Weaning Support & Question

See if you can do something else besides breastfeed before naps. Sing songs, introduce a bottle, give a bath, cuddle, rock on a rocking chair, take a long walk. I nursed until 10 months and just cut out feedings one at a time and gave a bottle instead. Then skipped the night feeding and breastfed in the morning. Then skipped them both and had to breastfeed just one more night because my boobs were killing me and then the next day didn't breastfeed at all. It was a pretty smooth transition and baby doesn't even remember what boobs are for. He looks at the nipples and just giggles at them now (he is 13 months). I thought I was really going to miss nursing him, but I love the freedom and having my body back. I still cuddle with him and love feeding him a bottle (which we will cut out eventually), but he still loves getting his bottle 4 times a day. It will be hard if this is her way to nap, but you might want to take her for walks and soothe her in other ways, cuddle more, etc. Good luck!!

i nursed my son up to i think 18 mos. if u want to wean ur daughter slow, u can omit 1 nurse a day for few week then omit other nurse. if ur girl is not ready then dont wean her til she is ready. if she cut u with her teeth. u need to take her off ur breast and explain to her that it hurts mama and show her your boo boo. hopefully it will help her realized that she hurts her mama sometime :o)

keep up with brastfeed if she is not ready to wean :o) i have a friend who is single mama with twin toddler girls. they will be 3 in Oct and still is nursed but now only before bedtime.

use nipple butter... it will ease the sore like the first breastfeed with newborn :o)

Perhaps you could use a nipple shield until you have healed. If pumping is less painful, you could try only nursing on one side and pumping the other (to maintain your supply). A lactation consultant may have other suggestions as well.

It doesn't sound like you really want to stop nursing. When you are ready, the gradual methods already described are most common.
I was able to wean my 2 year old while on vacation. Clearly, this could back-fire for many people, but we were both ready. Nursing was really just a habit for my daughter. If I wasn't there, she didn't need it. So, we changed the scenery and routine (my husband did all the wake ups and bedtimes)and she was fine.

Good luck with whatever you choose and I hope you feel better soon.
J.

You are feeling the normal feelings of a loving mother, so embrace the time you have to nurse because it is over in a snap! When my daughter dropped feedings and only nursed at nap/bed times, I began pumping or supplementing a little milk (in sippy cup or whichever she prefers) to make sure she was getting enough liquids throughout the day. (She was drinking milk in a sippy cup at meals, so it just made sense.) I started giving her a little milk during nursing, too. Honestly, my daughter almost weened herself at that point, but it was the right time (12 months) for her. Eventually, she would lay in my arms and have her sippy cup milk in the morning and I would still have that cuddle time. I would read to her and it still felt special. Now we find other ways to have that quality time. When you are ready!

Ah yes, cut nipples.....very painful!! My son is tounge tied, so early nursing was very painful but got through it. Then when teeth came in, we had to learn all over again and I was cut too, from those sharp little razor teeth! If you are not ready to wean, I don't think you should. It is such a wonderful time and when it's gone, it is forever :(.

Obviously being in pain isn't fun. Since you are only nursing at nap and bedtime, maybe try this. One day, heal one side while nusing the other. Try a different position so the teeth are not touching the already cut areas. Next day switch sides. Use lansinoh cream several times a day- I don't know how I would have survived without it. Pump out the healing side if it feels full.

Also, try to get your daughter to open her mouth bigger and really get as much boob in her mouth as possible, hopefully past the cut areas.

At some point, you may be able to get her to understand how to latch better and not bite down so much.

Good luck, I think you both can get past this together and enjoy the benefits of nursing through toddlerhood.
-L.