Weaning Tips & Tricks

Hello,

I have two children and both were relatively easy to wean (my 1st at 12 months and 2nd at 15 months.) With both my feedings were relatively scheduled, so first I would suggest you try to get both of you on a scheduled feeding routine. Then I just reduced 1 feeding per week(leaving the morning and evening feeding until the last to drop)until there were no more. I think this is the easiest (both emotionally and physically for both of us.)Good luck

Emmie,

I've had 3 kids 5 and under - now I have 5 kids 10 and under! I have nursed all my kids for over a year and am nursing #5 now. I cut down nursings gradually. When they were eating table food the only nursing they got was first thing in the morning and before bed in the evening. Try offering your 16 month old a sippy cup of milk or water whenenver he/she would normally look to nurse. See if you can decrease over several weeks and then phase it out. Distraction also worked with my kids. I'd keep them busy with a book or exhaust them so they went to sleep fast and after a few nights, they'd forget about nursing before bed. Another idea, have someone else take care of them at the times they'd normally nurse. Perhaps out of sight, out of mind. Good luck.

I had a good weaning experience! My daughter weaned at 13 months. I would just give her a sippy cup instead of breastfeeding, getting rid of 1 breastfeeding a week. Just do it slowly over time. Remember that the baby is getting all his nutrition from other food and it is just time to let go. If you don't cry and be confident about it, so will your baby. Remember to be an example and exude confidence for the baby. If you do cry about it, do it away from the baby. I know its not easy. After my experience I think it was harder for me to wean than my baby. I still miss it when I see a baby nursing. Good luck! You can do it!

After having 3 kids and breast feeding and bottle feeding all of them, I personally found the easiest way to wean was one, do a feeding at a time. Start with the easiest to give up, obviously bed time would probably not be it. If your baby can't handle cold turkey then just start timing it and start cutting back a few minutes every few days to a week. That helped me not to get engorged and kept them from freaking out.

Hi Emmie....I have only had success nursing one of my 2 children...My son, who is now 2 1/2 nursed until 15 months...then he started biting more than was usual. I had him nursing only at bedtime, to put him to sleep, and a couple of times thru the night...I had already cut him off thru the day. Anyway, after biting me twice, once on each side and I bled, I said "ENOUGH"!!!! The next night, I showered with different soap, used my hubbys shampoo, put on a hoodie shirt, gave him a little chocolate milk in a sippy and rocked him ...he fussed just a little bit, 15 mins or so, but never really cried, and he went to sleep...and I haven't nursed him since.

Any suggestions for you??? I would probably try giving him something really good to drink at the time you usually nurse, and rock, or sing or read a book, then that way he still gets his mommy time.

By the way, I still rock him to sleep....I can't handle letting him cry at bedtime...he goes down for naps on his own tho....Good Luck, J.

Hi Emmie: I actually had a good experience weaning. I did love breastfeeding, but I stopped after 13 months which I felt good about. I was planning to go one more month, but got my final breast infection, and decided that it was time. I had gotten down to once a day, just the nurse before she went down at night. I had to work late and had my mother-in-law put her down after giving her milk in a sippy cup, which she drank out of instead of a bottle by that time. The next night, I rocked with her and read her stories while she had her milk in the cup, and then put her down. So she still had the milk, just not from me. I kept the rest of our routine consistent. She never asked for me to nurse her after that and it was a nice, peaceful transition. As they become more aware, it will most likely only get harder, so if you are ready, go for it! Best wishes.

We went the child-led (or sustained breastfeeding) route and it was a beautiful journey. Breastfeeding is not just about food and nutrition (though it is the ultimate "health food"), it's about comfort, security, and the mother-child connection. Plus, there is a ton of scientific support that emphasizes the importance of breastfeeding for at least 2 years to ensure proper brain development.

Anyway, here is a link to more info about different types of weaning. If you do decide to wean, be gentle with your baby. Listen to your heart. Mama's milk means everything at that age...
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/weaning/index.html

I weaned my daughter just before she was one and I had no problem- she almost never cried and NEVER asked for her bottle afterwards. I gave her milk in a sippy cup with all of her meals, and whenever I could tell she was wanting a bottle I gave her a snack. But this is why I encourage everyone I know to wean at one instead of waiting, using a bottle long after that encourages an emotional bond to the bottle, and makes it harder to break. But if you substitute something else (like a snack or a lovey) for the bottle it should make things easier.

