So ds is 17m and very attached, we co-sleep and we're together pretty much 24/7. He's always been demand-fed and I've loved doing it - until now. Two things are going wrong for us.
One is that ds has developed a habit of pushing the back of his wrist against the underside of my breast while feeding, so he has to hold his latch even more tightly, with his teeth. He always did have a phenomenal suck so the result is that my nipples are slightly inflamed and incredibly tender - can't bear a t-shirt dragging across them kind of thing. The wrist thing bloody hurts so I move his hand away but he wants it there so we just go round in circles, with him getting more and more annoyed until he is whacking my hand away and generally flailing at me in frustration.
The second thing is that he has suddenly started to want comfort feeds. LOTS of them. At first this was how he coped with his recent bout of teething (pre-molars) and I think some of it is because we are just beginning the process of moving house so things are a little unsettled at home. It's really not much yet but dh and I are tense and I'm guessing that ds is picking up on that. It may also be because following straight on from the teeth he developed a little cold?
So atm he is feeding 2-3x a night, before his morning nap, sometimes during or after his nap (can go up to 2hrs), sometimes randomly in the afternoon (this almost always turns out to be for comfort as he's quite well fed!)
If I try to not feed him he loses it; if I cut it short (which I'm now doing most of the time, feeling bad about it) he cries but usually consoles himself with his fingers. Not sure if that's making him come back for more though?
I am trying to tell myself it's just a phase but it's been going on like this for over a month now. The fact is I'd really like to night wean - I am keen to ttc #2 but no AF yet - but ds is clearly not in any state for that. Otoh I am finding myself really resentful at being used as a dummy, sore, and irritable. And if it was nice again, I'd be happy to keep going (except at night. That has got to stop soon!)
Any advice/suggestions please?