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It's done. As of this week, Mira is officially weaned. Eight months is a very respectable run for breastfeeding, although a part of me feels a twinge of sadness that we didn't go for a full year.

The problem started in early December when Cordy was kind enough to bring a stomach bug home from school and share it with all of us. After two days of vomiting, with no food and very little water, I had little left to produce milk. I noticed my supply had been reduced, but figured that as soon as I was eating and drinking again, the breastmilk would also return. Mira continued to nurse as often as before with little complaint, leading me to believe that all was back to normal.

But over the next month, Mira grew cranky and fussy, sleeping in short bursts and waking 2-3 times a night. My best guess was that she was teething. I continued on, weary and frustrated by my cranky little girl. My mom kept insisting Mira was hungry, but I shrugged and replied, "I'm breastfeeding her on demand, and she eats plenty of solids. What else can I do?" When I weighed her, I noticed that she was the same weight she was two months before that.

Finally, I gave in and prepared a bottle of formula for her three weeks ago. That night she slept through the night. The next day I gave her another bottle, and again she slept through the night. I pumped that night, wanting to make sure that I kept my supply up, but was shocked to see less than an ounce total. It seems that the stomach virus somehow seriously depressed my milk production, and it never recovered.

I've been slowly increasing the number of bottles per day since then. Mira wanted to breastfeed less and less as she realized the milk was slowing while the bottles were always full. This week she hasn't breastfed at all. She's completely formula-fed now, and seems perfectly happy with it. In fact, she's gained nearly three pounds since adding formula to her diet.

I wouldn't want this to turn into a formula vs. breastmilk debate. The choice is a personal one for every woman, and while breastmilk is considered best, there are many reasons why a mom would choose (or be forced to choose) formula, too. Cordy fought breastfeeding and needed to be supplemented from the beginning, transitioning to only formula by four months old. I wanted to breastfeed her, but it wasn't successful. Mira, on the other hand, refused all bottles in the early months and was happy to breastfeed until now.

Yes, I'm feeling a little down that Mira is weaned. I enjoyed the quiet time we had together, and I was proud that I could produce the nourishment she needed. However, knowing that she's growing well, and she's happy and healthy is more important than my feelings on when to stop breastfeeding. And she's already starting to eat at the table with us and experimenting with the sippy cup - weaning is simply one more step in the process of growing up.