My dd is 15 months and loves nursing even though it’s mostly comfort. I don’t usually go this long after 12 months but we feel she’s our last so there is more of an emotional element from me as well. I am ready to start weaning her and I’m not sure how to do this. She nurses before both naps, bedtime, and morning. I am not nursing before the afternoon nap for 3 days now and she’s okay…crying for a few minutes. But she’s been extremely clingy and whiny and I don’t know if it’s from that or teething (she has 4 teeth coming in right now). Should I continue eliminating 1 feeding at a time or cold turkey? I’ve done this 3 other times but she’s been very different than the others!! Always keeps us on our toes, don’t they!
I always just eliminated one at a time, it was so much easier on both of us. And I always tried to “replace” the feeding with other positive things—like a cute sippy cup for milk or water and an extra cuddle, extra storybook, etc. to kind of make up so that he wasn’t feeling like he got less attention/cuddling from me. It worked pretty well. The clinginess MIGHT be from that, or might be the teething, or something else. At any rate it probably won’t last too long. I know it’s hard on both mommy and baby. Although I had all boys and they were all raring to go at 15mos–I only had one last nearly that long, they couldn’t sit still long enough. LOL And he self-weaned at 15mos. *I* wasn’t ready yet, 🙂
Weaning can be very hard, especially if the child is not ready. My boys all nurse a long time, the last one the longest (3years).
The good thing is that she doesn’t nurse at night anymore, mine did iwhat seemed like forever!
If you are really determined to wean it will most likely be faster but if you do not feel so strong about it she might pick that up and might not give it up as easily.
My son is 25 months. First, I dropped all daytime nursings except first thing in the morning & nap time. Just this past week I started night weaning because he was still getting me up 2-4 times a night and I just feel that it’s time for him to start sleeping through the night. I am still nursing him at nap time & bedtime. And honestly, I will probably let him self wean from those. The first 4 nights of night weening were very rough & I felt like I was breaking his heart. (You know that “my feelings are hurt” type of cry). And then he was just down right mad. But, night 5 he cried briefly in his sleep 2 times but, slept all night & last night he slept all night & only cried in his sleep once. Praise God!
BlessedMommy – that is encouraging for me! Our youngest is 22 months old and a milkaholic for sure :P. He is still waking often at night and I am to the point of exhausted with frequent migraines. He needs more sleep as well. Ugh. He’s likely our last so I have that emotional attachment as well (which, of course, very few people understand). My other three were weaned between 13 and 18 months, mainly because I was PG with the next and the whole process was toe-curling painful. So… less than a week and maybe we can be sleeping? That would be awesome. Of course DH is getting a cold or some other sinus stuff so I am thinking he won’t be up for helping out right now…
Good luck ladies! I night weaned all my kids at some point. That is hard. With my last one he was over 2 years old when I tried the first time and after 2 weeks he was still crying like crazy so I had to wait for him to be ready.
They are all different, you need to see what works for you and your child…
Renee, the first 4 nights were really rough, and now, he is sleeping better every night! We are going on night 9. Aside from a diaper issue he had last night, and the crying in his sleep on nights 5 & 6, he is doing great! So thankful! Good luck!