https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Wed, 06 May 2026 04:50:12 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-you-decide-when-to-wean#post-597694 Wed, 27 Feb 2013 14:57:44 +0000 Mrs. Twine 597694@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'll be the outlier here and say that my oldest self-weaned at 5 years 1 month. It was not my original intention to nurse that long, but I am glad that I let her be the one to choose when to end that relationship. She stopped just before her little sister was born-- if little sis makes it to age 5 I will have a full DECADE of nursing under my belt (with only about a four week pause inbetween). I can honestly say (after some worry on my part when my 5-year-old initially said she would still nurse when she was a grown up) that it is true: they will stop on their own sometime if given the chance. Now that being said, I know that nursing until age five is something that not many people would want to do, and, obviously, that's okay. I don't think it damages a child if a mother needs or wants to step in and say, "okay, that's enough," because, honestly, if the nursing relationship is something that Mom isn't comfortable with anymore for whatever reason, I don't think the child will get as much benefit from continuing anyhow. I will say that it does make me feel good to hear my oldest tell me I should keep nursing baby until she wants to stop because she really appreciated having that choice and wants the same for sister. Oh-- and I will say that nursing an older child is pretty darn simple in terms of milk supply. I never thought about it once she was past 18 months, and there was always enough even when she would go long periods without. The body is amazing that way. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-you-decide-when-to-wean#post-597575 Wed, 27 Feb 2013 14:17:10 +0000 sarac 597575@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I love nursing my 17 month old more than anything, and it's very important to her. And yet, it's keeping me from getting pregnant. I'm afraid I may have to make some hard choices about weaning to preserve our hoped for close in age children. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-you-decide-when-to-wean#post-596721 Wed, 27 Feb 2013 10:35:04 +0000 rachiecakes 596721@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I nursed until I couldn't nurse no more!<br /> DS has always been picky with drinking bottles. I would have to force bottles on him most days. He loved to nurse but as a WOHM I was gone from 7 to 6 every day. At 9 months I stopped pumping during the day, still nursing morning and night. Around 10 months he was sleeping through the morning feeding, so I was only nursing at night. And finally at 11 months he started refusing night feedings. It was bittersweet.<br /> When the frozen stash ran out we changed over to cow's milk. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-you-decide-when-to-wean#post-596575 Wed, 27 Feb 2013 09:56:55 +0000 808love 596575@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I tried at 1. She was hooked though. I tried weaning halfheartedly throughout the year. So I tried again (for real) at 2 and succeeded with a full wean around 2 months 2 weeks! :D It was rough though. She is 25 mos and calls it 'Mymilk' when she wants to just hold on (with hand) for comfort as she falls asleep. Milk finally went away after she weaned though. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-you-decide-when-to-wean#post-596567 Wed, 27 Feb 2013 09:54:28 +0000 KayKay 596567@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Subscribing! </p> <p>I'm interested to see what others say, as I'm beginning to wonder the same. Would really like to stop pumping, but love how easy BF is...and I really think it has helped to keep her from getting many illnesses this winter. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-you-decide-when-to-wean#post-596553 Wed, 27 Feb 2013 09:48:52 +0000 creativemomma15 596553@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We are 2 weeks away from the 1 year birthday and starting to think about weaning. We are starting to TTC #2 so I want to wean back to at least morning and night feedings. Also, with the job I have it is really hard to keep up with pumping enough on the days I work. If I can, I would be fine with still nursing morning and night during my pregnancy but I don't know if I would dry up or not and DS isn't particularly attached to nursing so I wouldn't be surprised if he is just done with it after we cut out his daytime feedings. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-you-decide-when-to-wean#post-596530 Wed, 27 Feb 2013 09:43:56 +0000 autumnlove 596530@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I weaned LO at 9 months because I was pregnant and my milk supply was dried out. I hope I can make it to a year for Baby 2. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-you-decide-when-to-wean#post-596527 Wed, 27 Feb 2013 09:43:14 +0000 anbanan15 596527@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DS self weaned at 21 months. I had an ultimate goal of 1 year and said many times I would not go past that date (wean at 1 year so stop by like 13 months), however DS has major food allergy issues and a limited diet so I felt like I had to keep nursing as long as possible since it was "safe" once I eliminated foods. Had he kept nursing I would have defiantly stopped at 24 months for my own comfort level with a child that age nursing at the breast. I had planned for switching to pumping only after 1 year but got lazy and was worried that my supply would not keep up. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-you-decide-when-to-wean#post-596509 Wed, 27 Feb 2013 09:37:46 +0000 Dandelion 596509@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I weaned ds around 14-15 months. We had been tapering off sessions, but then he got a cold, and was too stuffy to really nurse well, so I took the opportunity to quit all together. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-you-decide-when-to-wean#post-596506 Wed, 27 Feb 2013 09:35:26 +0000 regberadaisy 596506@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have no idea! One year had always been my ultimate goal. If my supply holds out I'm not sure what to do. Right now it's really not that bad....she nurses in the morning and before bed. I don't really mind pumping at work. I would LOVE to get rid of the before bed pump session though. That one is the biggest pain bc I have to stay up later then re wash everything a second time.<br /> I'm thinking maybe around 13 months (if my supply holds) I'll start introducing some other kind of milk. Which is TBD.</p> <p>I don't want to deny her boob juice if I still have the supply. On the other hand I personally don't want to still be BFing her when she's 2. I'm hoping she self weans!</p> <p>How did you decide when to wean? What did you do when LO tuned 1? </p>