Any other LATE weaners? Advice and encouragement needed!

cs1007

DS just turned 2 yesterday, and I had decided a while ago that this would be the FINAL cut off for bfing. Today is/was the first day, and we always nurse at nap and bed (only). I am convinced that there was probably not much milk produced for a LONG time, but that it is more of a comfort.

I put DS down for a nap and he kept pulling at my shirt and trying to nurse and I felt awful. He was crying and it was really hard not to give in! I am really more sad about it than I thought I would be...

Any help/advice???TIA

mrs.larry

we've been gradually weaning for about 6 weeks now. it was pretty much complete by the end of May but I gave in once or twice since then. His birthday, last friday, was the cutoff.

he was really sad about it at first and will still ask for it when he's tired. but it's gotten easier and over all has been easier than I had thought it would be. we just do different things now, like read books before bed instead of nursing, or lying down together at nap time. and I'm sure to cuddle him a lot so he's still getting the physical contact and attention. Now more often than asking to nurse he asks to "snuggle" which is the cutest thing on Earth.

I know how sad it is for both of you... but it'll get easier. I was so afraid it would be the end of our close relationship - especially because I work full-time outside the home. But it hasn't been that way, and I'm so thankful for that.

CindiLu1

I'm sad for you too.  That is so hard!

I also had 24 months as when I would cut off nursing my oldest but she decided she was ready at 20 months (probably because I was pregnant).  I started weaning by only nursing when she asked for it so we didn't have to go cold turkey but that won't work if he's still asking every day.  I had been planning to replace nursing with reading a book and cuddling. 

Hang in there!

Harper'smom

DD just weaned at 28mos last month. I know you are ready to be done now but things might be easier if you tackle the two last sessions 1 at a time. I spent a lot of time telling DD that she was "going to be a big girl some day and when you are big you won't need mama's milk. We can still cuddle but without milk". She would for a few months to me say "when i grow up no milk. cuddles". So, I think she understood. I went on a intl trip for work last month and did not pump. She was not happy that there was no milk left when I got back. Basically we just continued the bed time routine she established with DH when I was gone.

Can you get DH or someone else involved at bed time? You might consider leaving the house for a few nights until they can figure things out. This way at least the hardest part is reserved for nap time.

Hang in there and don't beat yourself up. You nursed for a long time and that is awesome! It will be hard, for both of you. Just try to give lots of extra love and cuddles and don't be afraid to explain things, they understand a lot. Just a warning, my hormones went nuts during the first 4 weeks post weaning. But, we weaned and lived to tell about it. DD goes to sleep fine now despite nursing to sleep for 28mos.

anna7602

I agree with Harper's Mom. Two sessions is too many to tackle at once. Phase one out first, then the other.

DD was down to nursing just at wake-up, pre-nap and at bedtime. I phased these out gradually over the course of a few months. The last two to go were wake-up and pre-nap. We dropped pre-nap last April (about a month before her 2nd birthday) and wake-up at 25 months. In those two months, we talked A LOT about weaning and about how we were going to stop soon. I let her get gradually used to the idea.

As for not getting much milk, I completely disagree with that, but every child is different. DD was definitely still getting a lot of milk. I could feel my letdown when she nursed and typically, she would wait about an hour between nursing and having breakfast. When she finally weaned completely, I became completely engorged within a week. It was the most physically miserable experience. I am certain my body was still producing a fair amount of milk, even if it didn't feel like it at the time.

Kellymom seemed to have some good ideas for weaning an older child- promising a weaning party or making some kind of craft, like a necklace, in which you give the child 1 bead every day he/she doesn't nurse, and then make a necklace to celebrate the end of nursing. Those ideas seemed like they would work for my DD, but in the end, it was all the talking to her about how we would still cuddle and have special time together in the morning, etc. We still do spend about the first 10 minutes or so of every day just snuggled up in her bed together while she tells me about what she dreamed or what she's going to do that day. It's very sweet and I wouldn't trade it for anything.

MG7

DS weaned himself at 26 months and it was very smooth because he lead the weaning. I was upset when it ended because all of a sudden I realized a week had gone by without any nursing. If you don't want your LO to initiate the weaning I think just cutting out one session at a time would be best. For us the early morning session was cut out first, the night time sessions were a big more difficult to cut out but we did a lot of cuddling and stories at night. Now he's all about reading book after book at night and still loves the cuddle time. Good luck.