https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Wed, 29 Apr 2026 12:43:20 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/self-weaning-experiences-or-experience-weaning-a-toddler#post-2344093 Wed, 04 Nov 2015 10:45:32 +0000 nana87 2344093@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>thanks everyone!! so much to think about! I'm not ready to totally wean yet, but she is getting overly demanding about nursing in a way that's starting to be stressful (especially after day care--I had no idea other moms had the same issue!). there definitely is some middle ground btw weaning and totally nursing on demand that I need to figure out how to negotiate, and it is SO SO helpful to read about how you all did it :heart: </p> <p>@PurplePeony: that's a fantastic idea to pick one spot to nurse! right now she wants to nurse everywhere and anywhere on demand, but she'll understand that we have to go to one specific chair. I started it this morning at home :)</p> <p>@daniellemybelle: I remember seeing your thread before, I have to go back and read it again! I'm so glad it worked out so well for you. And thank you for the reassurance that we'll always have our bond :heart:</p> <p> @Peasinapod: ugh I wish I could have dh do some pickups, but I pick her up at 3 and dh works until 5...</p> <p>@Rockies11: oh my gosh, tandem nursing sounds so stressful especially with a toddler giving up solids! so glad you got through it! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/self-weaning-experiences-or-experience-weaning-a-toddler#post-2343489 Tue, 03 Nov 2015 17:50:51 +0000 Grace 2343489@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>LO was fully weaned at 22.5 months, but it was a very slow slow process. Starting very early (before a year), if we were out and she wanted to nurse, I would tell her that she could have some when we got home (provided we were going home soon). That is something you could do as a first step to weaning. It doesn't have to be an all or nothing thing, if you want to keep going. At 18 months, she dropped the after daycare nursing (cause going outside was more fun). I cut out the evening session around 21 months (dad put her to bed) and them suddenly she stopped asking in the morning at 22.5 months. She asked again over a week later and I told her it was all gone. She seemed ok with it. One thing that really helped, was I replaced nursing with "milk and snuggles". We'd cuddle up and have a sippie of milk, which I think helped her not lose the connection and comfort that nursing gave her. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/self-weaning-experiences-or-experience-weaning-a-toddler#post-2343482 Tue, 03 Nov 2015 17:47:19 +0000 Autumnmama79 2343482@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I weaned at 22 months and there was a lot of talk about DD becoming a big girl, moving onto a cup, etc. Also, DH stepped in and did a bit more than usual so that helped with distraction (watered-down apple juice) and getting her excited about new things. </p> <p>*We didn't have the nursing at daycare pick up issue </p> <p>Good luck! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/self-weaning-experiences-or-experience-weaning-a-toddler#post-2343465 Tue, 03 Nov 2015 17:20:03 +0000 MenagerieMama 2343465@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@nana87: @Peasinapod: @daniellemybelle: @PurplePeony: @lemong: I thought I was the only one! LO is 13 mo and I nurse her in the car before strapping her in and heading home. She often cries when I get there because she wants to nurse right away. I think I could break the habit if I distracted her with snacks but she nurses so much at home and I work 3 days/wk so I'm usually about to explode when I get to daycare (I don't pump anymore). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/self-weaning-experiences-or-experience-weaning-a-toddler#post-2343430 Tue, 03 Nov 2015 16:47:33 +0000 mamabolt 2343430@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My LO was the same way at daycare pickup for a long time around the same age! I finally broke that habit by bringing a snack to pickup and worked toward only nursing morning/bedtime/before naps on weekends shortly after. I wanted to make it to 2 years and then take it as it came and let her self wean, but she was showing no signs of losing interest. After a pregnancy and loss when she was about 32 months during which nursing was painful for me, I decided we had to stop. I made her third birthday the cutoff and we talked about it for weeks leading up to it, that once she turned three, no more milk. I was expecting a lot of resistance from her but it turned out to be so easy! After a few days she never asked again. