I never imagined I'd be BFing for SO LONG. In some ways I still love it, but my 2.5 year old DS is becoming more and more attached to nursing as I am becoming less and less fond of it. We nurse at bedtime and sometimes in the morning or when DS is hurt/sad. But I need it to stop and soon. Help please!!!
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Haha, I could have written this word-for-word except that my DD is only 20 months. I want weaning to be her idea...but I REALLY want to make it be her idea sooner rather than later.
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@Katrocap: i have no direct experience of this but my first thought is that you need a "replacement behavior". What is a "big kid" thing that LO and you could do at bedtime and when LO is hurt/sad that could be sold as an alternative to nursing? At that age, I think LO would be old enough to get it. This is how we got rid of the pacifier at 3--a big kid bed and loveys and lots of talk about what else to do when trying to fall asleep.
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@purplepeony: I always assumed DS would take the lead with weaning, so I never really thought about how to do it myself. Good luck to you!
@mamacate: A replacement behavior is a great idea. I do think he'll be old enough to get it. He's about to transition from a family daycare to a nursery school. While this may not be the best time to wean, we've been talking about how "big boys" go to school, so maybe I could emphasize that big boys who go to school don't nurse. Glad to hear you were able to get rid of the pacifier!
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@Katrocap: no advice, just commiseration! My son is 26 months and still nursing at bedtime and naptime, when he wakes up, and then once or twice more during the day. I usually like it, but sometimes I resent that it's the only way we've taught him to fall asleep. I'm also convinced he'll never wean and I'll have to nurse him forever! Like, moving into his college dorm room forever...
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@moonmoon: At least I won't be the only one going to college with my son!
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@Katrocap: mine was 2 when we weaned. I was waiting for her to self wean but it was clear that it was not going to happen anytime soon, if ever. We went on a special shopping trip and picked out a very special cup in her favourite colour and a very special snack holder (Elmo's head) and then I would offer that and make a big deal about her drinking out of her very special cup or eating out of her very special Elmo in the place of nursing sessions. It did not go over super hot at first (screaming, crying, hurling of the special dishes) but it was only 4 days of being hellish before she got the hang of it.
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@Katrocap: My friend did something like kept shortening the session. They sang a song while nursing and then when the song was over the nursing was done. It got to be like 30 seconds I think? And then she just built it up to a certain day saying they wold be done nursing on X date (she was 3!) and I think it worked out ok!
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I was the same way. We made it past 2.5 and I was pregnant so figured my supply would dry up but then I had a MC. So I started telling her for about 2 months before her bday that once she turned 3 there were no more milkies. And it worked! The last time we nursed was the night before her bday. So I do think you can explain that it has to stop when x happens and just hard stop and have it go well. Good luck!
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@mamabolt: I'm sorry for your loss. Thank you for your suggestion. I think I may tell DS that once he starts nursery school there will be no more milk.
@rockies11: A special cup as a replacement is a great idea! Glad to know that the hellishness only lasted 4 days for you.
@winniebee: Our nursing sessions have actually gotten longer as of late!
I'll try shortening them to build up to finally weaning.
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@Katrocap: We just stopped cold turkey. We nursed once in the morning, and before bed. I found something that she liked instead (water with a bit of juice, in a fun cup), and told her that milk was all gone, and gave her the juice instead.
She was really, really mad for a couple of days, but after that its like she forgot. From time to time she asked to snuggle (and buried her face in my boobs), but it went a lot better than expected. -
@Katrocap: Mamacate's "replacement behaviour" is what worked for us. That and going very very slowly. Somewhere around 20 months, I started only letting LO nurse morning and night. Any other time she asked, I told her there was no milk right now, but we could have "fridge milk and snuggles". We got a sippie of milk, a blanket and some books and cuddled up on the couch. 6-7 weeks later, I did the same thing when she wanted milk before bed (this wasn't often because DH usually put her to bed). Then at 22.5 months, she didn't ask for it in the morning or the morning after or the morning after. She didn't ask again until the following week and then I just told her it was all gone, but we could have milk and snuggles and she was perfectly happy with that. I'm telling you, I think she weaned because there was something to replace it with. She now asks for "milk 'n 'nuggles" all the time.
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@Katrocap: I don't have any good tips (weaned DS at 17 months) but I noticed that the URL for this page looks like you're asking about how to wean a 25 year old... I'm sure it will work out before then!
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@Beehive: yes! ahahahaha
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@beehive: I love it!!!!
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