Wondering How to Start weaning...is There a Cue from Baby?

while breast feeding, i never got a period with my first son. as far as weaning i think between 10-12 months is a good time. I had to wean my 1 son at 4 months due to work. started skipping a feeding for a few days then moved to two feedings for a few days, and so on... he was weaned in 2 weeks.

Do you want to stop? Or not. that would be the biggest thing.

Babies benefit from breastmilk well past the first year. In fact the World Health Organization recommends a MINIMUM of 2 years for breastfeeding. The American Academy of Pediatrics has agreed that this is the best goal, but that it would be nearly imposible to have american women bf for so long (work and culture) so they make their goal a more conservative 1 year mark, with the "as long as child and mother wish" after the first year.

below my post is the best hand out as far as toddler nursing I've come across, it's from www.kellymom.com
Check the site out for way more info on breastfeeding, and breastfeeding past the first year, and mother-lead weaning if you choose to that as well.

as far as cues, if left alone, babies will start weaning on their own. DD is now almost 18 mo, and when she's not sick, she only nurses before naps and bedtime, and once in the morning. If she's sick, she asks to nurse more. I know we are on our way out, I'm just following her steps.
If you wanted to wean because you were felling it was the right time, I'm sure you'd "feel" like you were done.

as far as periods, I got mine back 13 months after she was born.

anyhow, here's the info on benefits:

Nursing toddlers benefit NUTRITIONALLY
Although there has been little research done on children who breastfeed beyond the age of two, the available information indicates that breastfeeding continues to be a valuable source of nutrition and disease protection for as long as breastfeeding continues.
"Human milk expressed by mothers who have been lactating for >1 year has significantly increased fat and energy contents, compared with milk expressed by women who have been lactating for shorter periods. During prolonged lactation, the fat energy contribution of breast milk to the infant diet might be significant."
-- Mandel 2005
"Breast milk continues to provide substantial amounts of key nutrients well beyond the first year of life, especially protein, fat, and most vitamins."
-- Dewey 2001
In the second year (12-23 months), 448 mL of breastmilk provides:
29% of energy requirements
43% of protein requirements
36% of calcium requirements
75% of vitamin A requirements
76% of folate requirements
94% of vitamin B12 requirements
60% of vitamin C requirements
-- Dewey 2001
Studies done in rural Bangladesh have shown that breastmilk continues to be an important source of vitamin A in the second and third year of life.
-- Persson 1998
It's not uncommon for weaning to be recommended for toddlers who are eating few solids. However, this recommendation is not supported by research. According to Sally Kneidel in "Nursing Beyond One Year" (New Beginnings, Vol. 6 No. 4, July-August 1990, pp. 99-103.):
Some doctors may feel that nursing will interfere with a child's appetite for other foods. Yet there has been no documentation that nursing children are more likely than weaned children to refuse supplementary foods. In fact, most researchers in Third World countries, where a malnourished toddler's appetite may be of critical importance, recommend continued nursing for even the severely malnourished (Briend et al, 1988; Rhode, 1988; Shattock and Stephens, 1975; Whitehead, 1985). Most suggest helping the malnourished older nursing child not by weaning but by supplementing the mother's diet to improve the nutritional quality of her milk (Ahn and MacLean. 1980; Jelliffe and Jelliffe, 1978) and by offering the child more varied and more palatable foods to improve his or her appetite (Rohde, 1988; Tangermann, 1988; Underwood, 1985).

References

Nursing toddlers are SICK LESS OFTEN
The American Academy of Family Physicians notes that children weaned before two years of age are at increased risk of illness (AAFP 2001).
Nursing toddlers between the ages of 16 and 30 months have been found to have fewer illnesses and illnesses of shorter duration than their non-nursing peers (Gulick 1986).
"Antibodies are abundant in human milk throughout lactation" (Nutrition During Lactation 1991; p. 134). In fact, some of the immune factors in breastmilk increase in concentration during the second year and also during the weaning process. (Goldman 1983, Goldman & Goldblum 1983, Institute of Medicine 1991).
Per the World Health Organization, "a modest increase in breastfeeding rates could prevent up to 10% of all deaths of children under five: Breastfeeding plays an essential and sometimes underestimated role in the treatment and prevention of childhood illness." [emphasis added]
References

Nursing toddlers have FEWER ALLERGIES
Many studies have shown that one of the best ways to prevent allergies and asthma is to breastfeed exclusively for at least 6 months and continue breastfeeding long-term after that point.

