Virginia weaned herself in the last weeks of my pregnancy. She nursed less and less after I got pregnant because the milk quickly dried up. She went from twice a day to once a day to once in a while. And before I knew it, I couldn't remember the last time she had nursed! Since she had been going stretches of days I wasn't sure if she had weaned or just taken a long break.
In the next few days she bumped her head and I offered her "boobies" to make her feel better. She accepted, but clearly couldn't remember how to nurse. She put her mouth on me and then looked up at me through the corner of her eye like "What now?" Then, she got down, seemingly satisfied with the attempt.
After Horatio was born she saw him nursing and asked to nurse a couple of times. I knew this would probably happen and let her try. It was the same story. She couldn't remember how to do it, but was happy with the attempt.
I thought that was the end of it, then one night when she was in our bed (which was already weird because she almost never comes into bed with us now that Horatio sleeps in our room - by her own choice) she asked to nurse. I let her try with the same result as before. Almost as soon as she got to day care the next morning they called to say that she was sick. I think she somehow knew that my antibodies would help her. Too bad she didn't get any. It was the first time this year that she was sent home for being sick.
I'll miss this chapter of our lives, but we have found other ways to bond. And there are certainly many advantages to only having one nursling - especially a hungry, growing boy!
I thought tandem nursing would help Virginia accept Horatio, but it doesn't look like she needs that to bond with him. She loves to hold him and give him hugs and kisses. Any sibling jealousy is directed at her parents in the form of an emphatic "No!" to whatever we have asked her to do, or a "Roar!" She is very expressive. And she loves her brother.
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