Talk to me about weaning your toddler

HenHen25

How'd you do it? How did you toddler react? 

We're down to once a day before bed, I'm sick of it but Hen is totally attached.  And I can't seem to not feel guilty about officially ending it.

HenHen25

buffaluffagus:

Have him come spend the weekend with me, duh! He'll be singing Britney Spears and drinking Diet Coke in a bottle in no time.

Could I leave him with DH instead and we go have fun? 

RayRay007

We weaned a while ago, so it is probably different at this age. At around 12 months I realized DD wasn't really a comfort nurser and didn't really need it before bed so I just quit offering. At first I replaced it with a 'real' snack, but then realized she didn't really need to eat right before bed either. So I quit that too. She didn't protest. Everything else was the same about our bedtime routine. (before this, I nursed her before reading a book, so it was always book then bed, and that was still the same). She still woke early in the am (5am or so) for a snack, so I continued to do that, but occassionally she wouldn't wake until I had to wake her to get ready for daycare. On those mornings I wouldn't bother waking her 10-15 minutes early to squeeze in the nursing. Those mornings became more and more frequent until she just stopped waking up early in the morning, and she never asked for it when she did wake up. That was around 14 months.

If Hen is totally attached and would keep asking for it, what if your DH did the bedtime routine for a few nights so you weren't there to trigger it?

And don't feel guilty.

HenHen25

RayRay007:

We weaned a while ago, so it is probably different at this age. At around 12 months I realized DD wasn't really a comfort nurser and didn't really need it before bed so I just quit offering. At first I replaced it with a 'real' snack, but then realized she didn't really need to eat right before bed either. So I quit that too. She didn't protest. Everything else was the same about our bedtime routine. (before this, I nursed her before reading a book, so it was always book then bed, and that was still the same). She still woke early in the am (5am or so) for a snack, so I continued to do that, but occassionally she wouldn't wake until I had to wake her to get ready for daycare. On those mornings I wouldn't bother waking her 10-15 minutes early to squeeze in the nursing. Those mornings became more and more frequent until she just stopped waking up early in the morning, and she never asked for it when she did wake up. That was around 14 months.

If Hen is totally attached and would keep asking for it, what if your DH did the bedtime routine for a few nights so you weren't there to trigger it?

And don't feel guilty.

We've had him do a couple nights, but Hen always goes back to asking for it, and I give in.

juniper19

It was hard. My son was older than 2. My husband took him away to my parents' house for a few days and when he came back we just said no a lot. About a week after our last nurse I let him do it one more time at bedtime, mainly to alleviate my discomfort. It worked for me, and it didn't seem to create any setbacks. It wasn't long before he stopped asking, but he did keep his hands my shirt a lot for another 6 months (in private).

ETA: I didn't extended nurse for any principal - I was just too wimpy to stop it. So if you aren't really into it anymore, end it sooner rather than later. Otherwise it will keep going and going.

HenHen25

juniper19:

It was hard. My son was older than 2. My husband took him away to my parents' house for a few days and when he came back we just said no a lot. About a week after our last nurse I let him do it one more time at bedtime, mainly to alleviate my discomfort. It worked for me, and it didn't seem to create any setbacks. It wasn't long before he stopped asking, but he did keep his hands my shirt a lot for another 6 months (in private).

ETA: I didn't extended nurse for any principal - I was just too wimpy to stop it. So if you aren't really into it anymore, end it sooner rather than later. Otherwise it will keep going and going.

 I def. fall into the wimpy category too.  

PeonyPumps

buffaluffagus:

HenHen25:

buffaluffagus:

Have him come spend the weekend with me, duh! He'll be singing Britney Spears and drinking Diet Coke in a bottle in no time.

Could I leave him with DH instead and we go have fun? 

This sounds like a much better plan! 

I'm inviting myself to this gtg.