Teething? Nursing strike? Weaning?

Xiomara nursing shortly after her 1st birthday! I love this picture!

I'm always amazed at the amount of people who find my blog searching for "adoptive breastfeeding". Mainly because I haven't really blogged much about my journey of nursing Xiomara. Which is mainly because I don't really have a journey. I didn't have to take pills, pump a ton to stimulate my breasts to produce milk, or do anything else. Instead, I was lucky enough to have Meridian still nursing, thus have a supply for Xiomara.

My breastfeeding journey with Xiomara has been relatively easy. When we first met Xiomara she was due to take a bottle, but they held off giving her one so I could try and nurse her. She latched on immediately and after supplementing for a little while, she took off on nursing and never looked back. While she has struggled to gain weight, that has more to do with her being premature and her birthmom being small, than nursing. We have seen a lactation consultant regularily and no problems have arose until now.

Now, at almost 14 months, Xiomara has started biting. She got her two front teeth and since getting them she won't nurse, but rather just bites me. I've tried different positions, different times of nursing, and different reactions to the biting, and yet she continues to bite.

I am devastated. I don't know if this is just a phase, but this weekend I have had to stop nursing her and just pump. I obviously cannot force her to nurse. I just wasn't prepared to be done nursing, so I really am hoping this is just a nursing strike and that after the new teeth come all the way down, she will start back up again.

I just wasn't ready to be done with the baby snuggles, and bonding that I felt with her through nursing. And honestly, I'm not ready to process that possibility yet.

Here is to hoping that I can have a positive update soon for you all! Off to cry now! :( If you have any thoughts, prayers, suggestions, I would more than appreciate them!