Weaning - Philadelphia, PA

If she's not ready and you're not ready then there is no reason to wean. It truly is a personal choice and I think her feelings should be taken into consideration as well.

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WOW - my son is 8 months old and weighs 24 lbs! But he eats a lot of other foods too. Are you sure your daughter is eating enough other foods? It sounds as though she needs to put some weight on!

It is very hard to wean a baby who doesnt want to. But I know I was ready for my freedom back. I loved nursing but it got tiring. I also produced so much milk I leaked all the time. But what I think is a fun way to try to get them to stop is to stick bandaids on your nipples and tell her they are boo boo's. She might understand that when you have a boo boo it hurts to touch and eventually lose interest in it...
Love and Peace

I also weaned one of my sons at 2. I kept taking away feedings 1 at a time until he was down to his one at night. For his last feeding I just rocked him to sleep with a pacifier until he fell asleep. I know pacifiers aren't the best but he only took it at night until he turned 3 and then he gave that up too. Maybe if you just rock and cuddle her at night it would help the transition a bit. Good Luck!!

My daughter is 13 months and I am starting to go through the same thing. I found a great online article. Not only is this a great article, but it has links to other great articles. Good luck!

http://www.breastfeeding123.com/getting-your-child-to-sle...

My daughter weened around 26-27 months. I still rock her to sleep now though (she's 3 1/2) and I think if I would have not initiated weening, she would have nursed much longer. The last feeding before bed was the hardest because all of the other ones we could cut out by distracting her. For the nighttime one, I had my husband put her to sleep or I would sit in a postition that was difficult to nurse in, so she would be uncomfortable. And I would tell her no, and hold her. I was still available for the comfort and emotional part, I just cut out the feeding part.
I do miss it too, she is my last. The last time she was sick, it broke my heart because there was nothing I could do to comfort her, unlike when she was nursing, it was so easy to comfort her then.
As a side note, just because she is smaller, don't let anyone tell you that you are doing something wrong, or she does not eat enough, or any of the advice that "helpful" people offer. My children were/are all very thin but are very healthy. The comments bothered me and angered me for a while, but now I ignore it. I know that they are healthy and that is the way that they are made. They are built just like I was at their age, and I made it to 32, and can use to lose a few pounds!

I wish I could help my daughter is 28 months she is just starting to wean she only asks for it every other day or two yet somehow I am still producing milk, we will get there when the time is right WIC called me around Christmas time to find out if I was still nursing and they said it is great, it is healthy for them, good luck I am sure she will wean in time :-)

Dear D.,
My son was about 2 years 7/8 months before he was finally weaned. Like you my goal was by 2 yrs old, but 2 came and went and being he was my last child I wasn't in a rush to stop. He nursed in the morning and bedtime as well, and it just worked and made me feel close to him. He is now 4 and is the best kid ever and I can't even remember when I did breadfeed him! It will happen gradually, maybe she'll fall asleep after dinner and miss that feeding, or if she get distracted in the morning maybe she'll miss another. It will happen but let it happen at your own pace and don't worry about what other people think, or what your husband says. My husband was wonderful about it, but he did say to try to finish after Aidan turned 2. She loves you and this I feel is part of her love for you, and you can keep telling her, that soon we will be all done and that you will still sit/snuggle with her while she drinks her sippy or bottle in the morning and at night. It will happen it just may be more gradual then you thought it might, and don't worry she won't hate you when it's all done, you are everything to her. Hope this helps. Best wishes, E.

My son weaned at 27 months. We were both ready then. My advice, if you want to wean now -- try breaking your routine ... don't sit in the spot you usually nurse in, have DH tuck her into bed, etc. My sister also layered up. Basically, if it was hard to get at her, both of her girls just kind of gave up. Good luck!
H.

I am wondering why your Dr's would say to stop at age 2? My son is 30 months and nurses once at night still and has done this for almost a year. He won't drink cows milk, but the main reason we continue is that he wants to.
If you really want to stop, just keep telling her your milk is gone and warm up a little in a sippy for her every time she asks. Good luck!