as i mentioned in my post last week about our decision to move L into his own big-boy bedroom downstairs, part of the decision was impacted by my nursing relationship with Q. as i did with his big brother before him, i nursed Q for a total of 15 months, and despite some hiccups with my supply when i returned to work, our breastfeeding relationship was wonderful and fulfilling.

when reflecting back on the two growing boys that i nursed, is that in the early weeks of motherhood and breastfeeding L, i felt so, for lack of a better word, confined and tied down to my “job” as his sole food provider. now, i know that the biggest culprit behind those feelings was the fact that i was a brand-new mama who was doing all of this for the first time, but what’s interesting to me is that i never, ever felt this way when nursing Q. perhaps it has something to do with the fact that i was still reeling from his unexpected early birth and subsequent time in the NICU, or maybe it was simply the blessing of my status as Mom 2.0 to two children, but it was so, so different. while i certainly treasured my nursing relationship with L, as i reflected here, it was more of a battle to appreciate, at least at first, the ability to meet his needs in such a meaningful and intense way. but with Q, i was likely more prepared for that responsibility, and instead of battling against it or feeling emotionally drained by it, i soaked it up – i relished it.

when it came time to wean Q, as i mentioned in my post last week, we did it in stages; we day-weaned Q in December 2015, and a few weeks later, we then weaned him to only nurse one time per day, right before bed. in mid-February, i would be traveling away for a few nights for a work conference, so i felt strongly that a few nights before i left marked a good time to “make the break,” so to speak.

on Monday, February 15, i contacted my sister-in-law, Larissa, and i asked her if she’d be interested in snapping a few photos later that evening of me nursing Q for the very last time. she was kind enough to take photos of me nursing baby L, and i am so appreciative of those photos.

here’s me and L in the midst of our nursing relationship:

thankfully, Larissa agreed to stop by, and what follows in this post are photos that i so treasure, for they capture this special time in my life, and in Q’s life, when we were bonded so inextricably close together. many, many thanks to Larissa for taking these special photos!

here’s me and my sweet Q: