While talking on the phone with a friend a few days ago, I pledged my undying love to breastfeeding. Let me make it clear that I am not one of those people who will nurse their kid until he gets his first cell phone. Far from it. Also, let me just say that while there is something I like about the bonding side of things, I will not be especially sad over stopping because there are limits to how wonderful ‘bonding’ can be (just ask some of those hippies still living in communes).
The biggest reason I’ll be sad to quit is brownies. Yeah, you heard me. I can eat a pan of them and still loose a couple of pounds. I’ve never not thought about what I’m eating before. It’s always been there in my head, some strange little ticker counting up the bad and the good, punishing my mind if it gets out of control, feeling exhilaration when I can resist the decadent. But slowly, over the past year, that voice has been drowned out, most likely by hot fudge or possibly a milk shake. I weigh less now then when I was that awkward seventh grader trying to figure out where all the cool kids bought their clothes (answer: not Walmart). And I haven’t been to the gym since January (which is awesomely bad given that everyone needs toning and that whole shtick about heart health, blah, blah, blah).
So you can see why I’m enjoying the calorie burn. It’s not requiring anything from me other than to eat some more and stay hydrated. Friends, I like to call that magic.
Of course, I was revelling in all of that goodness until two days ago when the dread mastitis came a callin. For the THIRD time. Red hot, searing pain in the boob. Total exhaustion and flu like symptoms. Delirious dreams and hot night sweats.
Jud began the rescue by getting me antibiotics at three in the morning (we totally have a sweet pharmacy. don’t ask.). It takes 24 hours to get it under control so I’m finally starting to feel well again.
But, for the record, I’ll happily trade mastitis for gym time any day. Let the weaning begin!
Glad youre feeling better. and glad you’ve enjoyed the breastfeeding weightloss plan. I’ve always done the much less healthy bottle feeding diet which is that you just don’t have an appitite for a while after delivery. Seriously I just became hungry for the first time yesterday. (and brownies, as you mentioned, was exactly what I was hungry for).
So– in addition to me being impatient and jealous about the weightloss thing, I’m also jealous of your baby’s age. that walking with the turned-over bucket thing is so cute and genious! Really, 9 mo thru 2 years is like a year and a half of oozing cuteness, I love it! not like this newborn thing which is oozing several other things instead.
My OB was training a nurse practitioner at my postpartum appointment and told her, “You know a woman has mastitis when you start to do the breast exam and she punches you in the face.”
Good luck with the weaning. You’ll be fine. Just eat a pan of brownies in two days instead of one.