How Did You Wean Your Child?

Posted by joy

17 Jun

Did your toddler simply lose interest in breastfeeding, or did you have to wean her? If you’re in the latter group, how did you do it?

My daughter, Jovi, turned two last week and I feel thoroughly ready to cut off her supply. She has different ideas. Jovi would like to nurse morning, noon and night for hours a time. She affectionately calls the source of her precious milk “eyes” or “boo-boo’s” and emphatically makes the milk sign (grabbing at an invisible cow’s udder) while she wheedles a long and desperate “plleease.” It’s hard to resist, I admit. But she’s still trying to nurse in the middle of the night, when she’s lonely, when she’s tired, when anyone else is nursing, when she’s cold, when she’s hungry and when she’s thirsty. And, honestly, all of those things happen during the day multiple times–which leaves me trying to fight her off as she reaches her chubby little fingers down my shirt and tries to abduct my breasts. It’s time.

Please, please, please share your wisdom with me! I so wish to have full possession of my body once again! Do you look forward to weaning or dread the day that you’ll lose the special bond of breastfeeding?

For the record, I fully support extended breastfeeding–but I also believe that it’s totally acceptable for a mom to decide when she’s ready to stop. And I’m there!

Filed under: Baby Care, Breastfeeding, Family Life, General, Living Simply, The Green Household

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5 Responses for "How Did You Wean Your Child?"

Becky June 17th, 2011 at 5:02 pm 1
I weaned at about 26 months. It was just time. And at this point is was mostly only at nap and bedtime. Or sick or hurt too. And I just told him it’s all gone. It was hard for three or four days and then it was no big deal. But once you decide you have to stick to it, no going back! He’d still ask off and on – and even 6 months later – but he remembers it’s all gone. My sister in law tried and tried then use lemon juice on her nipples and her daughter gave up the instant she tasted it . If all else fails?!?! Good luck.
Betsy (Eco-novice) June 17th, 2011 at 5:37 pm 2
My daughter is also almost 2, and still loves to nurse, but she’s been pretty accepting of cutting feedings. I was nursing her first thing in the morning, nap time, and bed time less than a month ago. Now we’re down to nap time. For some kids, cold turkey might be easier, but with both my kids, one feeding at a time has worked well. At first I often had to remind her — we can nurse at nap time — so she could look forward to the next time, but she’s been pretty accepting generally. It helps to have a favorite something up your sleeve. For example, my daughter is in love with her gummy vitamins, so when she first wakes up in the morning and asks to nurse, I ask her if she wants her gummy vitamins, and we’re off to the kitchen to get them. Perhaps your daughter is not quite so distractable. I also found with my first that he was fine as long as *I* wasn’t around. A few days with his cousins during his usual feeding time and he was weaned completely.

I have been thinking a lot about the pros and cons of nursing a toddler. Sometimes it is very sweet, sometimes it is like nursing a monkey. I am glad my daughter doesn’t ask all the time, like yours. I think that would have made me want to quit sooner. I can do the once a day nursing for a long time w/o getting fed up (I think).
Jennifer June 18th, 2011 at 4:27 am 3
I wish I could help but my little one weaned himself at 18 months. Took him about 5 months or so of slowly rejecting feedings one at the time. I was sort of sad but it was nice to get my body back ot myself, so I can totally understand where you are.

The unfortunate thing is that 2 is a tough age to convince her to give up a big comfort item. I’ve heard of offering a replacement item, like a new toy or blanket, and restricting nursing to one place at specific times, like only on the one chair, so never in public. That way you can tell her, “we only nurse in the chair at home,” etc. It’s best to go as slow as possible I think, so I would start by restricting it to one place.
Jen June 19th, 2011 at 5:54 pm 4
I have no advice. We have been nursing in the morning, at naps and before bed for the last 10 months (he is 22 months) and he shows no sign of wanting to wean and for now I am okay with that. But I look forward to seeing the responses you get!
Larisa June 20th, 2011 at 7:51 am 5
Because I work outside the home full-time, I was able to cut the nursing down to “when mommy gets home” and bedtime most days not long after my son turned 1–but he stretched those twice daily feedings out till he was 3 and a half! The only thing that worked for me was going away for a few days (which I had to do anyway, to help my mom after surgery), and I told him before I left that when I came back, the milk would be all gone. He pulled at my shirt a couple of times after I came back, but accepted the answer that there wasn’t any milk left. Good luck!