Weaning My Soon to Be One Year Old

I breastfed my son until he was almost 2. I had intended to stop when he turned 1 but he got to grumpy and clingy. He needed me a little more. At that point I had to cut out the night feedings. It's very very hard. Not only is your son used to a snack but he's used to his favorite person in the world comforting him back to sleep. He needs to learn a new way to fall asleep. I know you need sleep and eventually it will really happen. My son, like yours wanted to eat every 3 hours or less and woke 2 times a night to snack on momma. I did what you're doing. I would tell him when the sun goes to bed every thing goes to bed, kitty goes to sleep, daddy goes to sleep, even opies (his word for breasts) goes to sleep. I would rock him for a couple minutes then put him back in his crib and sit on the floor and sing to him. I would set a limit and then I would leave his room. He would cry and bed me to come back, it broke my hear and I know it disrupted my husband but I had dealt with broken sleep half of my pregnancy and 15 months after that, he could deal with it for a week. I never let him cry more than 10 minutes without going back in to settle him down and it worked. Now he is a sleeping champ and even if I do have to go into his room now he knows momma isn't there to play for hours, just a quick snuggle and back in bed.

My son never understood how to use a sippy cup. I know it sounds crazy but he tried to treat the cup like you would the breast and that doesn't work. So I put him right onto a regular cup, he took to it fine but you might have to try a couple different types of cups to find one he likes, sippies, straws, regular. He'll take to one. Remember breastmilk is really sweet, maybe offer him a little chocolate milk or Horizon Organic Vanilla Milk, that was a big treat for my son and made him want to drink out of a cup.

Remember you're not only taking away your sons favorite nutrition you're taking away his form of security and comfort, it's hard on him. It will happen, he will wean. As with any transition some kids need a little more time. Hang in there. You did a great thing for him by breastfeeding him so long.

<3

I am in the exact same boat as you. My 3rd baby, 1st one I have nursed. I am so tired of still nursing every two hours through the night. It is driving me crazy. My baby will take a sippy cup but when she doesn't want it she throws it. My baby also never liked baby food. I feed her table food which she loves. She has 3 meals a day plus snacks and still wants to eat all night. Don't have any suggestions for you except just to sympathize.

I would try the Nuby sippy cups that are made for an easy transition from breast to cup. Awesome job feeding him yourself for an entire year! If I were you I'd be ready too...warning that you'll likely get lots of answers encouraging you to breast feed him until he's 20. And it doesn't help that your husband also thinks you should be feeding him on demand. Bottom line in my opinion is that if you're ready, it's your decision...and if moving away from breastfeeding will make you happy, then that's good for your kids and your household in general.

Good luck...it may take a few days for him to accept the cup. But try not to waver back and forth between denying the breast and then giving it to him if you're really ready to wean for good. That would be confusing for him.

It sounds like he's naturally cutting back on his own, but don't feel like you need to rush it. The bedtime nursing is a rough one to cut out, because then he tries to make up for it in the night. And it definitely sounds like night weaning would make a big difference for you!

There's no deadline to be done, and nursing is still healthier for him than cow's milk or solids.

My oldest I weaned at a year by giving her a water bottle at night. She didn't sleep thru the night though til about 2 1/2! This one is going on 18 months nursing - I've tried weaning but it's these night times that are killing us! Up usually twice a night. It doesn't help that we cosleep I'm sure. Hoping to get her a toddler bed this spring and find room in her sister's room. So no real advice here...just sympathy and good luck!

You are awesome! I am on baby #4 and the first that I have nursed. He's not even 4 months old and the constant demand all day and then all night destroyed me. While I always have doted on my kids, never let any of them CIO, and always had one, or even 2 on a hip because my oldest were very close in age (we have an 8 year age gap between my third and the baby now,lol) breast feeding is so much more demanding. I actually think it's more demanding than having 3 kids in 4 years. But basically I just wanted to let you know that you are awesome, and the fact that you made it this long is terrific. My little man gets a bottle every night from dad, because I just couldn't do it, it's breast milk, but because i'm not available my little guy only eats once between 10 pm and 6 am. Hopefully your husband can get on board and realize just how hard your job of feeding him is and will help you out some. BUT don't forget a lot of women have no support from their husband's when they breast feed, so while he may not be supporting the weening process you were really lucky that he supported the choice you made to nurse. good luck.

Start getting him used to eating when the family eats. And, eating what the rest of you eat. It will fill him up. He will cut back on his nursing time. Your milk will dry up as he nurses less and less. Then in a couple of months you can go away for two days and when you come back there will be no more nursing.
You are doing the best thing soothing the baby when he wakens without giving him your breast. CIO does not work. It makes for rebellious teenagers later on.

I think you did a great thing by breastfeeding - it really does provide great immunity and healthy bonding for your child. And how you wean will make a difference in the experience. When I went through the gradual weaning process with my child, I also stopped night time feedings first. That was the hardest part, because my baby fell asleep nursing!! I continued with one morning feeding for a while after that. Then, I would cut those shorter and shorter in time. I would say just keep doing what you are doing, and keep rubbing his back at night, and making sure he feels secure. The breastfeeding bond is very strong, so it is tough to break it. But I think as long as you make your child feel secure in other ways, they will be fine. You can do it!

I think he'd rather nurse thsn eat babyfood because breastmilk is more satisfying; plus I think he just loves the physical closeness with mom.

I wonder if your husband would help with baby at night.

Plus, the baby is almost one and you can start cow's milk soon.

I know you're going crazy without sleep (me too; I have four, including a nursing 3 month old), but don't wish this time away. You might actually miss it some day!