Breastfeeding can be helpful for preventing allergy by:
reducing exposure to potential allergens (the later baby is exposed, the less likely that there will be an allergic reaction),
speeding maturation of the protective intestinal barrier in baby's gut,
coating the gut and providing a barrier to potentially allergenic molecules,
providing anti-inflammatory properties that reduce the risk of infections (which can act as allergy triggers).
References

Nursing toddlers are SMART
Extensive research on the relationship between cognitive achievement (IQ scores, grades in school) and breastfeeding has shown the greatest gains for those children breastfed the longest.
References

Nursing toddlers are WELL ADJUSTED SOCIALLY
According to Sally Kneidel in "Nursing Beyond One Year" (New Beginnings, Vol. 6 No. 4, July-August 1990, pp. 99-103.):

"Research reports on the psychological aspects of nursing are scarce. One study that dealt specifically with babies nursed longer than a year showed a significant link between the duration of nursing and mothers' and teachers' ratings of social adjustment in six- to eight-year-old children (Ferguson et al, 1987). In the words of the researchers, 'There are statistically significant tendencies for conduct disorder scores to decline with increasing duration of breastfeeding.'"
According to Elizabeth N. Baldwin, Esq. in "Extended Breastfeeding and the Law":
"Breastfeeding is a warm and loving way to meet the needs of toddlers and young children. It not only perks them up and energizes them; it also soothes the frustrations, bumps and bruises, and daily stresses of early childhood. In addition, nursing past infancy helps little ones make a gradual transition to childhood."
Baldwin continues: "Meeting a child's dependency needs is the key to helping that child achieve independence. And children outgrow these needs according to their own unique timetable." Children who achieve independence at their own pace are more secure in that independence then children forced into independence prematurely.
References

Nursing a toddler is NORMAL
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that "Breastfeeding should be continued for at least the first year of life and beyond for as long as mutually desired by mother and child... Increased duration of breastfeeding confers significant health and developmental benefits for the child and the mother... There is no upper limit to the duration of breastfeeding and no evidence of psychologic or developmental harm from breastfeeding into the third year of life or longer." (AAP 2005)
The American Academy of Family Physicians recommends that breastfeeding continue throughout the first year of life and that "Breastfeeding beyond the first year offers considerable benefits to both mother and child, and should continue as long as mutually desired." They also note that "If the child is younger than two years of age, the child is at increased risk of illness if weaned." (AAFP 2001)
A US Surgeon General has stated that it is a lucky baby who continues to nurse until age two. (Novello 1990)
The World Health Organization emphasizes the importance of nursing up to two years of age or beyond (WHO 1992, WHO 2002).
Scientific research by Katherine A. Dettwyler, PhD shows that 2.5 to 7.0 years of nursing is what our children have been designed to expect (Dettwyler 1995).
References [see also position statements supporting breastfeeding]

MOTHERS also benefit from nursing past infancy
Extended nursing delays the return of fertility in some women by suppressing ovulation (References).
Breastfeeding reduces the risk of breast cancer (References). Studies have found a significant inverse association between duration of lactation and breast cancer risk.
Breastfeeding reduces the risk of ovarian cancer (References).
Breastfeeding reduces the risk of uterine cancer (References).
Breastfeeding reduces the risk of endometrial cancer (References).
Breastfeeding protects against osteoporosis. During lactation a mother may experience decreases of bone mineral. A nursing mom's bone mineral density may be reduced in the whole body by 1 to 2 percent while she is still nursing. This is gained back, and bone mineral density may actually increase, when the baby is weaned from the breast. This is not dependent on additional calcium supplementation in the mother's diet. (References).
Breastfeeding reduces the risk of rheumatoid arthritis. (References).
Breastfeeding has been shown to decrease insulin requirements in diabetic women (References).
Breastfeeding moms tend to lose weight easier (References).

