Best Way To Stop Breastfeeding a Toddler
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Topic: Best Way To Stop Breastfeeding a Toddler
Posted By: kiwikid
Subject: Best Way To Stop Breastfeeding a Toddler
Date Posted: 14 December 2009 at 10:50am
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I've decided that my BFing journey with DS (17mths) needs to come to an end. Its the right time. I was just wondering a couple of things and advice from anyone who has been in a similar situation would be fab. He has a BF first thing in the morning and last thing at night, has dropped right back to about 5 / 7 mins per side at each feed, seems happy to finish if I take him off cos of bad latch etc but does ask for it desperately when I get him up, sometimes will ask for more milk 10 / 15mins after coming off the breast in the morning but I can distract him easy enough. The bed time feed is fairly short now too, he went through a stage of going back and forth between breasts for about 3/5 mins each side but I have stopped that carry on and he was okay with it. He gets one go at each side then a cuddle and into bed and he never fusses (unless teething but that isnt milk related). I've also successfully stopped all comfort feeding at night which he asks for every now and again when he's been teething his molars.
I was planning on dropping the morning feed first by getting DH to get DS up when he calls to us and take him down stairs for breakfast, he loves his weetbix but has refused all other plain cows milk in a cup everytime we've offered it. Q1 - should I stiil offer cows milk when he goes for breakfast or not bother, go straight to weetbix (has 200ml of milk on his 2 bix) Q2 - if I try Milo do you make it with one teaspoon of milo in a sipper cup of milk and then warm it in microwave or maybe a dash of hot water instead of m'wave? I was thinking a few weeks after dropping morning feed we'd work on the bed time feed Q3 - would it be kinder to do both at the same time so that booby juice is gone altogether. He understands the concept of All Gone, I have to do the bed time routine by myself most of the time due to DH working so DH wouldnt be able to provide much of a distraction then. We do have a routine for night time, but booby juice is part of that obviously Q4 - should I start introducing something extra like a story now while still doing milk and then drop the milk in a few weeks or introduce story in place of BF and just ride out the protest? I'm assuming there will be one as he has had a BF for bed time every night of his life. THANKS!!!! ------------- 
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Replies:
Posted By: Bizzy
Date Posted: 14 December 2009 at 10:58am
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i would go with the breakfast option... i have found too that if i am in bed or go to sit on the couch that my daughter takes that as an invitation to have a bf.... so i suppose its a bit like breaking a coffee habit, you have to change the way you do things for a while.
so maybe you could try the bedtime routine in the lounge and dont offer a bf then take him to bed.... ------------- http://www.myfitnesspal.com/weight-loss-ticker"> 
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Posted By: kiwikid
Date Posted: 14 December 2009 at 11:21am
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Bizzy do you think we should drop both feeds at the same time or sort the morning one first and then do bed time?? Thanks for your reply :-) -------------
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Posted By: pepsi
Date Posted: 14 December 2009 at 11:44am
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I weaned Alyssa at roughly around the same age, and basically just told her one night during the bedtime routine that my milk was "all gone" and distracted her by reading books at the usual bedtime feed time. I initially offered milk in a sippy cup, but later changed that to water.
Ultimately every child is going to deal with it differently, I know I was lucky mine didn't protest too much really. If it works out ok, I personally would drop both feeds at once as it's more convincing that the milk is "gone".. but I know some people like to drop one at a time if their child really struggles with it. Good luck! |
Posted By: Mum2ET
Date Posted: 14 December 2009 at 12:14pm
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I would drop both feeds at the same time as well. Ella was nearly 2 when I weaned her, but I just told her one day that Mummys milk was all gone and she was fine with it. I gave her a milo at bedtime in place of the b/f- we used 1 teaspoon of milo with a little bit of hot water and then milk.
good luck ------------- Mum to Ella (5) and Tom (2) |
Posted By: gypsynita
Date Posted: 16 December 2009 at 8:56am
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We're in the process of doing the same - I initially thought the evening feed would be easiest to drop but actually it was the breakfast feed. Biggest difference for us was that DH used to get Cian up and bring him into me for bf in bed. now he just gets up and i give him breakfast (weetbix) straight away. Sometimes (if I'm lagging in bed a bit!) he'll have a drink of milk from a cup first.
He dropped the breakfast feed with absolutely no fuss, so we've started dropping the evening feed every 2nd evening or so. First time we did it had a sleepless night, but he adjusted really quick. we didn't substitute anything except gave him his cup instead of bf at the same time in the routine. I also leave his cup by his cot so he can get it if he's still thirsty after he's gone down. good luck! ------------- Anita Mum to Cian (Aug 08), Josh (Jun 10) http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: BuzzyB
Date Posted: 16 December 2009 at 9:08pm
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I have just done this with my 19mo! The All Gone concept was what worked for me. I was still doing morning feeds and during night waking (3-4 times a night usually, but dropped down to 1-2 the week before I decided to try to wean him).
I just told him All Gone and gave him a cuddle. I cried and I got hit in the face a few times (and still do occasionally now - a month later), but he would get over it after a couple of minutes. It was the cuddle he really wanted and I wanted to make sure he still got that in case he felt ignored or abandoned. We didn't substitute anything - we offered milk or water to start with, but like I said it was the cuddle he really wanted. We give him milk in the morning, just so we have a bit more time to get the Weetbix ready. And guess what? Now he sleeps through the night 
GL ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: kiwikid
Date Posted: 17 December 2009 at 3:19am
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We brought things forward to this week as he didnt ask for morning milk yesterday so I decided it was as good a time as any, he was happy all day didnt ask for it at all, at bed time he cried on and off for an hour but with lots of cuddles he dropped off at 8pm and woke at 7am. This morning he asked for milk quite a bit but never got upset when I said All Gone.
Its getting a nice new routine going that will help too I think, right now its a bit confusing for him I think rather than missing the liquid IYKWIM I was a quite sad last night, my head says it was the right time but my heart is sad today, but we've had lots of cuddles and kisses so there is no reason for our mummy n bubby intimacy to change too much. A period of adjustment for us both I guess. Thanks for your reply's. -------------
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Posted By: gypsynita
Date Posted: 18 December 2009 at 8:34am
Yay - congrats kiwikid! It is hard though eh? I am totally ready to have DS weaned, but then the thought of not having that moment with him anymore is kinda sad (although it helps to know I'll be bf-ing another one in a few months!). Just one more sign that they're not babies anymore...  ------------- Anita Mum to Cian (Aug 08), Josh (Jun 10) http://lilypie.com">
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