple of months (she only nurses a few minutes a day now anyhow) and have been trying to determine what effect (if any) weaning will have on my weight loss plans.
I have heard rumors that your body hangs on to a little bit of fat (especially midriff fat) while you are still nursing, but that it will go away once you wean completely. I have also heard that it is common for some women to gain weight once they wean completely. This makes sense, too, because the child is no longer sucking calories out of you, but you may still be eating as if she is. I guess my own situation will come clear once I actually do it.
I've been nervous about calling it quits on nursing entirely for several reasons. One is that breast milk -- even in small quantities -- provides valuable antibodies to a child. Children's immune systems don't reach adult level of functioning until the child is around six years old. (Refer to the article "The Natural Age of Weaning" for reference) So I've been afraid that if I cut her off too soon, she's sure to get some horrible stomach flu or something right after and I'll wish I hadn't weaned.
Another reason (and a more selfish one) is that I'm worried about the hormone havoc that awaits me post-weaning. I realize I'm only delaying the inevitable, but there never seems to be a convenient time to have a hormone-induced nervous breakdown. If you think I'm making this up, read this.
So in a month (or two, or three) I'll let you know how it went, if there's anything interesting to report.
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In my case weaning resulted in no changes, for me or my kid. When you reduce nursing very gradually, as you pretty much always do as your child moves through toddlerhood and beyond, the transition occurs much more naturally. If you can already go long stretches without nursing and you don't notice any side effects then you're probably not likely to experience a major hormonal crash or change in weight. Easy weaning is often the upside of extended nursing.
ReplyDeleteGood luck! :)