BFing/weaning check-in

bosha711

How is weaning going? How many sessions are you still doing? Has anyone NOT started weaning? Who has completely weaned?

We started weaning at 12 months where I went from 5 sessions to 3 per day. I combined 2 morning sessions into one & replaced an afternoon session with WCM.

Then about a month later, I replaced another session with WCM, so I was just doing a before bedtime session & an early morning session.

Then a few weeks ago, cutting out our before bedtime session went shockingly well. I pretty much did it cold turkey. Now I just walk in, put him down & walk out. It's awesome.

So we are still doing one session at 5 am. He wakes up then, I am just nursing on one boob & then he goes back down for another 1-2 hrs. I would love to have this session cut out by his 15 month checkup, which is 3/20. Not that the pedi cares, but I want it as a deadline for myself.

 

IncogNeato

She dropped most sessions around 1 year since she was filling up on solids. The morning nursing stuck around until last week. Then, instead of taking her to bed to nurse and snuggle, I started taking her downstairs for her breakfast right away and it's like she forgot all about nursing. Her last time was on Saturday.

LilyRose28

We're at 2 (3 this week) sessions. He still asks at bedtime for it most nights and since he's been sleeping until about 7 a.m. I thought I could drop that one but he still wants to nurse then and is grumpy unless I let him - like an adult before his coffee! The past three nights he's been waking between 11-12 and wanting to nurse (usually just one side). He's cutting molars AND canines so while overall his temperament has been wonderful, I think judging by the marks he left on my nipples, he's using it for comfort. 

I think the bedtime one might go next - I pretty much offer every night so maybe I'll just start only nursing when he requests it. But it's his signal to calm down before pajamas and bedtime so we may have to re-work the routine so he doesn't miss it.

Cheekers2010

I  am down to one am session as well.  I'm still waiting fo my medication that I don't want to bf on to come in.  Once it does (hopefully next week) we'll be done.  Honestly I don't want to give it up but I really don't think G is getting anything from it.  It's more for his (and my, lol) comfort. 

This is much more emotional then I would have thought. I still haven't gotten AF yet, though so its probably for the best.

 

Rink08

We're still BFing 1-2 times a day. He gets coconut milk or rice milk the rest of the time. My milk has started changing to colostrum so sometimes he nurses for a regular session and sometimes he starts to nurse but then doesn't want to. 

bosha711

Kellog+1:

I  am down to one am session as well.  I'm still waiting fo my medication that I don't want to bf on to come in.  Once it does (hopefully next week) we'll be done.  Honestly I don't want to give it up but I really don't think G is getting anything from it.  It's more for his (and my, lol) comfort. 

This is much more emotional then I would have thought. I still haven't gotten AF yet, though so its probably for the best.

 

It's been emotional for me, too. Approaching 12 months, I was sad about giving it up, which is why I chose to not rush it & just follow DS's lead. But, at 12 months, I realized, I was very ready to stop!  Now since we're just doing the one session, I don't mind it too much - but I wish it was later than 5 am!

bosha711

Rink08:

We're still BFing 1-2 times a day. He gets coconut milk or rice milk the rest of the time. My milk has started changing to colostrum so sometimes he nurses for a regular session and sometimes he starts to nurse but then doesn't want to. 

Oh, interesting! I was curious about this how works & probably explains why I've been noticing what looks like dried colostrum on my nips (sorry tmi).

My OB suggested stopping BFing by 20 weeks. (I am about 10 weeks now). Has your OB mentioned anything to you?

pitterpatter129

Am I the only one not weaning yet?  He gets WCM at daycare because I did quit pumping, but still bf's at home.  We are 3ish times on weekdays and 5-6 times on weekends.  I plan to go until 2 yrs if I make it that long. I doubt he'll self-wean before then.

 

 

MommaEA

pitterpatter129:

Am I the only one not weaning yet?  He gets WCM at daycare because I did quit pumping, but still bf's at home.  We are 3ish times on weekdays and 5-6 times on weekends.  I plan to go until 2 yrs if I make it that long. I doubt he'll self-wean before then.