I have a 2 1/2 year old daughter, I nursed her until she was two . I was ready to wean several months earlier but kept putting it off because I was afraid of how hard it would be. We co-sleep, and she comfort nursed off and on all night, so more than afraid I was a little worried it would be impossible. I talked about it for months and told her the time was coming (I realize she probably didn't understand)but I kept waiting. First we stopped nursing during the day (whenever she asked to nurse I gave her a sippy cup with water or a water and milk mixture or another snack), and then a month passed and I just kept putting it off the complete weaning (I had hoped to wait for natural weaning but I was exhausted). In the end we just did it, I told her I loved her and it was time to stop nursing. My husband took her to his parents house, they stayed over one night and I haven't nursed since. I wore a sports bra to bed for about a week. And that's it we were done. Looking back the hardest part for me was committing and following through, I was afraid and felt guilty like I was hurting her but I wasn't. So my advice is when you're ready- you're ready, go for it and be confident. You've given your children such a wonderful gift, a gift that will last forever even when you're done giving. Hope this helps!

My beautiful daughters are grown now - 19 and 22 years old. Both were positive weaning experiences. Here was my secret - I simply let them nurse as long as they wanted! My first born daughter naturally stopped nursing at around one year old. (I was so despondent!) My youngest nursed until she was 4 years old. Each child has different needs. Why suffer? I do believe that the child will naturally stop on their own when ready.

After watching a "Surviving Motherhood" episode, the expert Ari Brown (Author of Baby 411), suggested to drop one feeding every few days. It sounds like a good plan to me. I don't like the idea of just letting your child cry and going cold turkey, but Ari Brown also suggested hugging him or singing a song instead of a feeding might help comfort him.

My daughter is amlmost 9 months and only nurses 3 times during the day...once when she wakes up in the morning and after both her naps). I could get her to sleep at night after her solid food without nursing so I could drop that feeding pretty quickly. It took about a week of just rocking her to sleep at night to get her back to sleep without nursing (and then some nights I did nurse). Now, she is more interested in eating food than nursing during the day, so I've been lucky with weaning her. I love the benifits for myself of nursing so I will be sad when she doesn't want it anymore. Good luck.

~T.

I did a slow wean. It took a couple of months but it was worth it! I replaced each nursing session with either the bottle or cup until I was left with just the night nursing. This was the toughest one to give up. However, I would just tell my daughter each time that real soon she would have to stop nursing because she is a big girl now. That took a couple of weeks and just 5 days ago she stopped, all by herself! It was totally awesome and liberating. Plus I had no issues with engorgement, etc. She is 1 years old.

I imagine your son understands a few phrases. Talk to him each time. Also, I heard that a mom put bandaids on her nipples and said basically said her nipples had an ouchy and couldn't. Whatever it takes but I am a big fan of communicating with children. They get things more than what we give them credit for.

Good luck!

It happened naturally with both of mine. I didn't think my second would ever stop nursing and she would take a bottle but it still came natural. I just cut out nursings, offered the bottle or sippy more often and eventually they didn't grab for me anymore. maybe you should start offering him a bottle at night and see what happens.

Good Luck,
D.

Cold turkey! I know that sounds harsh, and it is for both of you, but I had to quit nursing my older son cold turkey and after a few days of absolutely nothing he gave in to a bottle. You are lucky he is old enough to go straight to a sippy cup (less leaks) Unfortunately it is extremely painful for you and those few days are heartbreaking for your little guy but it is much quicker than 6 weeks :o)
Good luck!
S.

I too, had three under 3 1/2 y.o. When I wanted to wean #3 at 22 mos.,who woke up continually throughout the night to nurse, I was having a very hard time. My husband finally suggested/strongly enocouraged me to go away for the weekend with my girlfriend. When I came back, my daughter woke up and asked for it numerous times during the night...my answer to her was that it was "all gone"...over and over. But wait...the next night, I had my first night of full sleep...and so did she. Good Luck!

