Still Breastfeeding On My Girls' 3rd Birthday!

I have had a wonderful beastfeeding experience. It has always been an easy, loving, comforting time for me & my girls. They are celebrating their 3rd birthday today. :birthday: my precious girlies! I am ready to wean them - we have stopped all breastfeeding during the day, but they are hanging on to those bedtime & middle of the night nursing. When they look at me & say "no nummies in the daytime, right? But I have nummies at night, OK?" in such a pleading voice I don't know how to say no! I don't want to keep them from growing up (well, yes I really do but I know I can't ) but they seem so attached to that last little bit of nursing. Anyone wean an older toddler?

 

I havent but I just wanted to let you know I will be thinking of you... it is SO HARD to let them grow up... and it SUCKS! Hang in there mommy!

 

I weaned my first child at two. It wasn't as difficult as I expected it to be. If I were you, I would get rid of the middle-of-the-night feedings first (you could get special sippy water bottles and fill them with water and explain that they can have them in the middle of the night instead of "nummies") and then in another week or so, work on the before bed. With kids that age, you can really offer them some other really special treat instead of nursing (like hot chocolate, a bath, favorite story, etc.) and it can work well. Kids really are resilient! I was worried about my older child and hated to wean, but I had no choice due to a serious medical issue (long story). I guess what I'm saying is that in my case, there was no wimping out on weaning, I just had to do it. I was afraid because it was such a special time with my child, but a close friend of mine who also did extended nursing told me that she found her relationship with her child was even more special and able to grow in unique ways after weaning. I found it to be true! No distancing of the relationship at all!

HTH

 

Congrats on nursing them this long!! It is so hard to stop!!! I hope it goes well for you. Good luck getting rid of the middle of the night nursings! I am there too!

 

No great advice, but maybe on kellymom someone would have ideas? I'm impressed that you have been night-nursing for so long. I always assumed I'd give that up before the daytime stuff, but then again that hasn't happened. Do you co-sleep?

Oh, and I find the extended breastfeeding board on babycenter to have some good ideas also.

Good Luck,
Stacy

 

Hi There! I haven't posted here in ages, but my twins are still breastfeeding at 2yrs almost 10mos. My other two children dropped the breastfeeding only a few months after I was pregnant with the next (when they were 21 mos and 3.5 yrs respectively), so I am wondering how I'll get the boys to stop now that I am done with more kids.


However, I will say that with my second daughter, she gradually cut down the length of time that she nursed until it was just for the count of 20 then 10, each side once in the evening. We cut out the middle of the night around age 3, and then the prebedtime one was done by 3.5.

One of my twins only ever asks to nurse when the other one is, so I expect he'd be weaned if he was on his own. The other one still needs it when he needs it. If I am around and it is bedtime, it is something they really really want and are devastated if I refuse. With my younger daughter it was the same deal, she had a meltdown if I refused but was perfectly willing to compromise on time limits, etc.

As an aside, I work nights about once a week, and have for the last year. They now do fine missing that nursing, and I am not engorged when they don't nurse for 1-2 days now. At first, I had to nurse them right when I got home or pump.


Anyways, it will stop! Don't offer, don't refuse but do negotiate is the weaning technique that worked for me in the past.

Carrie

 

I don't have any experience in the area of older toddlers, but just want to say that it's wonderful that you were able to nurse them for so long! Congrats on that and :birthday: to your girls!

michelle