 

 

We are kind of in the same boat. I am feeling ready to wean, but haven't really started the process. I am trying to cut him back some by distracting him or offering a snack or meal. He will go hours without nursing, but then ask for it like every hour. I am hoping to be weaned by 18 months.

Cheekers2010

pitterpatter129:

Am I the only one not weaning yet?  He gets WCM at daycare because I did quit pumping, but still bf's at home.  We are 3ish times on weekdays and 5-6 times on weekends.  I plan to go until 2 yrs if I make it that long. I doubt he'll self-wean before then.

 

 

I wanted to go to 2 years.  Just can't.   

Cheekers2010

bosha711:

Kellog+1:

I  am down to one am session as well.  I'm still waiting fo my medication that I don't want to bf on to come in.  Once it does (hopefully next week) we'll be done.  Honestly I don't want to give it up but I really don't think G is getting anything from it.  It's more for his (and my, lol) comfort. 

This is much more emotional then I would have thought. I still haven't gotten AF yet, though so its probably for the best.

 

It's been emotional for me, too. Approaching 12 months, I was sad about giving it up, which is why I chose to not rush it & just follow DS's lead. But, at 12 months, I realized, I was very ready to stop!  Now since we're just doing the one session, I don't mind it too much - but I wish it was later than 5 am!

Um, yah, 5 am is way too early. 

Rink08

bosha711:

Rink08:

We're still BFing 1-2 times a day. He gets coconut milk or rice milk the rest of the time. My milk has started changing to colostrum so sometimes he nurses for a regular session and sometimes he starts to nurse but then doesn't want to. 

Oh, interesting! I was curious about this how works & probably explains why I've been noticing what looks like dried colostrum on my nips (sorry tmi).

My OB suggested stopping BFing by 20 weeks. (I am about 10 weeks now). Has your OB mentioned anything to you?

My OB said that normally it is fine to nurse throughout your pregnancy. However,  some moms milk changes as early as 12 weeks (mine just started around 17) and the baby may refuse it because it is a different taste/texture. The other thing is that towards the end of pregnancy, it can cause uterine contractions which usually are not a problem but can sometime start preterm labor. 

She said to do what feels right for DS2 and I because each body and baby is different. 

kat81again2

at 1 yr we dropped from 5ish to 2 (morning & night). I think we're going to stay with 2 sessions for a while. I am considering weaning fully by early May because I am going on a trip without DS then, but I might keep nursing through that time, even. No matter what I need to be fully weaned by September, which is when we will TTC again. I really don't want to BF and be pregnant, though I know a lot of people do it.

utlawgirl

This is really interesting reading everybody's stories! We are still nursing 2 times a day (first thing in the morning and before bedtime) and I also said I'd keep going through cold and flu season. Nora recently had her first cold (at 14 months -- wow!) and it was incredibly mild compared to what I had, I think due at least in part to nursing.

But, I am starting to feel ready to wean. She is cutting molars right now and asking to nurse (read: pulling on my shirt and fussing) several times a day, and I'm just not cool with that. I'd like to cut down to one session after our move and all of that upheaval is over. Not sure if I'll try morning or nighttime yet, but I'm leaning towards cutting the before-bed session, since she is REALLY ready to nurse when she wakes up. I'd like to be completely weaned by 18 months. My original goal was 12 months, but that came and went and neither of us was ready to wean!

jarebearsmom

J still nurses in the morning (if I wake up in time to give it to him) and on the weekends whenever he asks. During church he will literally pull my shirt all the way down if I'm not careful

Tomorrow he turns 14 months. My original goal was 12 months, then past cold/flu season (when does that end?). However, this weekend I'm going out of town without him. I will see him Friday morning and Saturday afternoon but he's definitely going to miss that am feeding so I was thinking maybe this is the time to break him. But that makes me want to cry so I'm not really sure that we're ready yet for it to be over 

yaeger16

We are down to one session, and occasional overnight sessions. I just did it cold turkey and he's been taking it pretty well. I would like to be done in 1 month, so I really need to suck it up and stop. I'm just scared of him freaking out at night when I put him down without nursing before.

pitterpatter129

Kellog+1:

pitterpatter129:

Am I the only one not weaning yet?  He gets WCM at daycare because I did quit pumping, but still bf's at home.  We are 3ish times on weekdays and 5-6 times on weekends.  I plan to go until 2 yrs if I make it that long. I doubt he'll self-wean before then.