Hi!
I have 4 kids all under 6 years old. I nursed all of them for over a year---
Maybe you arent ready to stop??
Why not continue nursing? Until you are more comfortable weaning??
I know how you feel--my house is so crazy too--but I love it!!!!!
Good luck!! They are only babies once--maybe just wait a few months and you might find your baby becomes disinterested!!

Hi Emmie, I am a Lactation Counselor and LVN and have worked with new moms for over 20 yrs. I tell my moms to cut out one feeding every few days till your nursing only in the evening. That is usually the most comforting one, for mom and babe, so it is usually the last to go. For instance, the first wk, cut out the mid morning feed and after he has his meal read to him or do an activity with the others. Have a sippie cup ready to give him when he comes up to nurse and let him know its not time now. He will still be getting 3-4 other nursings a day. Then after 4-5 days cut out another feed and do the same, have sippie cup ready and something to keep him busy and take his mind off nursing. It is better to take 2-3 wks to wean a baby because it is a more natural process for your body also. You will start producing less milk and when you decide to stop completly you should be down to one nursing for a wk or so and then you can bind your breast with ace wraps or an abdominal binder for 2-3 days (only take it off for showers) and you should then stop producing milk. Good Luck, C. at BestFedBreastfeedingCenter.com

Hi Emmie! I am a mama to two boys, 3,5 (16 months apart). I thank God that weaning them wasn't too difficult. The transition was easy when I slowly introduced the sippy cup. During the time I was nursing (for both children...i did the same for my 2nd one), I also pumped breast milk and alternated with the bottle and my breasts. As my child approached his first year, I weaned him off my breasts and started introducing the sippy cup then alternated with a bottle and the cup. I gradually decreased the times I offered the bottle and next thing I knew, he's using the cup exclusively! Both children didn't even know what to miss. Introducing something new to them became a new adventure, something they can call their own as they're growing up. I think that they were proud to be called big boys. I hope this helps!

-M.

Hi Emmie,
I'm a 32 yr old mom with a 6yr old and a almost 5 yr old ad 3 months pregnant. I nursed both my girls till they were 19months. We all loved the experience and weaned no problem. Don't be discouraged it can happen. But I started the weaning process around 12 months possibly earlier. I start taking out feedings at first in the mornings (breakfast), then slowly all the times through out the day except the nap time and bed time. Finally just the night time feeding was left and then one day I just offered them a drink instead of me. I would also cut out nursing my girls in public after a certain age when they could realistically be distracted with food and drink and toys. I wanted to keep it a special thing for just our quiet time together.It helps to stop the on demand feeding. Your child is at the age where he has learned to control certain things in his life. He's smart, he knows what is comforting and what he likes. Be the boss of the nursing and he will learn when it is good for you as well. Don't quit cold turkey you'll be so sad, one way or another. You might just need to really cut back, then slowly with in a few weeks get him to one time nursing. And then you'll know when enough is enough.
I sort of found this way of weaning by the grace of God but it has worked for others as well. Some use the process faster.
Let me know how you do.

I actually had a good weaning experience with both my babies, who were 13 months and 15 months. It's probably tougher for you because your babies are older and a little more set in their ways. Unfortunately I did opposite of what you're doing. I weaned them off of day feedings first (which finger foods and activity levels seemed to encourage). Then I just had to wean them off of their feedings before bed and naptimes. I did that by getting them used to milk (cow's) and then substituting that while I held them.

I am right in the middle of this as well. My daughter is 16, almost 17 months and I started weaning at the beginning of January. For starters, I dropped the feeding before bed. I did our normal routine, which usually was reading a book while sitting on the bed, then I would move to the rocking chair to nurse, I would pick her up and sing her a song and then put her in her crib. One night, I just went from reading to singing and it seemed that she never knew the difference. She still kind of nurses 2 times a day at this point, once when she wakes up and once in the late afternoon. I have just this week tried to start eliminating the morning nursing. I have found that if I do not sit down, she doesn't ask for the feeding. Of course, this is a little exhausting and I end up carrying her around, but she doesn't seem to mind. I cannot say that this is the perfect solution and it has certainly not happened quickly, but it also has not been traumatic for either of us.

