Help?

[ladyaradita]

I have a 21 month old and I am still nursing --- she wants the boobies ALL the time and I am really ready to quit. I have asked other mothers how to stop, and most have told that I should not wean but just stop all together. Mackenzie wakes during the night to feed still and we are doing the same schedule with nursing that we've done since she's been born. She LOVES it , so that makes me somewhat reluctant that I should just cut her off. I really don't know how to quit... I have read that I should eliminate one feeding and start from there, but it is so hard to do!!!! Does anyone have any sound advice for me? Thanks.

[Shaunsmom]

Hugs to you mama.

I am sorry...I have no advice. I think it's awesome that you have nursed your baby for so long. That is just GREAT!!!

How come you are wanting to quit? Weaning is probably a better choice than just cutting her off nursing cold turkey.

Kellymom.com has some excellent reading resouces.

Again, I think it's awesome that you have nursed your little one for so long. Great job!!

[whitnessforhim]

I'm nursing a 1yr old and I can't imagine just cutting her off completely. That would be tramatic for both of us. Even though I haven't weaned a baby before I would say the slow process is the better way to go then just an abrupt stop.

I wish I had some advice. I know there are a lot of moms on here who have weaned, who have fabulous advice for you and will chime in here soon.

Hang in there momma and be so proud of yourself for providing the very best to your LO for so long!

[tifttu]

That's a tough age. They're starting to do so many more toddler things and yet they're still such a baby. It's tough on everyone. I definitely wouldn't cut her off completely. If you really want to wean, distraction is the easiest thing to use during the day...don't sit, introduce something really fun when she wants to nuse and see if she'll do that instead. You can also start introducing time limits if she likes to latch on and just hang out. Night weaning is much tougher.

[Nipple_nectar]

I am currently nursing a 22 month old, so, I know exactly how you feel! I feel so touched out, I wish I was done as well {{{hugs}}}

But it is important for a lactating breast to gradually slow production to a complete stop. You would be in danger of mastitis, clogged ducts, just to name a few. Not to mention how it has the potential to turn into huge emotional turmoil for your little one:( So, abruptly stopping, as inviting as it sounds, is definitely not the answer!

Reading How weaning happens by Diane Bengson will shed some light on how to go about this process. I also recommend night weaning first as that is the place to start. You can read Elizabeth Pantleys No cry sleep solution for helpful hints on just how to do that.

I have started by insisting with my toddler that we be in my bed for nursing. If she begins to tug on my shirt, I ask her, do you want to go upstairs? Sometimes she says no and continues to play but mostly when she is tired and ready to nap, she says up?

Then we go and she nurses for about fifteen minutes until she is asleep. At night and in the morning she has these mega nursing sessions that would last for hours if I let her! But we are down to only 2-3 times daily which I feel I can handle as long as she needs.

So, I am trying to follow child led weaning as we have made it this far and as far as I know, through the most difficult parts of nursing.

Also reading Mothering your nursing toddler by Norma Jane Bumgarner will help you understand the dynamic between you and your toddler. Good luck!

[SingingMom]

I am in the same state. My twenty-one month old baby is a constant nurser and would never eat food if she were allowed to nurse as often as she wanted.

I work hard to keep offering food, just because I, too, am a little touched out.

I think that part of our trouble is the last few teeth coming in. She tolerates it well and rarely seems to be uncomfortable, but just doesn't want to eat. And she nurses at night on the same schedule she did as a young baby.

So, I feed her whenever I can. I find myself making extra food in the hope that she'll eat it- I keep her favorites around (brown rice, pasta, ham). When she asks to nurse I carry her in to the kitchen before nursing her and act like I am going to eat. Generally, she starts snacking.

And I try to limit nursing to the bed, for naptime and bedtime.

Some days this goes well and she only nurses three or four times (not counting the night nursing). Other days, like yesterday, she eats hardly any food at all.

Some nights I give her some ibuprofen in the hopes that she will sleep. And she is finally starting to sleep through some of her night nursing sessions.

My DS was like this, too, at this age, although not nearly at this level. And at a certain point, he just suddenly grew out of it. It looks like DD will grow out of it, too. I hope it's very soon!

[Nipple_nectar]

"So, I feed her whenever I can. I find myself making extra food in the hope that she'll eat it- I keep her favorites around (brown rice, pasta, ham). When she asks to nurse I carry her in to the kitchen before nursing her and act like I am going to eat. Generally, she starts snacking."

This is a great idea Singingmom! I have been doing this~ I literally carry her into the kitchen and set her on the counter and find out what she will eat, offer her a few things that are high calorie and that keeps her distracted:)

[ladyaradita]

Thanks to everyone who responded to my question and concerns. I feel as though I received many different and supportive solutionsthat I find helpful. Thanks so much for taking time to write me!!!

[ladyaradita]

Thanks to everyone who responded to my question and concerns. I feel as though I received many different and supportive solutions that I find helpful. Thanks so much for taking time to write me!!!

[KatieLou]

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[Brianna]

I'm still nursing my 28 month old. It is tiring. When I became pregnant, he was still nursing 7-8 times in a 24 hour period. I night weaned him by stopping cold turkey. I explained to him before bed that he would not be allowed to nurse anymore until the sun came up and it was light outside. The first week was really hard. I usually had to get out of bed 2 or 3 time a night and rock him back to sleep. He cried; I wanted to cry; but I just couldn't do it any longer. He still nurses during the day 2 or 3 times. I cut out some of the daytime nursing sessions one at a time. When he asked to nurse I offered him a snack and a fun activity instead.

Hope you are able to find something that works for you.