I wanted to go to 2 years.  Just can't.   

  I'm sorry.  It's got to be hard to wean when you aren't ready to do so.  But, it's important that you take care of yourself too.  You seem like a great mama and you're dong what's best for you both! 

I haven't gotten AF yet either!  I can't decide if this is a good or a bad thing...I don't want to ever see her again, but we would like a second child eventually.

 

 

 

utlawgirl

pitterpatter129:

Kellog+1:

pitterpatter129:

Am I the only one not weaning yet?  He gets WCM at daycare because I did quit pumping, but still bf's at home.  We are 3ish times on weekdays and 5-6 times on weekends.  I plan to go until 2 yrs if I make it that long. I doubt he'll self-wean before then.

I wanted to go to 2 years.  Just can't.   

  I'm sorry.  It's got to be hard to wean when you aren't ready to do so.  But, it's important that you take care of yourself too.  You seem like a great mama and you're dong what's best for you both! 

I haven't gotten AF yet either!  I can't decide if this is a good or a bad thing...I don't want to ever see her again, but we would like a second child eventually.

 

 

 

 

Haha -- same here!

Also, I got too wrapped up in my own stuff, but I meant to say, Kellog, I'm sorry that you have to wean earlier than you had originally anticipated, but it sounds like it's the best thing for you, and that's pretty darn important stuff! Sometimes we mamas have a hard time taking care of ourselves, but somebody's got to do it. 

--halo--

We are still nursing 4 times a day.  I never set a weaning goal, but my pedi has suggested weaning by 18 months in order to make the separation easier for Jack.  I feel like letting him go past that if he wants to, though. 

He was still nursing every 2 hours up until about a month ago when I decided I wouldn't offer it.  Without me offering 'mama milk' he only asks for it when he wakes up, for nap times, and at bedtime.  I like the freedom of not nursing so much, but I still enjoy the little cuddle breaks we get.   

 

Fairy kisses

MommaEA:

pitterpatter129:

Am I the only one not weaning yet?  He gets WCM at daycare because I did quit pumping, but still bf's at home.  We are 3ish times on weekdays and 5-6 times on weekends.  I plan to go until 2 yrs if I make it that long. I doubt he'll self-wean before then.

 

 

We are kind of in the same boat. I am feeling ready to wean, but haven't really started the process. I am trying to cut him back some by distracting him or offering a snack or meal. He will go hours without nursing, but then ask for it like every hour. I am hoping to be weaned by 18 months.

This is me too. I really would like to have her fully weaned by 18 months but I don't see that happening. Kiya loves loves loves my right boob, hates the left! I have been trying to cut back during the day, some days are better then others. Sometimes she will breast feed 3 times a day and other days can be 7 times it is much better now that she will take wcm, that was a process in its self. I try to distract her or offer snacks, most of the times it works and other times she is clawing at my chest. 

My dh's grandma told me the reason I probabley lost my baby was due to breast feeding! I know that is a bunch of crock but I asked my OB on mon when I saw her. She told me that it is very natural to bf all the way through pregnancy, the milk might change or increase but it is perfectly natural. Every body is different an will react in different ways. 

EVM1216

I weaned as of February 1st, although I can still express milk from my left side.  I probably would have gone longer but DD really stopped expressing an interest most of the time.  We still have the occasional moments, usually right when we get home in the evenings during the week, when she'll cry and tug on my shirt.  (Strangely enough this was the feeding she first eliminated when I started weaning.)  But as time has gone on it has been easier to distract her.  There are times when I miss nursing her, especially when I need her to go to sleep and she doesn't want to settle down or when I feel like I've not got to spend any time with her that day, but overall I am glad to be finished with it.

Congratualations to all you mommas who've kept up with it!  You're awesome.