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/self-weaning-experiences-or-experience-weaning-a-toddler#post-2343418 Tue, 03 Nov 2015 16:39:39 +0000 Rockies11 2343418@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@nana87: I was planning on self-weaning, but my toddler got more and more insistent as time went on. I nursed all the way through a pregnancy, and then when I had the baby, my toddler gave up solids and wanted to nurse full time. She was 21 months. I thought it was a phase so I was attempting to nurse through it, but then we went on a vacation and it meant that I was going to have to nurse a toddler and a baby tandem in public like in restaurants and so forth. I am totally and completely comfortable with public breastfeeding but no. Just no. And if I didn't feed her she would have a crazy meltdown. Anyway, I felt like shit about forceably weaning her but I was so totally over it I thought I was going to lose my mind. So we had a special shopping trip and we bought a lovie and a special cup and when she wanted to nurse I would give her the special cup with juice in it. She was extremely pissed and tantrumed for a few days, but then she was completely okay from then on. We still have great cuddles and a close relationship. What I learned from this experience is that it's totally okay to wean, and it was bad for my psyche to spend a year in an uncomfortable breastfeeding relationship for no real reason. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/self-weaning-experiences-or-experience-weaning-a-toddler#post-2343416 Tue, 03 Nov 2015 16:36:55 +0000 Peasinapod 2343416@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@nana87: my daughter is 14 months and I'm trying/ failing at weaning. I have the same issue with daycare pickup . On weekends she's fine with just morning and night but when I pick her up from daycare she flips out until I nurse. When I'm ready to finally pull the plug I will likely have my husband do pickups. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/self-weaning-experiences-or-experience-weaning-a-toddler#post-2343410 Tue, 03 Nov 2015 16:35:53 +0000 catomd00 2343410@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@daniellemybelle: omg just got so emotional reading your post about your last nursing session I cried at work lol. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/self-weaning-experiences-or-experience-weaning-a-toddler#post-2343400 Tue, 03 Nov 2015 16:26:06 +0000 catomd00 2343400@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My 20 month old asks as soon as I pick her up too. She used to get so mad when I'd say no but I'm consistent with it and say I'm sorry not right now, when we get home and she's totally accepting of that now. I'm so ready to wean (especially since it hurts now that I'm pregnant) but also would rather suffer myself than upset her by taking it away from her. Trying to relish these last moments since you never know when they might just up and stop themselves! I'll definitely be weaning a few months before #2 arrived though because I am not feeling tandem nursing! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/self-weaning-experiences-or-experience-weaning-a-toddler#post-2343364 Tue, 03 Nov 2015 15:59:45 +0000 Foodnerd81 2343364@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@nana87: I really couldn't have asked for a better way to end nursing! And a couple months before I thought there was no way she would ever stop on her own. </p> <p>@daniellemybelle: yes to the cuddling! My LO is as snuggly as ever. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/self-weaning-experiences-or-experience-weaning-a-toddler#post-2343333 Tue, 03 Nov 2015 15:41:42 +0000 daniellemybelle 2343333@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Lady, I could have written this, down to the supply issues and supplementing! I never nursed LO at daycare but she would pull on my shirt the whole way out and I sat in the car and nursed her. And then she'd want to nurse again as soon as we got home so I couldn't even go to the grocery store or anything.</p> <p>I actively weaned her for the reasons you said, but I cut out the afternoon nursing first. Going down to just nursing first thing in the morning was really hard because she really, really wanted to nurse after school. But once we got down to that one feeding, she gave up the morning session pretty easily - actually in about a week. You can read about it here: <a href="http://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tell-me-how-you-weaned-your-boob-loving-18-24-month-old#post-2167424" rel="nofollow">http://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tell-me-how-you-weaned-your-boob-loving-18-24-month-old#post-2167424</a></p> <p>It's a hard thing to do, but I will say that I was surprised that she got MORE cuddly after weaning. Snuggling replaced nursing and that was much better! You will not lose that bond you fought so hard for. &lt;3 </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/self-weaning-experiences-or-experience-weaning-a-toddler#post-2343235 Tue, 03 Nov 2015 14:42:39 +0000 PurplePeony 2343235@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My DD did the same thing at daycare! Eventually there came a time when DH did several pick-ups, and after that I started enforcing only nursing in one designated spot at home. I felt she was old enough to understand when I said "we only do milk in the special chair." There were a few rough pick-ups after that, but we kept some other snacks handy and a straw cup of water or fridge milk, and eventually she stopped asking at daycare. But I haven't pushed weaning at home, and at 23 months she doesn't show any interest in EVER stopping... