Weaning

[stash]

Post advice for weaning and resources here!

[hanvan]

I think there are three approaches you can use

1. drop a feeding
2. Cut back time on a feeding (like nurse for 10 min, then 5min etc)
3. don't offer don't refuse

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/weaning/how_weaning_happens.html#motherled

[macksmom]

I have attempted to cut out 1 feeding (the midday) and I found that distraction is working well. Also I have been filling her up with snacks and whole milk and she really hasn’t been asking for it much. Hope it continues! I will add to this sticky when I get more info!

[hanvan]

wanted to post my story just incase anyone is interested

I started dropping a feeding at a time. I took her to do fun stuff (play outside) and gave her a snack to keep her mind off of nursing. The first one we dropped was lunch. She didn't even notice which broke my heart. I replaced that nursing session with food and a glass of whole milk.
I continued to do the same with the late afternoon feeding. Only once did she "ask" me to nurse and I let her. If she wasn't ready then I wasn't going to push it.I continued to do the same with breakfast. Each time I dropped a feeding she got a meal or a snack along with whole milk.

To prepare to drop her night time nursing I started nursing her before her bath instead of after. I was so surprised that it has worked. Right now we nurse right before her bath and then I rock her to sleep after the bath without any protest. Soon I will drop the last nursing session. I think shes ready since she hasn't "fought" me at all on it. If she did I would of let her nurse knowing it wasn't our time.

Just wanted to share

[macksmom]

Sounds great so far! I thought we dropped the afternoon feeding but we are back again so I guess she wasnt ready. What pace did you drop them at? How does she ask for a feeding? Mack signs ALL the time.... :roll:


I have the book "when weaning happens". I am trying to get the chance to read it! I'll let you all know if it helped and I will post some tips from it as soon as I get to it.

[hanvan]

i dropped them every 1-2 weeks.

[Babies]

Finally had a chance to write this out...

I had planned on weaning Delaney at 12 months. It was a long, hard 12 months to get to where we were and honestly neither of us were ready to stop. But I found myself pregnant, tired, and throwing up. I was exhausted and not able to keep food down. So, I started weaning. For us it took 2 months to completely wean. I took my time b/c I could and wanted to.

What worked best for us was cutting down the nursing sessions and adding a sippy of milk after. It was the most gentle way for me. I started by cut one nursing session from 35 minutes to 30 minutes. She would get a snack and a sippy after that. After a few days I would cut back more time...until that session was gone. Then started shortening another session.

It worked for us b/c it seemed like then the snack and sippy were more her idea. She knew it was coming and started to look forward to it--perhaps more the snack at times!

Every now and again after she was completely weaned she would try and latch on. I couldn't get dressed around her or wear v-neck shirts.

After Lyla was born she wanted to nurse too. I didn't deny her, after about a week she lost interested and would say, "boobies for babies!"

Even now she latches on, actually now she more kisses the nips and she moves on.

Weaning is like going through the grieving process. It's ok to cry and to miss it. You will get through it and it does get better.

You will want to vary your routine if your little one gives you a hard time about dropping a nursing session. Go for a walk, go to the store, introduce a new exciting toy... keep your mind and baby's off nursing.

Best wishes to anyone going through this or even thinking about it...

[11-12-06]

Thanks for the stories ladies...I am about to start venturing into weaning, and I am so encouraged by your successes. :D

[11-12-06]

Last wednesday, I offered PJ his morning booby snack and he was completely uninterested...so we have cut a feeding. He still nurses 4 times a day, but if he ever starts sleeping through the night it would only be 3. At a year, I plan to drop his first boob of the day, as it is his least favorite...

[hanvan]

thats exactly how we did and it worked great

[Jenny]

I did child led weaning with Haley, bascially I just let her nurse whenever she asked me for it. But this was after about 24 months of age. Before that, I offered, she took. She self-weaned at 34 months.

Ella I had to do mama led wearning b/c she was so jealous of Ronin and it was so hard to triple nurse. Haley could understand that she needed to wait, but Ella had no concept. I cut her feedings down gradually and preoccupied her with other things, but it was hard b/c she saw the baby nursing so she knew I had the boobies available. She was totally weaned within 2 weeks.

Ronin I just had no milk and we stopped cold turkey. That was heartbreaking for both of us.

[11-12-06]

Thank you for sharin jenny...It really helps to get several different experiences from the SAME mama! :D

[MommaBear]

For night weaning a cosleeper 12+ months old:

http://www.drjaygordon.com/development/ap/sleep.asp

[11-12-06]

article on weaning (thanks Heather!!)


http://www.breastfeeding123.com/weaning-a-one-year-old-mom-to-mom-6/

[heidiv]

I had to cold turkey stop because anything I tried back fired but that was 2 yrs ago.

[mrswilson]

Just something that worked for us to drop the bedtime nursing (DD does not co-sleep)...

Feed them a good dinner, load them up if they will eat. Then do the bedtime routine...then give a nice snack that has some carbs and protein in it. Like bread and cheese, fruit and cheese, yogurt (might be messy). I give DD some water too, and sometimes milk in case she did not eat a good dinner that night.

