How To Wean... Please Help!!

[MadisonsMommy]

So Maddie is 16 months and we just found out we are pregnant! YAY! Anyway I would like to wean Maddie now... We are really only nursing once a day... We tried to wean a couple weeks ago and we went a couple days and then I was on pain and she was begging to nurse and I gave in... My boobs are already sore from being pregnant and now I am not looking forward to weaning cause that will cause even more pain... So do I basically just stop nursing and deal with the pain? What can I do to make the process more smooth for me and Maddie? Any advice or suggestions? This is my first time to wean so any help would be greatly appreciated!

[nicurn]

Congratulations on the pregnancy!! I'm sorry it has you so sore that you don't feel like you can continue to nurse.

Are you thinking that you will become engorged when you wean, and that will cause pain?

I know that when DD weaned from that last nursing per day, I didn't have pain at all. As far as how, I recommend distraction. Think about what she loves most, and when she asks to nurse, offer that instead. My SIL weaned her two-year-old one donut hole at a time.

[MissionaryMomma]

Wear a dress for a while. When she wants to nurse, hand her a cup of her favorite drink and read her a book---maybe play a game or sing a song.

Congratulations of the pregnancy!

[MadisonsMommy]

Exactly... Last time it took a couple days till I became engorged because we are only nursing once a day... Nonetheless it still hurt alot...

[MadisonsMommy]

I'm really stuck... I don't want to quit nursing but I feel like if I don't then I'm taking nutrition away from the baby inside me... I hate to take that from Maddie when she is only doing it once a day and she has so many changes coming with another sibling... Also I cant imagine trying to nurse a newborn and have a 2yr old trying to get into my lap to nurse... I dont want to quit but I feel like I have to... Any advice??

[nicurn]

First, you aren't taking any nutrition away from the growing baby, so get that one out of your head. It is perfectly healthy for you, Madison and the new baby (unless you have a history of miscarriage, and that's still not related to what you can give.

The only reason for weaning at this point is your own comfort. If you need that, then do it. If you don't, then don't stress. A lot of children self-wean as the milk changes flavor, and a lot of children self-wean at this point anyway.

If you think it's hard to sit comfortably and encourage Madison to "read" to the baby while she waits her turn to nurse, imagine how hard it's going to be to convince Madison to walk with you to the car after the 2-week follow-up appointment when it's naptime and you have the new one in the sling and can't possibly pick her up and some woman is glaring at you for letting your toddler cry...(oh, that isn't a traumatic memory for me or anything).

The point is, worrying about how you will manage isn't really a good reason either. It sounds like you may not be as ready as you thought.

[MadisonsMommy]

First, you aren't taking any nutrition away from the growing baby, so get that one out of your head. It is perfectly healthy for you, Madison and the new baby (unless you have a history of miscarriage, and that's still not related to what you can give.

The only reason for weaning at this point is your own comfort. If you need that, then do it. If you don't, then don't stress. A lot of children self-wean as the milk changes flavor, and a lot of children self-wean at this point anyway.

If you think it's hard to sit comfortably and encourage Madison to "read" to the baby while she waits her turn to nurse, imagine how hard it's going to be to convince Madison to walk with you to the car after the 2-week follow-up appointment when it's naptime and you have the new one in the sling and can't possibly pick her up and some woman is glaring at you for letting your toddler cry...(oh, that isn't a traumatic memory for me or anything).

The point is, worrying about how you will manage isn't really a good reason either. It sounds like you may not be as ready as you thought.


Thank you! I really do not want to quit nursing! This really helps me!

[MadisonsMommy]

I have done some more research now and we are going to keep nursing! Hopefully I will find a doctor that will be supportive of this!

[MrsKitty]

I am nursing my just about three year old :) I think its great for him. We have been talking alot about when the new baby comes and the changes, and how they will be able to share nunu together and it can be their special time. He really likes that idea. I think it will help him alot when the new baby comes.

[HammBugga]

You don't need to wean if you don't want to. Your body will nourish your baby before anything else. I continued nursing DS1 while I was pg with DS2. He ended up self weaning around 21 months old, when I was 5 months pregnant. She may wean on her own, especially since she is only nursing once per day now.