My number one tip would be to take one feeding away at a time. If you do it all at once, you will have a lot of pain and a higher risk of infection. I got an awful infection when I went cold turkey a month ago, and it is so painful to have an infection on top of being engorged! It sounds like he is most attached to his am feeding, so if it was me I would make that my last feedimg to take away. I have 3 children all breastfed, I have nursed for a total of about 5 and a half years! I never got any cues from baby, it was me who was just FINISHED, and if you are feeling like that I would definitely do it now.
Hope that helped a little. Now that I am reading it back, it sounds kind of like a generic text book response.
Good luck! J.

You've gotten lots of good advice already. When I was weaning my 1+ year old son I was also sure that he was getting 3 regular meals a day (plus snacks) and giving him whole milk with every meal in a regular or sippy cup. I think moving from bottles to cups helps too. If you move gradually, it'll be a snap. Good luck.

As for the 2nd child... just because you aren't getting your period doesn't necessarily mean you can't get pregnant. It can't hurt to start trying if you're ready.

Hi B.,
I have three children. All of them I weaned at different times. My oldest I nursed for 15 months and decided to stop then. The middle child I nursed for 14 months. The youngest I nursed for 12 months just long enough to give her whole milk. So I guess it all depend on when your ready to say to your child "no more" it usually takes a week or two for you to dry up but if you have an occasional nursing this will help with the engorging of the breast. You will know when the time is rite.

I have also noticed that you are looking for a part time job. I don't pay for childcare and am able to work from home at any hours I choose. I am able to work for 2 hours a day or some time 20 min. a day. I do not have inventory, I’m not a sales person, and I absolutely don’t need a computer to do my work. What am I? LOL! If this sparks any interest and you would like more information just let me know a good number to reach you at and when’s the best time to call and I would be happy to share this info with you.

~G.

Hi B., you are on a perfect start. just start substuting the bottle in the morning. what i did was i started off by substuting every other day so my daughter would get use to the idea .and that my breast would start producing for those days then that way i would not gorge then about a week i just started giving her a bottle first thing in the morning. i warmed hers up to let her think it was still breast milk and she took to it right away. good luck you are on the right path.

Hello B.,

It all depends on how you want to do it and if you are ready to do it. When my son was almost 13 months old i started weaning him. I started slowly so that i didnt engourge my breasts and so that it wasnt that hard on him. I just started eliminating one feeding for about 2-3 days and then eliminate another for 2-3 days. By accident we ended up skipping 2-3 feedings while i was doing other things around the house. I would give him snacks, a cup or a bottle of milk and try supplimenting food for nursing. A week to 2 weeks later he was only nursing 1 time at night. I tried holding him close to me and rocking him but i ended up having to put him on my shoulder. One night i just held him while giving him a bottle instead of nursing and he didnt like it at first but now is fine and his is almost 2. It helped me as well because by then i wasnt producing anymore milk and was able to wear a regular bra again. I hope this helps. Dont feel like you need to nurse your child until 2. If you want to stop when they are 1 go right ahead. I personally dont believe in nursing that long but that is me. If other women want to do that because it is right for them then i am happy for them, that is their choice. As far as my period, i got mine when i started weaning him with a couple of weeks when he was 13 months old.

I actually got this weaning advice from the internet. I just read a bunch of articles from other moms and tried it instead of going cold turkey. Going cold turkey hurts a lot and was to hard for me.

I hope this helps. Let me know if you have any other questions.

Hi B.,
As a mother who went through this I understand.I actually waited till my son was on regular milk before I weaned, it really makes it a lot easyer.That way you don't have to wean from a bottle too. When we started to wean him My husband would rock with him at night so he wouldn't want to nurse. and eventually through out the day when I noticed he would get hungery I would give him his real food and a glass of milk. It took a little while but it really wasn't too hard because I haven't had to wean him off of anything else.I hope I could help.:)

hey B.,

the only thing i can say is tell him no, yes he will wine and cry but if you really want to do this you are going to have to be strong and consistant with it. i hope that this helps.

R.