That helped us tremendously in getting her to sleep easily and keeping her asleep all night. We started that around 10-11 months, when she stopped wanting to nurse a lot, and by 13 months she slept through the night regularly.

[11-12-06]

To drop the last two feeding (night and nap) I started by cutting the time down a minute or two every week, not enough for him to notice much, but enough to make a difference. By 3 weeks in, PJ wasn't interested in coming to mama one night after a bath. SO Daddy decides to put him down and read him a story and he was off the boob from there on out.

A little sad, but happy at the same time.

[Noahsmommy]

Since we are co-sleeping with Noah I thought the night feedings would be the last to go...but he was nursing almost every hour and I just couldn't take it anymore! So, I followed the advice of Dr. Jay Gordon for a 10-day GENTLE plan for weaning off night feeding (NO CRY IT OUT FOR US). I was shocked that it worked. Noah still bf during the day and right before bed but can go for 7 hours without eating at night (although he still wakes and needs cuddling to go back to bed...but no boobie). It is a nice break to not bf for those 7 hours...but I do love it when the morning comes and it's feeding time again. I can't believe how much I love bf and it makes me cry to think about giving it up.

[Babies]

now that i've weaned in slow motion and fast forward if anyone wants to pm me about either way, feel free to!

[MommaBear]

http://blogs.babiesonline.com/2008/04/09/gently-weaning-your-breastfeeding-toddler/

[villagespin]

I quit cold-turkey so if anyone wants to PM me about that, I'd be glad to help.

[JeweloftheSun]

My youngest is almost 18 months and neither one of us is super interested in quitting yet, as he is my baby of five. But I have stopped offering, he will now go in spurts of wanting to nurse 8+ times/day to not at all for a day. When he does want it he follows me around with pillows or the boppy saying "bop, bop". I plan on letting him wean himself, but am also planning on getting pregger's again. Has anyone HAD to wean r/t being preg? Sensitive nipples?

[MrsH]

Bump

[Jbear]

Hi to all mothers... I need as much information as possible.. I have an 8 month old daughter and just went through a custody battle last week. The Judge had ordered me to wean my child now and stated that it was "unheard" of that formula is as great as breastmilk. As I had proof from the AAP and my daughters pediatrician that I should remain BF for atleast till she is 12 months of age, the Judge then had stated to me that maybe I should find another pediatrician. It breaks my heart to know that I am being forced to take away my rights of nurturing my daughter just so that the father can have more time. If anyone here can please help me out it would be so greatly appreciated.

[olivia27]

Jbear, your story is very unusual. Do you have an attorney? What does he/she say? This sounds pretty fishy to me for a Judge to be able to ORDER to stop breastfeeding. I suggest for you to consult with a good attorney about this matter.

[cheeksy]

Judge has no right to order you such thing. I am not from the US but I do know that there is no such law stating that a mother has to quit breastfeeding. Make an appeal and ask for another judge!
As for baby spending more time with her father, here you'd just probably have to pump and have him give her EBM.

[laura88]

I am trying to do gentle weaning with Caleb, but it seems to be making him fussy. I don''t really know how to do this or have anyone to talk to. I have been reading the articles listed here, but if anyone has any additional tips, that'd be very appreciated. He is starting to resort to hurting my nipples (pinching, slapping, pulling, scartching) now and it's really bothersome for me. :truce:

[laura88]

I wanted to add, it seems to be my keeping him from yaniking mmy boobs out that upsets him. He wants them both out all the time, and this is the main area we are trying to correct. I am doing the distraction and 1 bottle a day for everything else. The fight comes when he wants tot ake out my boob or have both hanging out and i don't let him.

[Ash31184]

I am unsure as to whether or not I am going to wean at one... My son nurses 3x a day and has a cup 1x a day! Do people general stop at 1? Will a baby start weaning himself?

[Cassandra]

I have no one to talk to and I'm so upset. I hate this so much. I do not want to wean. But, Amelia is almost 22 months, and she doesn't ask ever to nurse, never has. One morning this week, she latched on but didn't do anything, didn't nurse on either side, and I took that as a sign that it is time. I guess that makes it child led weaning, but I am so not ready.

Maybe my folks were right. Maybe nursing has always been about me and not about Amelia.

And maybe I'm so freaky about this b/c of the circumstances of her birth and the 3 months in the NICU...

Yes, it hurts my boobs to wean, but it hurts my heart way more. I read on Kellymom that part of it is hormones. I'm just so sad. Part of it is also that I feel like it is the point of no return. Once I decide this is it, it's over. It's not like a few weeks from now I can change my mind, not with an almost 2 year old. And it won't get any easier to wean, putting it off. It is time, no matter how much it hurts. It feels unnatural, to be stopping something I worked so hard to make happen. I did everything possible to get to nurse, and now I'm trying to teach my breasts and brain to stop. And of course I feel like I'm losing this bond with my little girl.

This is the first night in almost 22 months that I will not be either pumping or nursing my daughter to sleep.
:cry:

[jupiter7924]

I have no one to talk to and I'm so upset. I hate this so much. I do not want to wean. But, Amelia is almost 22 months, and she doesn't ask ever to nurse, never has. One morning this week, she latched on but didn't do anything, didn't nurse on either side, and I took that as a sign that it is time. I guess that makes it child led weaning, but I am so not ready.

