Interesting Quote

anonsouthernbell

I have been meaning to post this for forever and kept on forgetting...

"'Because establishing independence is such a monumental task, outside pressures become formidable roadblocks to the two. Yet, around this age parents often decide to take away the bedtime bottle, get the thumb out of the mouth or remove the security blanket and pacifier. These demands are like asking a confirmed smoker to quit the habit at the very time he takes on a stressful new job.'"

- "Briggs goes on to say that because a child's internal pressures are at a peak during the third year, it is safer to wait until he's three to make major changes. IF you're unsuccessful at three wait until he is five, which is normally another time if inner equilibrium." ~ p. 220 Mothering Your Nursing Toddler

I will be honest I don't know how I personally feel about waiting until 5 but I thought it was a neat take on things...thoughts?

SnoopyLuv

I don't think I could continue nursing after 3. I had a cousin that nursed her DD until 5 and that was a bit much even though I think she was limited to bedtime and when she was sick or hurt. I think 2 is a pretty good age to begin to wean, just for my personal want to be "free". This, of course is if I can make my goal of 18 months.

Cooper81

Interesting perspective, we've been discussing when to pull the paci.  Right now he get's it at nap time and bed time, and I truly believe that the paci is what got him to STTN at 6 weeks.  So we have a love/hate relationship with the paci.  DH was a paci baby and he says he actually remembers the time when his parents weaned him off of it (around 3 and a half) and he wants to wean DS from it before he can remember.  I'm kind of torn, DS had no problem when we stopped bottles, but we did it very gradually.

photo_nut

I nursed my DD until she was 3, when she self weaned. At first I felt a need to explain why, but now I don't. I feel if people are going to be judgmental, than that is their problem to live with and get upset and freaked out about, not mine. We were all happy, my DD doesn't even remember that she nursed that long, and she is healthy - I think it was totally worth it as she has never been sick a day in her life and she is 4. She never had a bottle, pacifier, never sucked her thumb and never carried a blanket or lovely around. No one knew she nursed that long unless I told them.

KathrynMD

IDK - its hard to say.  I think all kids are different and all families are different.  I think we are generally in too much of rush for our kids to "grow up," but on the other hand, if your kid is ready to move on, there's no reason to keep doing certain things.  Given enough time and no intervention/encourgagment from us, our kids will develop at their own pace and be just fine.  I don't think there's anything wrong with giving your LO a little push in the right direction though, but that doesn't mean you are pushing them too much either.  I stopped giving DD a bedtime bottle when she was 14 months old.  I'm the one who stopped giving it to her, but she's the one who stopped drinking it a day or two before that, kwim?  Same thing with her pacifier a few months ago - one day I just didn't offer it, she asked about it and I told her we didn't have any.  She kinda grumbled and whined for about 10 minutes and then taht was that.  I did sort of "force" her to give up the paci, but I knew she was done with it.  I'm sure even if I didn't stop giving her the paci or bottle, she would have given them up on her own, but why wait another 6 months or so for that to happen?  The less crutches she has, the easier it is for her and me.

anonsouthernbell

Kathryn it def sounds like she was ready to give it up as she didn't put up much of a fuss.

 

And I am sorry I wasn't clearer...I didn't mean about nursing past infancy but more about taking away security blankets, pacifiers, etc... I think that you all raised some great points!

Mrs.Wtobe

DD is attached to her paci and it is the only way she will fall asleep. I wish she didn't have such a dependency on it but it is what it is.  I am trying to give it to her less and less when she is active during the day.  I figured I'd tackle the paci first then her lovey.  Of couse, I won't take it away if she isn't ready for it to be taken away.  I certainly would like to have them both out of the picture by the time she is three.