Nursing Jane to sleep

I just nursed Jane to sleep.  No kidding.

In my wildest dreams, I wished that Jane would nurse right through George's pregnancy and then I'd tandem nurse them both.  When that didn't happen, the dream became that she would miraculously re-latch after the baby was born and then I'd tandem nurse.  When that didn't appear to be a viable option, I was very sad.  Very sad.

In the last almost year, we've had our moments.  Sometimes she'd put her mouth on.   When she actually sucked, I was amazed and would have been completely at peace with the whole situation.  In the last couple weeks something has changed.  She had a really rough night and I brought her to bed and offered.  She accepted and took several swallows worth of milk.  I felt relieved to be able to offer her a different form of comfort.

Over the weekend, it's like another little breakthrough happened.  She'd be snuggling with me and either pull at my shirt, or I'd offer and she accepted.  Several swallows.  Not only accepted, but seemed to do it properly.  This morning was one occasion.  Several swallows.

Then, after lunchtime, I nursed George and she wanted to nurse.  I thought it'd be great to try both at the same time because the baby would cause a letdown and that would make it easier for her to figure out her technique.  It worked only a little because the baby kept kicking her in the head or pulling her hair.  After he was finished, I tried again with Jane, alone.  She was so tired, she just nursed and nursed.  I stroked her hair and face.  She fell asleep while latched on and wanted to stay attached.  Even when we shifted and she came off, she was searching for it and wanted back on!

I tried carrying her to her bed and laying her down, but that's where it ended.  She woke up.

Never would I have imagined that 3 weeks from the baby's 1st birthday and 3 weeks after her 2nd birthday, I would be considering tandem nursing the two.  Never will I regret all the time and effort I spent (and the donor mothers gave) at borrowing breastmilk while I was pregnant to keep it in her diet.   Nor will I regret the time and effort spent pumping once or twice a day to give her my milk since the baby was born.   Now, she still has a taste for "mommy milk" (to differentiate from 'milk' which is cow's milk).  Not only does she have a taste for it, she WANTS it from the tap!!  Not only that but she's figured out how to do it, successfully!!  Amazing, completely amazing.