Whether it is after you have met your breastfeeding goals, or when outside circumstances push you toward it, weaning is a topic every nursing parent will encounter.

Most parents return to work after the birth of their baby, but that doesn’t make it any less daunting! To make the transition as smooth as possible for your family, we’ve compiled our expertise at Doulas of Cincinnati with these tips from parents who have been there:

And I wore that unicorn. I wore it every day except wash days for six months. Maggie came back to the breast then, so I reintroduced kinda-sorta-underwire. I alternated those two bras for the next two years.

Two. Years. People.

Everything is really going so well. Except, at night, as soon as I sit down to nurse, I am STARVING! I was really careful during my pregnancy to eat well and gained just 21 lbs. I’ve been trying to continue with my healthy eating now that I’m breastfeeding, but I’m really struggling during nursing sessions. I just want to eat everything in sight, especially at night! I have never felt so hungry. Is this normal?

Hungry in Highland Heights

Tongue tie refers to an unusually tight or short lingual frenulum which inhibits normal function of the tongue and can be a literal pain for breastfeeding parents, as well as possibly causing short- and long-term developmental issues such as problems with gaining weight appropriately, eating solids foods, impaired speech, and dental concerns.

Y’all know you need to drink. the. water. I promise it's easier to do so when you’re filing up one of these beauts a couple of times every day.

She said we would continue talk therapy. It would help. I would slowly back off of my pumps and in June, when I weaned, I would start medication. I kept telling her I would get better if we just bought a house. If I could get organized. If Maggie would come back to the breast. If. If. If. I didn’t need medication. I would be fine. If only I could fast-forward this part of my life.

She had milestones. I didn’t record any. Each month passed by and I didn’t snap a styled photo like I had for her older sister. I didn’t write in her baby book, except to apologize for ruining us. I hoped she would forgive me. I didn’t take any videos or pictures. I never wanted to remember this time. Never. But, daily, I was reminded. Reminded that we weren’t normal. Reminded we were broken.

I had a new plan for the weekend. I would stay with my parents. I would power pump. I would cluster pump. I would get my supply up. We would attempt to latch then. I tried to busy myself with sewing while my mother fed my baby. I made her watch a paced bottle feeding video. I watched across the room in agony as she held the bottle in her mouth. I knew it was over then. I knew I would never get to be her mother.