Now that I am going to be done lactating in the foreseeable future (which I am still having mixed feelings about), I am very much looking forward to all the things I'll be able to do again. When we first got pregnant at practically the same time, Natty and I were talking about the ways our life had immediately changed. She lamented that there would be no more smoking crack while jumping on a trampoline in our immediate future, but now I might JUST BECAUSE I CAN!
Bye-Bye Breastpads - Not only will I be saying goodbye to breastpads, I will be saying hello to my normal, cuter bras. What a joy it will be to have more than 3 options and to not have to worry about where we are in the laundry cycle to make sure I have a clean one ready. Also, I don't know if it's just me, but while nursing I have not felt comfortable enough to go braless, even in my sleep, so that is another major plus!
Overindulging - I would be lying if I said there haven't been times that I have had one too many during the duration that I have been nursing, in which case I have pumped and dumped. However, now I will be able to come home from a date night or evening out without paying my 30 minute toll to the milk gods before I can go to bed.
Teeth Whitening Strips - There are differing opinions on whether or not teeth bleaching agents are safe during pregnancy and during breastfeeding, but I decided to play it safe. Because of this, my pearly whites are now pearly yellows (thanks a lot, black tea and light skin). I have had great success with Crest White Strips in the past and am now happy to have the green light to use them again.
Cori, Untethered - There will be no more scheduling around the pump, no more midday pit stops, no more toting around a bowling ball bag full of milking equipment. I can sleep in without feeling like I have two water balloons on my chest, filled to the brink, ready to burst at any moment. It will be glorious.
Retin-A - It seems like every older woman with great skin has this same secret weapon in her arsenal. Retin-A helps with both fine lines and wrinkles. I happen to have worse skin on both fronts since childbirth, so I'm very excited about slathering this cream on to help.
Perhaps I'm using this post as a way to make myself feel better about being nearly done with nursing (definitely within several months)? It's good and bad and happy and sad, but I can feel it deep down inside of me that Everett and I are about to move on together. But it's good in more ways than one.
I love nursing but there is so much I am looking forward to after weaning! This is an awesome list and I say amen to pretty much all of them. For tooth whitening, have you tried one of those whitening rinses before brushing? My teeth look awesome when I am religious about those and the main ingredient is hydrogen peroxide, which I think is okay while nursing (I confess that I have not looked into it.) I think you can also use Retin-A's little sister retinol while nursing. Not as good, but pretty good!
ReplyDeleteI can't WAIT to be able to wear non-nursing clothes. Everything I wear has to have e-z access to tits and it's so tough to get dressed in the morning. My entire wardrobe can be washed in one washer load! It sucks!