About me Daily Life Worries: anaemia blood tests breastfeeding Daily Life exhaustion fatigue fibromyalgia growing up health Motherhood my toddler Offloading Sleep is for the Weak teeny tiny glimmer of hope the blood donor tony hancock Tough Times weaning
by Josie
24 comments
Fatigue Wars Episode IV – A New Hope
First of all, can I just say… how lovely are all you lot??! The answer is VERY lovely. Very lovely indeed. Thank you so much for all the comments on my last blog post and the many emails and twitterings you have sent my way.
I’m back from the doctors minus two great big vial’s full of blood with that wonderful Tony Hancock sketch running through my head. And since all nine of my pints have been seriously compromised this morning by at least a foot’s worth I am having a sit and a bacon sandwich to make up for it.
I’m feeling much more positive. The doctor rightly pointed out that, given my history, if my Fibromyalgia was relapsing she would expect my pain levels to have increased along with the fatigue and for me to have crawled into her office begging for drugs. And this is a good point as, actually, my pain levels are ok. I did a lot of walking around yesterday and although nearly fell over a couple of times and had to prop my eyelids open so as not to fall asleep in my over-priced under-heated microwave burger at the Blue Planet Aquarium, I did make to the evening without much pain. More importantly I didn’t wake up with ANY which if it had been the Fibro would have been very far from the case, given it’s tendency to make a 20 minute leisurely stroll one day feel like you’ve been run over by an 18 wheeler truck the next.
So we’re testing for low iron and thyroid function and liver function and WI Christmas Tombola and Beatle Drive function all the other usual functions they need to test for in these cases. Results will be back on Tuesday so I’ll keep you posted.
And I am stopping panicking. Chances are this is fixable, just a blip on the radar of my unstoppable plan to write a best seller by the time I’m 30, or, at least, be the first person to achieve world domination through the power of Twitter.
In other news, I made a big decision this week. It is probably not beyond the realms of possibility that my low energy levels are not being helped by the fact that a certain little 16 month old has still been breastfeeding up to 7 or 8 times a day, day and night. Lets face it, he does NOT need this much milk any more, whatever his opinions are on the matter. He eats well and is a big grown up boy now who could probably make pigeon chasing into a successful athletic career, can do all the actions to ’round and round the garden’ AND ‘wind the bobbin up’, and could show you the difference between a train, a tractor, a digger and a car without even blinking. His separation anxiety is significantly better; time away from me now being more treat than trauma. His independence and self-confidence is growing more and more by the day.
It is time. I am ready. Weaning Kai off the good stuff has begun.
I’m not expecting him to stop feeding completely but I am expecting him to substantially cut down the amount he feeds to just 2-3 times in 24 hours And guess what… he’s done it. Nearly every day this week he’s gone from early morning to bedtime with lots of snacks, good meals, distraction and lots of cuddles, and NO distress. Which proves to me that he’s ready too, in a way I hadn’t expected. Kai now has a good breastfeed before bed, one in the night, and then one in the early hours (after which he’ll sometimes go back to sleep). My plan is that eventually we’ll drop the night-time one (when I’m feeling VERY brave and not so tired!) leaving two feeds a day, which is plenty for a boy his age and will still be giving him all the lovely nutrients and immunity boosting benefits that longer-term breastfeeding still offers.
That gives me ALL DAY for my body to do something other than make milk and get to work doing more important things like digesting large quantities of cake and stopping me from falling asleep at random and inappropriate moments.
And the best thing? I look forward to sitting and feeding Kai now. Rather than it be a draining chore that I resent (which is what it had become) with my mind wandering to what I would rather be doing, I sit and I am present and I enjoy the feel of him close to me and breathe in his baby smell and relish every second, re-connecting after a long day of adventures and growing up in which he seems to need me less and less.
I am so proud of him. And so proud of me too. This is a big step for us but the right one.
So there we go. Now, I’m off for a sleep. My bed right now is more alluring than blogging, than twitter, than eating biscuits, and that’s saying something – I must be really tired. I am tired, I’m exhausted in fact. But hopefully only temporarily. And thanks to all of your wonderful supportive words and positive encouragement I am NOT going to let it get me down, whatever this is.
Onwards and upwards. Or sideways and downwards as is more the case for me right now.
