Have a 2 Year Old, Need Some Advice

I had the same issue with my youngest daughter. She was nursing for comfort and I was essentially her "pacifier" It took some crying and some pulling away from her etc but she finally gave up trying. It is going to be a lot harder on you than it will be on her. Maybe introduce a new "sleeping friend" a teddy bear or stuffed animal she can snuggle at bedtime -- a special blankie or even a pacifier. It might take a week or 2 but she will get the hang on it and she will understand. I know it is very hard but you both need to let go:) It was very hard on me as I thought our youngest daughter would be the last child for us, but we were THANKFULLY blessed with a son too!!! :)

J.
www.mygc.com/jfiegl

Hi, M.:

Contact your local breast feeding consultant at La Leche League at

www.llli.or
Hope this helps, If not let me know. Good luck. D.

If there's no milk then it's obviously a comfort issue for her. Are there other things she likes to have for comfort that could substitute? Like if she has a special doll or blanket that she likes for naptime maybe you could give it to her when she is wanting to nurse and then rock her with it. That way she would be getting the comfort and closeness that she is desiring. She might fight it at first (my daughter did) but if you keep being insistant that she cannot latch on, she will eventually get it. It may take a week or so but stay consistant with doing the same thing in it's place - like the rocking with the blanket. Hope that helps. oh, I would also advise against using a pacifier to substitute. At your daughter's age it would not be good for her teeth and would just make another habit you have to break later that can be very difficult.

She is using you as her pacifier. You are in charge here, and you need to be firm. I agree with the previous post in just saying, "We don't do that anymore, you are a big girl now." Stick to it. She is going to cry and eventually she will get over it. Stay strong! This will pass in no time.

Tell her your nummies are broken. Put some vinegar or lemon juice on it. She gag then quit. Put it on both nummies so she'll get the same reaction when she tries either. If there is another flavor out there she doesn't like put that on. Good Luck.

I found the advice on "kelly mom" to be very helpful - http://www.kellymom.com/bf/weaning/index.html. I weaned my daughter down to 1 feeding at 19 months using the "dont offer but don't refuse" technique. Then we went on vacation and she stopped asking to nurse all together -- the change of location / change of routine distracted her enough that she stopped asking. When we got home a week later she asked once or twice to nurse and I said "oh, we don't do that anymore, honey." and she said "ok"

Good luck! Definitely read those articles. They have a lot of different ideas.