advice please....on a few things.

[fell4myfallbaby]

for one....i have tried the skipping one meal of nursing.....but he wants it all the time. he will want to nurse for an hour just hanging on it. and it's worse if i have worked or have class or something. cause he knows i can't go anywhere while he's on that. and at night he will sleep with his grandparents just fine....with me he tosses and thinks he should hang on the boob all night. :( i feel like a bad mother for this driving me crazy. i don't mind nursing in the morning and at night or once during the day.....but i feel like i'm always feeding him. help!!!!!
okay now two. tonight i went and had coffee with a friend....and that's only the second time since DS has been born that i hung out with a friend while he was at home. and i didn't leave him just for that it was after class. and i feel guilty. i felt terrible that i didn't go straight home to him. is this normal? i felt like i just left my poor baby missing me. or should i work on lightening up a tad?
thanks ladies.....!!

[Brianna]

:hug: Nursing nonstop is pretty normal....even for young toddlers. IMO, nursing is easier than dealing with a fussing, crying baby who doesn't understand why he cannot nurse. Like you said, he is probaby nursing to reconnect with you. He's a little smartie. When is nursing, he gets to cuddle in your lap, recieve your attention, and get a belly full of good mama milk. In a few months, as his language skills develop, it may be easier for you to distract him with other activities.

Don't ever feel bad about taking time for yourself. We all need some time to relax. It makes us better parents, and it helps us to enjoy our children more. You work hard; you deserve some down time. In addition, we need to stay connected to our friends. As adults and parents, we need a good support system so that we can offer our children the support they need.

[lolabear]

i feel like i nurse all the time too, but my ds is only 4 months old lol but sometimes it is hard like last night i was really sick and he just wouldnt let go but i know this time doesnt last forever so i just try to soak it all in.

i used to feel guilty for leaving my kids too but i know i have to work and go to school, it was harder with just my first but now that there is 3 of them i really do realize that some time to myself every once in awhile keeps my sane!

[whitnessforhim]

I agree with the others...there's nothing wrong with taking a moment to yourself. Everyone of us need it. However, I also deal with those guilt feelings when I choose to do somthing other than spend time with my LO. I think it normal but something we need to get over.

My DD is almost exactly the same age as yours and at times I think I want to pull my hair out with how much she still nurses in the middle of the night. She's still nursing every two hours! I just keep telling myself this will pass and soon she won't need mommy's comfort anymore.

[blessedbythree]

I agree with pp's that you should enjoy and little mommy time every once in awhile. That being said I am also really bad about doing that. Since my dd was born over a year ago I have not been away from her for more than 3 hours at a time (and even that is rare). I am starting to realize that I need a little time away from the kiddos once in awhile. It makes me excited to see them and refreshed. Even if I'm just going grocery shopping that's okay. Going alone verses with three children is much easier.

As far as the sleeping thing goes is he sleeping in your bed right next to you? If so maybe you could bump a crib right up against the bed so he's close but not touching you all night long. Maybe he would be a little more willing to sleep instead of nurse. Sorry not much help as I don't cosleep but still feed my dd 2-3 times a night.

[fell4myfallbaby]

ahh thanks ladies! i'm glad i'm not the only crazy momma that wants to be with baby 24hrs a day yet also have some free time. it's not that i don't love him and want him with me...but sometimes it's nice feeling like a person again. like i'm still somebody worth being around. ya know? but some of my family make me feel guilty.
and the nursing all night....when he sleeps with me he's up alot...usually sometimes he lets me sleep a little more. but lately i've let him sleep with my parents....cause he's such a nana's boy!!! and he sleeps all night just fine. i don't know if it's cause he doesn't smell me or he's got his nana. haha. i'm sure somedays he's thinking "if only nana had milk i wouldn't even need momma anymore."