Weaning 16 month old Lactose Intolerance Baby

alexisl4 · October 2019

Hey guys. I'm at the point in giving up. Found out im pregnant so it makes matters worst because the next baby I decided for health reasons im going to put he/she on formula. But my little I have is 16 months old and he is lactose intolerant therefore we had no other option but to breastfed him because that's what he could keep down. Now he's at a point where he drinks water and eats solids just fine but im a SAHM so he's heavily dependent on being next to me and on my breast at anytime. Any tips on weaning? I've tried leaving him with family and they told me he just kept screaming mama and literally would not eat anything basically trying to starve his self because he wanted my breast that bad. I honestly I am reaching a emotional breaking point because no matter if I routinely give him his sippy cup he still sees me as a source even when I cut down on a breastfeeding a day. I need help badly. I want to be done by the time the new baby gets here because im not breastfeeding the new baby. I'm anemic and have c trait so my iron is naturally low. And breastfeeding to babies instead of one will lead to me feeling sick and malnourished all the time and I can't take it. Please help😕

doodleoodle · October 2019

I can help! My youngest was always attached to my breast. I started weaning around 20 months old and after a few months she was completely weaned. It’s going to be hard at first though... and there will be tears, but you have to stay strong. You need to cut out one feed at a time every couple weeks, or so. No matter how big a fit they throw calmly but firmly tell them no. Think of it as the same as them throwing a fit because they want to do something dangerous, no matter how much they cry they can’t run into he street- and they can’t nurse at that time either. Eventually you will be nursing only in the morning and at night. I would let that ride for a little while. LO may eventually stop asking to nurse at those times on their own. After a month or so mine dropped their morning feeding on their own, and eventually stopped asking at night as well. If not, I would cut out the morning feeding first and then the nighttime, the same as with the other feedings. Good luck

varimama · October 2019

My guy was older when we started the weaning process but I found that getting us out of the house during key nursing times was important! He was doing something fun and was more distracted so he didn’t ask and if he did I could redirect him to the fun activity. My goal isn’t to wean completely just to cut back. So far we’ve cut out 4 feedings with no tears though it took a few months. Sometimes when we are home he still asks but is usually happy to be redirected to a snack and his water.

Kenneylynn3 · October 2019

@doodleoodle just wanted to say your little one probably has a milk protein intolerance. Breast milk contains lactose, so if your baby was lactose intolerant, they would not be able to breastfeed.