The Breast, The Bottle and The Jaffa Cake

By Laura Yates on Jan 12, 09 08:22 PM

The day started off so well. I was full of the hopes and promise of my New Years' Resolutions. No sugar had passed my lips since last night and I was confident that I'd go through the day without it. That was until exactly 8.15am when I found the two Jaffa Cakes in my top drawer, left over from Friday.

Honestly, I'd happily scoffed them down in all of a minute. Come twenty past eight I was still congratulating myself on not even being tempted to have sugar loaded Weetabix when it dawned on me that I'd practically inhaled the Jaffa Cakes without even registering what I was doing.

Ho Hum. In for a penny, in for a pound. I subsequently decided I was allowed the four squares of chocolate given to me by a student at break, then the scone after dinner. Pointless starting a new routine half way through the day.

My sugar abstinence shall commence tomorrow. I have thoroughly checked my desk in readiness, making sure there are no old biscuits, sweets or similar to trip me up when I least expect it.

Something else I was determined to stop doing was breastfeeding The Kid. Not only have I not stopped, I seem to be feeding him more now. I'm not quite sure how this happened, especially since for the last three mornings he's been having a bottle at 5.30am, then staying akip till nearly 7.

I wish I could be one of those people who could easily get up at 6am; trying to get him to have an extra ten minutes in our bed wouldn't be an issue then. I could just take him downstairs when he wakes up and stuff him full of porridge.

The afternoon feeds that are creeping in are on the advice of Laura. The aim was to stop him scratching and clawing at me by not denying him what he wants, and allowing breastfeeding to stop 'organically', when we're both ready. Although the logic might not be perfect, I am sporting less cuts and scratches all over my chest, so maybe there's something in it. Plus it's always nice to have a cuddle.

So, now I'm feeding more as well as giving him an extra bottle. I'm sure this isn't what I set out to do. Giving him a bottle is one thing, but breast and bottle? Doesn't that mean I'll have to wean him off both of them in the not too distant future?

Oh well, I do like a challenge.