Weaning

If you have followed any of my posts then you would know I have had a tough couple of months. My goal was always a year and then I thought about extended nursing but I dont think it would be a healthy choice for me.
I have decided to start weaning, which should bring me to about the year mark and I need some advice/wisdom/help/empathy! Please!

Last week I dropped my pumping session, the pump really is no good for me, it was causing more clogs than it was helping.
Right now I have holes in my nipples from my girls' teeth. I actually cried in pain in the shower when the water hit my nipples. It hurts THAT bad! I am going this afternoon to hopefully purchase some nipple shields. So how do I use them? Do I load up with lanolin and then put them on?

How should I start weaning? I am thinking of dropping their 2nd nursing session at the end of the week (about 10days after I dropped my pumping session). What do I replace it with? I am not going to give them formula this close to a year! What type of snack and how much?

Obviously I have to take weaning very slowly since I am at high risk for clogs and really do not want mastitis again. How long should I wait before I drop another session?

This sucks!!!!

 

Your Avi is adorable! :wub:

Sorry you have been having so many issues lately. You have given your girls a huge gift! They have received so many benefits from you milk already! :bow2: WTG Momma!

When I weaned (I had to issues with clogs etc) I dropped a session every 2 weeks. I did the morning one first just because nursing was part of my nap/bedtime routines.

Replace it with a sippy of milk. Whole milk. Good luck & don't be a stranger!

 

I am no expert but here is my 2 cents for what it is worth. Follow your body for when to drop the next feeding and then the babies. If you are still feeling very full wait another day or two. Eat things with sage, spearment, etc to help dry you up. It took forever and if I squeeze my breasts I still get clear fluid and it's been 3 months!

When we weaned we dropped the mid-afternoon first since they were not really wanting it anyway. Then I think we went for mid-am, noon, AM, bedtime. AM to Bedtime took like 3 weeks because I was so full. I would not nurse for 2 or 3 days and then break down and have to nurse.

We replaced the between meals by adding a snack and then going to 3 meals and 2 snacks. What are you doing now?

If you pedi says whole milk is ok then I'd just go right to whole milk in sippy cups - no more than 24 oz in a day. I would start with milk at any dropped feeding in low amounts to make sure the transition isn't too hard on them.

We do 2 snacks, 1/2 a piece of fruit, 2 or 3 saltines, 1/2 cup yogurt (or 1 pack of yobaby), sometimes a nutrigrain bar. We give water in the AM and usually juice watered down in the pm snack but not always.

Do you leave sippy cups with water around? They may want to drink more if they are not nursing, ours seemed to really start drinking lots of water once we were weaning.

I think a slow wean is best but with your nipples hurting so much perhaps if your doc is ok a rapid wean would be better. There are meds they can give you to help dry things up. I am sorry that the end of nursing has been so rough for you!

Hope everything else is going good
jen

 

:hug: I think you have done an excellent job! Mine really only nurse once a day now and I gave up the pump along time ago! When they do not nurse well for after naps I will give them cheerios and water. They have crackers for toddlers that are whole grain and taste like veges or cheese and I will give those too.

 

We are only nursing 4x a day right now. The instant they wake up they want their milk, that might be the last to go or second to last. Their 2nd is right after their morning nap and that one is take it or leave it, so I think I will drop that one first.
I gave them about an oz of milk yesterday and today with lunch and they seem to be doing fine with it. Actually they loved it, chugged it down faster than anything else they have ever drank!

I have seen those crackers. Are they messy? Is there anything that is not messy? lol I just got them some of those cheesy things, they look like 'jax'. I forget what they are called. And I got them yogurt melts which they LOVED! But they love yobaby too.
Right now they are just having 3 solid meals a day. No snacks. Maybe I will start introducing a snack tomorrow and see how they like it.
Do you all do snacks in their highchairs?

I have my appointment on Friday to follow up for my stretched out ducts. She is going to take one look at my boobs and tell me I am doing the right thing by weaning.
I went to walgreens but they dont have nipple shields. Walmart is a nightmare because they are redoing the store but maybe I will check there tomorrow.

Thank you!!

 

Cohlee - I know that BRU has the nipple shields, but I also know what a PITA is to hit BRU. Not sure if you'll be able to find them elsewhere. As for use: kinda turn them inside out (though not all the way) and run them under some warm water. Position the cut out part so it hits your breast wherever the girls' noses are (depending on football hold, cradle hold, etc.). And then you'll kinda just position the nipple part over your nipple. If you've turned it inside out a bit, and then put it on as you're flipping it right-side out, it'll act as a bit of suction.

Man, that looks confusing. ardon: Hope that makes sense....

You are an AMAZING mommy to have persevered through all of your trauma! WTG! :yahoo:

 

:hug: you've done AWESOME! :bow2:

p.s. i got nipple shields at target

 

No real suggestions because I have had NO extra fullness or anything with weaning... was I just a pacifier for the past several months?! :lol:

Just wanted to offer :hug: and tell you what an amazing job you have done-- you are an incredible mom! Great job. Go take care of you so you can take care of those babies to your maximum potential! (not that you're not now... but a mommy needs her health, especially with twins!)

 

Wow cohlee, good for you for making it this long!! You are a great mommy!! I am really interested in how to wean, as i am already looking forward to it and planning for it!!

 

I think by dropping a feeding every 2 weeks you should be good, and make sure to pump if you get too full to avoid clogged ducts. I would start taking some sudafed/sage now and it will help lesson supply.
I think you should add in whole milk in a sippy in place of dropped feedings if you are planning on using milk, about 4 oz per skipped nursing should be a good place to start.
Once I was fully weaned I swtiched to 8oz when they wake, breakfast about 1hr later, lunch at noon, 8oz sippy w/snack when they wake from nap at 3pm and then dinner at 6pm.

 

You've gotten great advice - just wanted to say CONGRATULATIONS for nursing so long, especially in the face of tough problems. You rock! :bow2:

 

Hi,
I just wanted to say I'm thinking of you! I'm sorry about all you've been going through. Most of all, I am so impressed by your perseverence in nursing your girls. You are such an inspiration!!
I hope you are feeling better soon!
Take care of yourself...
:hug:
Erin

 

I've been gone all day and just got in. I'm sorry I didn't respond sooner. I hope you are doing well. Remember...NO GUILT! You've done so good for those girls.

 

Thank you ladies! Tomorrow is my followup appt for my ducts/clogging/mastitis issues, I am curious to see how it turns out. And starting weaning tomorrow should be easy since we are going to be at the doc's office when they should be nursing so I'll just bring some snacks for them. Saturday will be the true test!

Thank you so much for all your support and I will let you know how everything turns out tomorrow with my boobie mess!