N. S.

I'm going on 4 wks now from weaning my 21 month old. She only had the nite time feeding left. I just cut it and changed her bedtime routine. I don't sit in the recliner either, or she'll think im feeding her.
They normally set a schedule 3-4 days. She cried alittle but i just held her and gave her lots os hugs and kisses.

I recomend cabbage leaves in your sports bar from engorgement. I did that twice with both of my kids and it took about 2-3 days

goodluck

I'm about to wean my second baby and it's much easier if you wean in stages. Go from nursing 15 times a day to nursing 10 times a day. Then after a week, cut down to 5 times a day. After another week, cut down to 3 times a day. You should be able to avoid engorgement this way.
jkbperry

I feel your pain - I REALLY dreaded weaning my daughter, because she was a comfort nurser at that point and wanted it a few times a day. When I got pregnant for the second time, I decided it had to be done, so I told her that mommy's milk was "all gone." Surprisingly, this worked with very little problem! For a couple days she wanted to nurse, but I just told her it was all gone each time, and by day 4, we were good. I think because she understood that concept, it made it easier. Anyways, good luck!

Yes, Yes, yes I have experienced the same thing. My daughter was very intense about the boobie. She was about 20 months. My pediatrician said it would be a week from hell and thats normal, made sense but didn't feel right for my kid, I felt I missed the window. you hear from the women whose children weened themselves at 10-12 months, not my kid. I did a very gradual, 6 month transition,give or take, because I realized I missed her window.I started taking a lot of the comfort and my guilt out of it, I would only nurse her for nap and nighttime, it's wasn't a no exceptions kind of thing at first but it became that( you would be surprised how easy that is). At night time, I would only nurse her to sleep, stopped putting her back to sleep this way if she woke up in the middle of the night.This was HUGE. This in itself took 2 months. This is not an easy process, but it started a chain reaction for her and me to get on with it. She only cried ONE time when we cut the ties for good. She would wimper sometimes, not for more than a couple of minutes. This was a very gradual transition that we were both ready for. I literally felt so over it one day, and you will know when its no longer serving you and your child, start transitioning now for that day. This is not a fast track approach and only you, not your doctor, friends or husband know what you and your child are dealing with. Good luck and follow your gut.

Do you have someone else to put your baby to bed during the transition? My daughter was 18 months old and LOVED to nurse. But only nursed at bedtime at that point. I cut it out during the day by matter of factly saying no more nursy during the day and then I told her I didn't have milk until night night time.

Anyway, during the transition, my husband put her to bed for 2 weeks and the next time I put her to bed, I simply told her that I don't have any more. She does use a pacifier so it helped ease the sucking transition I have no doubt. It may be something you want to offer your baby to help out.

She cried a little bit, but having gone 2 weeks without it I know it helped.

Don't say anything to him but before the next time you nurse him rub vinegar on your breast. When he makes a funny face just say to him, "Oh, did mommy's milk go sour?" A friend of mine did this and it worked after only one time but her daughter was 2 1/2. I still think it would work for a 16 month old. Another trick I've heard is getting them really busy with other children or activities so that they really don't have time to miss it.

For me my daughter was weaned at 13 1/2 months because my husband, my older daughter, and myself all came down with a horrible flu that completely knocked us out for days. I couldn't even look at my baby, let a lone touch her or hold her because I was in so much pain. My MIL took care of her for 3 full days and at the end my baby decided she didn't need to nurse anymore.

I too nursed my babies and when I was nursing and pregnant I needed to wean my son at 14 months. The only true help came from my dad. He said weaning is a slow process. So I figured out which times Dustin nursed the least and began there. Then I watch the clock and cut back 5 to 10 minutes and went from there. The morning feeding was the easiest to stop and evening the most difficult. But we slowly did it and that time was then replaced with singing and rocking time before bed. As a mother of teens now I am thankful for those precious memories that sustain me when times are difficult.