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/self-weaning-experiences-or-experience-weaning-a-toddler#post-2343230 Tue, 03 Nov 2015 14:40:18 +0000 Truth Bombs 2343230@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think you just have to decide your own comfort level. For me, I would personally not be at all comfortable nursing a 19 month old in public (even if it just was at daycare). So if she was insisting I would probably decide it was time to wean. I don't think weaning your toddler is anything to feel guilty about if you feel like it's time! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/self-weaning-experiences-or-experience-weaning-a-toddler#post-2343194 Tue, 03 Nov 2015 14:18:38 +0000 nana87 2343194@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@lemong: that's so funny that you had the same experience at day care pick up with lo freaking out about nursing! None of the other parents who pick their los up when I do have that, but it's nice to hear that it's not just my kiddo ;)</p> <p>@Foodnerd81: that's so reassuring to hear that your lo weaned in such a gradual, gentle way! that's what I'm hoping for...</p> <p> @Zbug: That's so great that it was easier than you thought it'd be, that's really encouraging! I definitely can see how having her be older and able to understand more will be helpful. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/self-weaning-experiences-or-experience-weaning-a-toddler#post-2343182 Tue, 03 Nov 2015 14:01:03 +0000 Zbug 2343182@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DD just weaned at 2. My supply had decreased, and we had numerous talks about how there's lees milk now since she's getting bigger and that eventually the milk would be all gone. She agreed to try cows milk before bed, and then nap and then one day stopped asking. It was easier then I had anticipated, but it helped that she was really able to understand. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/self-weaning-experiences-or-experience-weaning-a-toddler#post-2343161 Tue, 03 Nov 2015 13:46:16 +0000 Foodnerd81 2343161@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>C was about 20 months when she self weaned. But for us it was very gradual and she started dropping feedings on her own until it was just wake up and bedtime, which I didn't mind, and she very rarely asked for it during the day. She stopped asking for the morning one one day and I didn't offer, then a few weeks later it got to where I'd have to ask her a few times if she wanted milk at bedtime before she would settle down and nurse, so I knew she was ready. One day when we got back from a few days away, I just didn't ask if she wanted milk and went straight into the bedtime routine and she was fine. She asked for it once or twice a few days later but I would just offer cows milk in a cup and she was ok. I'm really glad she self weaned when she did because I didn't want to continue much longer (and it turned out I was pregnant) but like you, I felt guilty forcing her. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/self-weaning-experiences-or-experience-weaning-a-toddler#post-2342857 Tue, 03 Nov 2015 10:44:27 +0000 lemong 2342857@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I weaned LO1 when the nursing at daycare pick-ups got too much for me to handle. She'd flip out when I show up and then cry until she got to nurse. For me, I felt like I was just being used as a boob, and I decided to wean. She was off bottles (I think she was 14m) and she'd been in her daycare classroom for long enough that she was comfortable. I wound up buying little toys and puzzles to distract her and it worked pretty well. </p> <p>Good luck with your decision! It's not an easy one - LO2 is almost a year and I'm pretty ready to wean, but I still feel a little guilty. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/self-weaning-experiences-or-experience-weaning-a-toddler#post-2342835 Tue, 03 Nov 2015 10:31:22 +0000 nana87 2342835@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Can you tell me about your experience with a lo self-weaning, or weaning a toddler?</p> <p>LO is 19 months, and I feel like I worked so, so hard for us to have a breastfeeding relationship (supply issues, supplementing, etc), that I can't really imagine making the decision to wean myself. But, it also seems like she's becoming more insistent and attached to nursing now as she gets older (and since we stopped giving her bottles). We had her well-baby visit yesterday and our ped is totally supportive of me breastfeeding as long as it works...But sometimes it's really challenging! Like, she is adamant about nursing during day care pick up (the teachers don't mind me sitting there nursing, but it's a little awkward...). I know that's about reconnecting with me after she's been away, and more about emotions/comfort than being hungry (she's usually finishing a snack when I get her). And it's awkward to have her ask to nurse when we're out and about/in people's homes...</p> <p>So anyway, I'd love to hear about how it went for you all! </p>