Hi Mamas, I think this is normal but it is getting out of control! I weaned my now 15 mos old little girl at 1 year and she was certainly ready. It was no trouble at all. I kept one feed in the mid morning to help her go down for her nap. Right before 14 mos I noticed she was in my shirt all the time grabbing for my breasts/nipples. I decided enough was enough and I cut out the last feed in hopes that she would forget about "her comfort zone" and stay out of my shirt. It is now getting even worse. She hasn't been breast fed in over a month and she is in my shirt probably more than she ever was as a fully breast fed newborn. I try to pull her hand out and tell her no but she fights me, I wear sports bras but she gets in them, I wear turtle necks but then she is just digging and scratching me. I am all scratched up from neck to breast. In the mornings my hubby and I bring her in bed after she wakes the first time and she goes back to sleep for another hour or two but only if she can play with my nipples. How do I stop this? It is driving me crazy and is rather embarrassing when we are out in public. Please tell me I am not the only one that has had to deal with this. Ugh.
Yup, totally normal. It's a comfort thing. I just started trying to replace it with rubbing my chest (not nipples) and/or getting hugs.
When I weaned my daughter she did the same thing! Since I had weaned her, I felt like I was touched out-not sure if that makes sense, but like you this behavior was annoying. I finally squelched it by telling her that they were "My breasts, not hers." We actually used our little word for breasts and I said it to her EVERY time she tried to touch them. I then would gently take her hand in mine and let her rub my upper chest, just above my breasts. It helped that I have a small mole there for her to rub:) Anyways, I felt that I could handle her rubbing my chest, just not my breasts. She rubbed my chest for almost a year and a half. She still does it sometimes when we cuddle and she is 4.5 years old. Being consistent and telling her that she can't touch them anymore is what is going to work. We did the same thing with my son, but used the tactic to actually wean him. Once he was weaned, he wasn't interested in touching me like that. Funny, I think I asked the same question on here at the time because I was so annoyed and this is the tactic that worked the best:)
LOL! my 1 yr old dose this all the time, i let him play i think its cute, but im 20 years old and i feel like hes making my nipples saggy lol. he dosent only grab mine, but EVERYONES! he even reaches for my hubbys and get mad becasue its not the same. it is embarrassing but im sure ur daughter is older now and dosent do it, but the memories are probably adorable...
Oh how your story is so familiar to me. I have a son who is 2.5 and he was weaned at 20 months. He really didn't want to be weaned, but he was nursing all day and would throw a fit if he didn't get it. It has been 9 months later and he still grabs at my nipples and will stick his hand down my shirt wherever and whenever. At first he was sucking so much on my upper chest,neck, and arms I had bruises all over from it. It is totally a comfort thing for them. I got him interested in a bear and blanket, but that didn't stop him. My doctor said to tell him mommy's owie and to put bandaids on my chest and nipples. This didn't work for him, but it might for your daughter. My only suggestion is to start now becuase as they get older and more determined and stronger it is much harder. I asked my son what he wanted to eat the other morning and he said "eat boobies." I also wore turtlenecks and would wear a snug fitting t-shirt under a button down shirt, no help.
Are you still producing milk? I am and I think he can still smell it. They say that the smell of breastmilk is every strong to a baby. Email me if you want to chat!
My breastfed daughter did nearly the same thing, except she loved rubbing my belly. She finally stopped when she was nearly 2 and I was pregnant with baby #2. My soft squishy belly wasn't as inviting anymore! LOL Guess this may not be the solution you're looking for! :)
