The Weekly Dispatch Topics from this week

Hi Reader,

Happy 4th of July to all my U.S. subscribers! I decided to send this out a day late, since (let's be real) we were all busy yesterday and hopefully not checking too many emails!

We are also in Hawaii right now and soaking up the family time, so I can't wait to share more with you about that in my IG stories.​

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But here's the thing. Holidays and vacations are great...

but they are also stressful!

And add toddler nursing into the mix, and it can be your saving grace, or your biggest hassle.

Let's talk about toddler nursing moms' big emotions

Over several years of talking one on one with toddler nursing moms, I became aware of patterns of emotional states that we all seemed to go through.

The first two were pretty easy to spot: Phase 1 is the "I love this so much, it's my superpower, and I never want it to end!" phase....

And the second is the, "I am so touched out, I just need a break, why am I the only one who can do this, I need to wean now" phase.

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Sound familiar?

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The thing is, there is a more subtle phase that sits between the first two that make the cycle complete. This phase creates a rationale to keep nursing, even for a little while longer, in spite of your frustrations.

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That phase is the Guilt & Fear phase.

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We often move through phase 3 quicker than the other two phases. We often enter this phase when we try to wean and it backfires with A LOT of yelling and crying (yours and theirs).

You start to think to yourself, "Is this what life is going to be like without the boob?" "I feel bad that I'm causing them to be so upset. If I give in, we'll all finally get to sleep."

That fear and guilt make us start to second guess ourselves. "It could be worse"....

And also allow us to reflect on if we are really done with all the good parts of breastfeeding. The love, the powerful parenting tool. What will life be like without it?

And before we know it, we're back to Phase 1 again.

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Ideally, you only go through the emotional cycle occasionally; however, for many extended nursing moms, this emotional roller coaster happens on a daily basis, which is exhausting!

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Want to know what to do to break the cycle?

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Join me in my latest episode of Weaning It, where I break down the emotional cycle even further by explaining now just how, but also when you should make changes in your daily breastfeeding routine to keep yourself out of burnout.

In the episode I also answer Ashliegh's question: "How do I handle gymnastics while nursing?"

And dig into my Wins & Whines of the week (including details about my epic 40th bday party with a live concert in my living room!)

Things to Check Out This Week

{Podcast} The emotional cycle of the extended breastfeeding mom Be sure to Follow/Subscribe! ​ Listen Now

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And that sums up this week's newsletter!

If you prefer to listen to podcasts on a different platform, just search for Weaning It in any major app. Can't find it? Just reply to the email and I'll send you the link to the app of your choice!

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Happy Nursing,

Erin

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PS - Have a question for the pod? Simply reply to this email for a chance to have it featured in a Q&A session!

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