Weaning a breastfed toddler

[DLX]

I am having trouble weaning my 27 month old daughter. I am not wanting to do it quickly or all at once or anything. I am just thinking that it is happening a lot and that maybe we should cut down. But she knows the routine now and gets upset if she doesn't get her 'bookies'. I have tried just not offering it to her. But she points out that it isn't happening and asks for it. When I say no, she cries. I don't want this to be an upsetting transition for her. I was hoping that it would be natural. Any ideas?

Lexi

 

[jgonz]

I was going to suggest the "don't ask, don't refuse" method, but since she IS asking, that obviously won't work. If she's getting upset when you try to redirect or distract her, I'd say she's not ready quite yet.

She'll get to the point where she Can be redirected or distracted, don't worry! Weaning came as a shock to me every single time. One day I would be complaining to friends that my toddler would Never wean, and then suddenly they did. Shocked me every time.

 

[~Mrs. A2J~]

What boundries have you set so far? We went from no nursings in public, then nursings only at bed time, etc. So we slowly whittled the nursings down one by one until we fully weaned at 25 months. We had to do the last nursing cold turkey though but that was because at the end my daughter was only night nursing because we coslept and when we transitioned her to her own bed we decided the nursings would go too.

 

[snarfywarning]

What boundries have you set so far? We went from no nursings in public, then nursings only at bed time, etc. So we slowly whittled the nursings down one by one until we fully weaned at 25 months. We had to do the last nursing cold turkey though but that was because at the end my daughter was only night nursing because we coslept and when we transitioned her to her own bed we decided the nursings would go too.

Mrs. A2J has the most popular advice I have read on most parenting boards.^^

I am obviously not there yet, but I read on one parenting board that mothers will say "wait one minute" and atfer the minute see if thye are still intersted?

 

[KristyAnne]

I agree with what the other ladies have said. I gradually weaned Isabel, and got to the point where she was having two a day, one before nap time, one before sleep at night. These lasted a couple of months, then I took away the nap time feed, and finally the night time feed. She was weaned fully at twenty-three months.

Do you use breastfeeding to get her to sleep? If so, these should be the last to go. If you don't, take note of when she seems to really need the comfort most, and leave these feeds until the end. That way the feeds that you cut down on will probably be the ones she wants more because of routine than anything else.

Distraction will definitely help to wean her off these feeds. What is her absolute favourite thing to do? That would be the time to do it. Maybe you could go to the park or something else that will take her mind off it for a period of time. Maybe you could give her a special drink in a "big girl" cup instead (what we call a regular tumbler, we're letting Isabel use these at the moment).

Can you guys communicate easily (in terms of her level of speech and understanding)? Have you sat down with her and talked about the transition that she needs to make, and the reason for it? Maybe emphasising that now she is older she can eat food like mummy and daddy, and doesn't really need to eat from mum anymore?

I know how hard it is, I felt so guilty when I first started weaning Isabel. It gets easier, I promise

I hope it all goes well.

God Bless.

Kristy