Whatever. BA-DOING!! (that was me bouncing back)
x
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(((HUGS))) I hope that you are on the mend soon. My best friend has Fibromyalgia and she finds it hard to live with and she’s not got any children so I can’t imagine how you are coping? Much Love xx
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Thats wonderful news. I am so glad that you are feeling better. Getting Kai down to 2 feeds a day will be much better for your energy levels. Sleep tight. x
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So happy for you Josie…you take it easy now. Don’t take on more than you need to! We need you back in the saddle! Night night now…
Karin
Cafe Bebe´s last blog ..Back to Wordless Wednesday 
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Enjoy your sleep and keep up the great positive attitude! xx
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Woo hoo welcome back have a good old sleep and rest and lets see whats in that blood of yours
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Best of luck with the weaning process. It’s great that you’ve returned to an appreciation of breastfeeding rather than having it continue to feel like a chore.
Here’s hoping that you feel more energetic and less sleepy soon. Keep your fingers crossed for a similar outcome for me!
Michael´s last blog ..One decade on…
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Looking forward to your results of WI Christmas Tombola and Beatle Drive function !! lol! keep smiling petal your sense of humour is a good gift! xxxx
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I think it’s very brave and very strong to so positively embrace change in this way, especially when you’re managing it to meet both your needs. And the other thing is that your husband will hopefully be able to take more of a feeding role.
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Yay! I’m so glad things are looking up for you and you’ve been able to cut down Kai’s feeds. I hope this upward turn continues for you. xxx
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So pleased to read that things are looking up and you are feeling more positive too. Hope the weaning goes well. I’m sure it will make life a lot easier for you given how tired you are feeling. Hugs xx
Rosie Scribble´s last blog ..In search of excitement…
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That’s great news! (((hugs))) And now off to dominate the world, yippieh!
Metropolitan Mum´s last blog ..Is it a bird? Is it a thunderbolt? No, it’s Met Mum in her new coat!
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Great news! If I had your address I would be phoning up for a pizza for a special low effort dinner for you too with lots of added toppings and plenty of ice cream and cake for desert. If you happen to be Josie’s hubby and you are reading this I hope I have planted an idea into your head…
I feel very very pleased for you, regain your body and start conquering your empire… xx
zooarchaeologist´s last blog ..Some Quick Thoughts on Feminism
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Good news and fingers crossed on the blood test results coming back ok. Good luck with stopping the breastfeeding, I’m enormously impressed you’ve managed this long. Sounds like Kai is dealing with it okay as well. Hopefully when you’re able to give up that early hours feed a full night’s sleep will help your energy levels too (but as we all know they find other reasons for waking in the night, we won’t go there now…). Onwards and upwards!
Emily O´s last blog ..My perfect wardrobe
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I’m glad that things are looking up for you.
And as for the breastfeeding, a lot of moms find that by re-jigging the relationship, things become much more manageable. You may want to continue nursing this way or not, but it’s good to have the option. This is a relationship, and it’s perfectly reasonable to set it up so that it works for both of you.
Amber´s last blog ..My Kids, The Planet and My Wallet
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hey, keep me posted on the weaning progress. i too have decided i’m bored of making milk and louis no longer gets a feed before bed. i must be the only mum though who cuts out the pre bed feeds and not the middle of the night ones. last night he had milk at half one and half two and half five and 7am. but, still, surely it’s a start?? hope you feel better. x
babieswhobrunch´s last blog ..17 months going on 3 days
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Hope you are being good to yourself. Fingers crossed that you are back to yourself soon enough. xxxx
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I’ve got completely behind with my feed reader, so completely missed the Fear post until this evening. Sorry you’ve been having such a worrying time, but very pleased that you’re feeling so positive about it having visited the doc. Cutting down the feeding’s got to make you feel better, I’m seriously impressed you’ve made it this far. I did a yearish with each of mine and although each time I weaned them I had a sad few days, the overwhelming feeling afterwards was of relief. And the great thing was that they never seemed to mind at all. Good luck xxx
Victoria´s last blog ..Globe Girdling
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well done you…. and although sleep is for the weak… sometimes it is also for the brae and the sane. sleep firs, and the biscuits, twitter, blogging will follow! and wel done on cutting back – hopefuly you’ll be bouding with new found energy soon. inspiring as always.
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I just found your blog today through Baby Baby and love it. I’m so glad you are feeling a bit better. Hope things continue to improve! I’m looking forward to joining your writing workshops when you feel up to starting them again.
Baking Mad Mama´s last blog ..Remembrance
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Not having children of my own i cannot imagine the emotions you must be feeling with this new step you are taking. I wish you all the best and hope everything goes to plan!
Kelly´s last blog ..What will they do next!?
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That BA-DOING made me laugh so much. Hurray for you for all of that. And hugs. Again. Because I wish I could come over and give them to you in person.
Mwa´s last blog ..Tourist in my own country
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Josie Reply:
November 17th, 2009 at 10:50 am
@Mwa, Missed yooooou! So glad you’re home from your TWAT xx
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