Series Meeting Topic 4: Weaning and Nutrition

Today we had our most intimate group yet. A "regular" mom and her tot, another mom who I've met in another area meeting, her tot and little one, and a new mom with a little one as well, then there was myself, one pregnant leader. We have two new babies born to leaders in the past month, so it's been a bit busy in our group to say the least.

This was certainly the most unique situation I've come across as a leader. A very small group and everyone was at a very different stage in their nursing relationships/situations. Each mom came in at staggered intervals as well, so I chatted with our "regular mom" for a about 20 minutes, and then the "new mom" came in, and we focused our attention on some of her concerns with a preterm baby (obviously NOT really ready for weaning and nutrition information as the nursing relationship is just getting off the ground), then our "other area meeting" mom showed up and she had some questions about tandem nursing and gentle weaning (more along the lines of our topic but not necessarily along the lines of how I'd prepared for the meeting).

It was wonderful to have time to focus our attention individually on each mom today and just get to know a few of the moms a bit better, but I guess I'll be saving my little bag of tricks for the next time "Weaning and Nutrition" comes around, because it certainly would not have been most appropriate to use today.

Our conversation swung from signs of "getting enough" including. . . weight gain, wet/dirty diapers, and nipple confusion, as well as tips for getting a fussy & "quick" nurser to more peacefully nurse, all the way to the other side of being ready to limit toddler nursing times, finding other ways to mother, and ideas for gently weaning a tandem toddler so as not to resent nursing altogether (jeopardizing a nursing relationship between mom and second baby). Thank you to the three moms who were with us today, what wonderfully rejuvinating conversation and information was shared between us.