Selective Breastfeeding

It has finally come – a glimmer of socialization with a touch of cleverness and Miss Mia has reached that dreaded stage where she has started noticing that things go on around her. As such, she no longer sleeps just anywhere. She also won’t eat if there is anything REMOTELY exciting going on. Things that meet her criteria include music, bright lights, anything and everything her loud mouth big brother does or says, conversations…the list goes on and on and gets more and more selective every day.

Needless to say, my repertoire of “activities to do while breastfeeding” is dwindling.

Today I was sitting in a quiet room with my computer shut and the lights on dim, hoping to give her a good feed when all of a sudden she PULLED off the breast and STARED at me before bursting into tears. I convinced her to go back on only to have this happen again a few seconds later. This time she didn’t cry but merely GLARED at me with a face that told me exactly just how PUT OUT she was by my watching her eat.

“MIA.” I said exasperatedly, “This is how it works. I can’t leave while you feed – it’s a packaged deal!”

What a shock – this reasoning didn’t work with my daughter. Apparently she no longer wants an audience at her breastfeeding sessions.

And so if you see me sitting alone in a dark, quiet room with a blanket over my head, you’ll know what I’m doing.

Oh, the things we do for our children!