Maiya loves to nurse. I've loved it too, but I want to wrap it up in the next few months. She'll be 1 in July (wow!). She eats other foods pretty well and she enjoys water and soy milk. So ... I'm looking for suggestions. I tried to get some info online, but all I found were articles about the benefits of extended breastfeeding and how traumatic it is for a child to be weaned. Great, helpful.
My plan is to drop one feeding every couple of weeks until she's done. Currently she nurses once before each meal and once before bed and usually once in the middle of the night. Will this work? Any suggestions on which feedings to drop first?
Haven weaned himself, so this isn't an experience I've had. Suggestions are welcome!
8 comments:
Yeah, I got nothing. All mine weaned themselves anywhere from 11-14 months. In fact, I wanted them to nurse longer and they would have none of it.
But I have heard some of my friends have taken away one nursing time a week...and that seemed to work for them.
OR you could always get pregnant. :) That seems to change the way the milk tastes, making the baby WANT to stop nursing. *wink*
CHRISTIN!
don't make me come down there! =)
Ha! Christin, good answer. ;)
My boys both weaned themselves... and Hannah nursed until she was 2. Um, I've got nothing. The dentist ordered her to stop nursing because it was causing damage to her teeth. She went cold turkey. Roger was assigned to her at night and I avoided her over the times she would have normally nursed during the day. (I'm a great Mom!) :) It worked amazingly well.
I have heard about taking away one feeding every 3 days... leaving the first of the morning and middle of the night nursing sessions to tackle last.
Good luck! I'll be praying for you. I could never bring myself to do it... which is why Hannah nursed so long. I'm pitiful. I know. I think I'll do better this time around. (um, I realize I have to actually HAVE the baby before weaning would take place... but ya know... I'm planning ahead for once) :)
that should work for you. the girls also loved to nurse. i thought i would be done at age 1, but it dragged out a bit because i kept waiting for them to wean themselves... didn't happen. so at 1 year i started cutting down. poor things, they would heft up the nursing pillow and drag it over to me, and i'd have to tell them no. it took me 6 months to be completely done, but the last couple of months, it was only if they woke up at night, just to get them back to sleep fast. then i got pregnant and they were cut off! fortunately they also loved their food.
Laura started to get distracted easily right around Maiya's age, so just try to divert her attention during the day. The night feeding will probably be the last because it seems to be more instinctual when the little one's are sleepy (and your will to "fight" goes down too). I'd say slowly cut the feedings down during the day, like you planned and just distract, distract, distract! :) Since she's such an outdoorsie girl maybe just take her outside and show her bugs/leaves/dust, whatever :) Good luck!
But DAVVVVEEE, you know we'd love to have you come for a visit. *bwahaha*
I can barely remember anymore. Ha. Mine usually weaned themselves or... on one or two occasions (of the six) I made them wean when the biting began! Hah!
I think it happened naturally for the most part and none of them nursed beyond 18-20 months, but I do remember doing one nursing time less every few days or weeks until there wasn't any interest.
P.S. I also usually had another baby already started by the time 12- 15 months came around. ;-)
Let's see. I began weaning Wesley at 12 mo due to a biting issue. :( He didn't seem to mind. We were at 4 feeding per day, the last being bedtime. I dropped one feeding per week, beginning with the mid-morning when he was most easily distracted. The last to go was bedtime. The first two nights he fussed a bit getting to sleep, but then adjusted.
I think the other mom's advice about having your husband intervene at night is good- Gabe began putting Wesley to bed during the weaning, and it did help. Is it YOU she wants or MILK? If it's more you she wants, try subbing nursing with a cuddle time, songs, books etc. If it's the milk, you could start the night time weaning process with pumping and giving her a warm bottle.
More than anything I think weaning has to do with us as mom's and what we anticipate. If you're anticipating lots of emotional stress, that's probably what you'll find from her. Try an anticipation of her growth, new found independence and a new season in her life. Just some ideas. :)
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