Nursing frustrations...

Time for a mama gripe. Chou-chou has been a pretty typical 5- and 6-month old nurser lately... pretty distracted by things going on in the room, fussy if things aren't "just right", and whiny if I take too long to whip the boob out or just generally mess things up, according to him. Oh, and he's developed a strong preference for the right boob, which makes things a bit of a juggling act since I want to keep the left one as equal as possible. He's particular about his food- aren't we all, though? Then came the sickies on Tuesday/Wednesday, and nursing frustrations took on a new level. Like most of us when we're sick, Chou-chou has had a pretty low appetite these last couple days, not to mention his nose is so stuffed up that when he does nurse he has to suck-suck-pull off- breathe- suck-suck. His reluctance to eat, coupled with the fact that he's a six-month old, means that I'm constantly trying to get him to nurse and he's constantly refusing... and biting (remember he got two teeth a couple weeks back?). Ouch! So I've been pumping quite a bit to try and keep my milk supply up, and he's been pretty much exclusively nursing on the right (unless it's the middle of the night and he's too half-conscious to notice). Not only does the rejection kind of hurt (as a Mom, though, I'm sure this is the just the first of many rejections to follow that I've just got to suck up... I'm the adult afterall:)), it's awfully perplexing. Today and yesterday he's been making his short-winded whiny hungry noises, but when I try and cradle him to nurse he just puts up a fight! So, after talking to my friend yesterday (experienced mom of a 20-month old) who said that she knew of a baby this age who only nursed if mom was standing and bouncing (!!), I decided this morning to give it a shot. Yes, quite literally, I stood up while Chou-chou was fussing-hungry-sick and just held him there with the boob out, walking around his room... and sure enough, he latched on! Crazy!! Finicky, to say the least! And by no means do I hope this continues! On the one hand I'm glad cause he ate- he is sick and needs to keep his fluids up-- but on the other hand I'm freaking cause I don't want to have to bounce him while walking around every time he's hungry from now on! You think you get the whole nursing thing down, and then your baby throws you a curve ball... or two.