Maybe my folks were right. Maybe nursing has always been about me and not about Amelia.

And maybe I'm so freaky about this b/c of the circumstances of her birth and the 3 months in the NICU...

Yes, it hurts my boobs to wean, but it hurts my heart way more. I read on Kellymom that part of it is hormones. I'm just so sad. Part of it is also that I feel like it is the point of no return. Once I decide this is it, it's over. It's not like a few weeks from now I can change my mind, not with an almost 2 year old. And it won't get any easier to wean, putting it off. It is time, no matter how much it hurts. It feels unnatural, to be stopping something I worked so hard to make happen. I did everything possible to get to nurse, and now I'm trying to teach my breasts and brain to stop. And of course I feel like I'm losing this bond with my little girl.

This is the first night in almost 22 months that I will not be either pumping or nursing my daughter to sleep.
:cry:
I read this the other night but didn't get a chance to reply - i totally get how sad you must feel and you've done such an amazing thing for your little girl. my heart hurts when i think about stopping and we've been at it half the time you were. you should feel so proud of what you've given her - it's such a gift (and a gift you've received as well). you're not losing your bond with her, it's just changing/evolving and it will continue to do that as she grows up. unfortunately, or fortunately, it can be no other way. :hugs:

[Santasmomma]

Ive never posted on this forum before, Im a November Mommy, my daughter is 7 1/2 months and Im trying to do a slow weening process, here's how its going she does great during the day sometimes going for 7 hours straight without nursing, she's eating well and drinking Soy Milk(not formula) we co-sleep and here's where the problem starts she wants to nurse all night sometimes, Im so tired and exhauted I dont really know what to do.......thanks for any suggestions

[laura88]

Ive never posted on this forum before, Im a November Mommy, my daughter is 7 1/2 months and Im trying to do a slow weening process, here's how its going she does great during the day sometimes going for 7 hours straight without nursing, she's eating well and drinking Soy Milk(not formula) we co-sleep and here's where the problem starts she wants to nurse all night sometimes, Im so tired and exhauted I dont really know what to do.......thanks for any suggestions
I started a slow weaning process for this reason. Unfortunately, if you're co-sleeping that will probably be the last feedings to go. The sentimental feedings are the ones that are hardest to remove. Being close at night is what they want, and nursing while they're close is really hard to stop. The best thing I can suggest is to try and have a bottle that is accessible to try and encourage the bottle use instead. I got Caleb to start sleeping in his crib at night b4 I removed those feedings. I was exhausted for the first 10 months, so I often napped when he did. I wish I had more encouraging advice to help you sleep at night. maybe moving a crib or other sleeping apparatus in the room so baby is still close, but not next to you may help. It's sort of the out of sight, out of mind philosophy,

[Santasmomma]

Theres no way to do the bottle she's never taken one when she has milk during the day she uses a sippy cup with a straw in it...I have already moved her crib into my room and when she does sleep in it she still wants to b/f every 2 hours.....its crazy but atleast I do get to sleep in between times.....so far she's only nursed 2 times today, we've been really busy so theres lots to take her mind off of me....

[maggie]

I don't mean to come off as unsupportive here, but isn't 7 months to early to be getting soy milk? I understand that you want to stop breastfeeding, but my understanding is that they need either breast milk or formula until they are a year old. That might be part of why she wants to nurse so much - soy milk just isn't as dense as formula nutritionally, so she might be trying to make up for that during the night. I would try a formula and see if that doesn't help some.

But otherwise, its pretty normal for babies that age to go through stages where they want to eat all the time. Whenever mine was going through a developmental stage, or if she was teething, or really, if anything *new* was going on - she would nurse a lot more. Pretty standard. I do understand that it can be frustrating - but its not anything unusual.

[Santasmomma]

I don't mean to come off as unsupportive here, but isn't 7 months to early to be getting soy milk?

No it isnt to early to be giving Soy Milk its not like I just went out on my own and decided to do that....I talked with her Ped and told him my plan and he said it was fine as long as she was getting enough calories during the by eating, drinking milk and Breastfeeding....another thing, if she wants to nurse I dont refuse or if for some reason we are out and she doesnt get a regular lunch or dinner I nurse....Im not letting my child starve

[maggie]

I never said you were trying to let your child starve. I was just trying to help, and if you read my whole response, I think that would have been clear. I have never heard of such a young baby being given either soy milk OR cow's milk. I have always heard 'wait until a year'. Over and over again, I've heard BM or Formula until 1 year. But if you trust your ped, then great.

[lhill8]

Jenny, I am so glad to know that I am not the only one that has nursed for so long!

I am still going strong at 26 months with no end in sight if it is up to my daughter haha! I am 12 weeks pregnant now, and I heard that by month 4 or 5 my milk supply will decrease dramatically and hopefully that will make my baby self wean. I just don't see myself nursing a newborn and a toddler! I'm only 100 lbs as it is, I would shrivel up and blow away! :)