how did you know lo was ready to wean? also...

BeachMama7693

i posted the other night about how i bf my 15 month old. we only nurse at bedtime and once in the middle of the night/early am hours. my questions:

how did you know your lo was ready to stop breastfeeding? if they self weaned, what did they do to show you they didnt want to nurse anymore? did you completely stop offering after that?

for the last 4 nights at bedtime i have offered to nurse my lo, just as usual, and the first 2 nights, she latched for about a minute, turned over, and went to sleep. last night, she basically bit my nipple and wouldnt let go, and i said "nononono". i didnt really mean to say no, but i was scared she was about to bite me really hard and that was my initial reaction. she started BAWLING. she was really upset and i felt awful for saying no, i kept offering and she ended up putting her paci in and going to sleep. tonight, i offered, she patted my boob and just looked at it, then started to cry. she rolled over, crying, and went to sleep.

is this her indication that she doesnt want it anymore, but she doesnt really know how to "let go"? if that makes sense? or she has been doing it so long that she wants it but doesnt???

or did she cry again tonight because i told her nonono last night?

advice?? sorry so long! 

zoe_cat

My first DD weaned at 17 months.  She gradually stopped asking to nurse and I gradually stopped offering.  If you're not sure if she's ready, just keep offering during the normal times and it's up to her from that point.

I've said "no" to my second DD when she bites and she gets really upset and bawls, but she still goes back to nursing the next time.  It's hard to say if that's why your DD was crying tonight or not.

Good luck figuring it out!

dragon_chica

I BF #1 until she was about 17-18 months.  By that point we were down to the early morning feed.  Once she stopped waking up consistently for about a week I took that as a sign that she was done.  With DS we stopped at 12 months.  He just stopped showing interest in nursing and preferred taking the bottle.

erbear

Both of mine just stopped. I would offer, they would play. After about a week, I figured they were done and that was that.

Monsieur_et_Madame_Ha

I nursed DD1 until she was 15 - 16 months. In the end, we would only nurse at bedtime. One day, I didn't offer and she didn't ask and that was it.

DD2 suddenly stopped nursing 2 weeks after she turned 1. Ever heard of BM taste changing during pregnancy? Yeah, her abruptly self-weaning was my first clue that I might be pregnant (which I am, in case you are on your phone and can't see tickers). Obviously this doesn't happen for everyone (heck I nursed DD1 until I was 3 months pregnant), but could you be pregnant? 

BeachMama7693

Monsieur_et_Madame_Ha:

I nursed DD1 until she was 15 - 16 months. In the end, we would only nurse at bedtime. One day, I didn't offer and she didn't ask and that was it.

DD2 suddenly stopped nursing 2 weeks after she turned 1. Ever heard of BM taste changing during pregnancy? Yeah, her abruptly self-weaning was my first clue that I might be pregnant (which I am, in case you are on your phone and can't see tickers). Obviously this doesn't happen for everyone (heck I nursed DD1 until I was 3 months pregnant), but could you be pregnant? 

thought for sure i was then AF showed last night!! oh well... maybe she is just weaning, which i am totally fine with.