Can anyone help me on how I can wean my 15 month old off breastfeeding?

[dinosaur2010]

As title says- I'm fine during the day, my dd will ask but I can distract her quite easily! It's at night! First of all I breastfeed her to sleep, then she wakes about 3 times in the night and then about 6.30am and wants to feed till 8am.
If I don't feed her she'll scream the house down! It's unbearable so I just end up feeding her! She still has her cot in our room and ends up sleeping in our bed from about midnight onwards.
Now that I'm pregnant I want to stop breastfeeding and I would love my dd to sttn- she's a great eater so I know her wakenings are not from hunger, more just comfort.
Any advice is much appreciated- this is getting me so down and frustrated- my nipples are so sensitive and I can't sleep when I'm feeding so I'm knackered as it is and still have to wake up and lie awake while dd feeds and falls asleep!
It's totally my fault for getting into bad habits and I fear the only method would be to let dd cry it out? I don't think I could manage this.

 

[Mrs HM]

My son self weaned at 12months so I can't offer much advice, but we found moving him into his own room helped with sttn. He went right away from 9pm-7.30am so maybe that might be a first step to consider?

Good luck.

 

[babypeanut25]

I'm still nursing my son, I'm not pregnant again yet though. However I plan on tandom nursing if need be. We found night nursing greatly reduced once he was in his own room. We didn't cry it out we just slowly worked through it with him. We put a queen bed into his room and started cuddling him to sleep then moving him to his crib. Now he just needs a hug, kiss and we put him in his crib.

 

[jjj12109]

I agree with pp-if it's an option, switch her to her own room. My son would also scream all night but we were in an apartment so I couldn't really let that happen. I would give him water when he woke up, which he didn't appreciate, but eventually he got down to one wake a night then sttn. I know it's very hard to hear them cry, though, and not give in. Good luck!

 

[little moomin]

I weaned at 18 months - not voluntarily but the time was right. My son started playing around.i biting, waking all night to feed when he was definitely not hungry etc. My periods had returned at 16 months and everything pointed to stopping really which i was starting to feel ok with (tbf i could sleep feed and was co sleeping so only the biting was a real issue). Anyway my magic solution was . . . I contracted norovirus. I wouldn't recommend it!!! However my son somehow understood i really was unable to feed him (Omg so ill) i slept on the couch for two nights, my husband took all care of my son and that was it, he never tried to feed again. I was so sad for a while but my sons lack of concern reassured me it had been time
the short version is, if you really need to stop, and feel ready.i perhaps a night or two apart would work (i mean like in another room with someone else to comfort her - i would never have believed it would work as he would normally go crazy if anyone else went to him at night, still does.i but its worth a go). Good luck - your body may also stop producing milk if it needs to stop x

 

[little moomin]

.^ also we continued to co sleep until he was 2.5 years, no problem, but that was what suited us at the time - very play it by ear this parenting thing!!

 

[BintUmmi]

I'm still breastfeeding my 18month old and we recently nightweaned her (maybe a month or more ago now). She was breastfed to sleep and woke up so many times at night for feeds.

I just followed what I thought would work when it came to weaning so the first night I fed her to sleep and then when she woke I didn't feed her back to sleep but cuddled her/tried to comfort her in other ways. The next night I didn't feed her to sleep but cuddled her, comforted her in other ways to get her to sleep. It was really hard as she screamed alot but I just stayed with her. We bed share so I just lay next to her and eventually she got herself back to sleep. When she would wake up I offered her water and she'd drink it but still get a bit worked up before falling back to sleep. After 2 or 3 nights she stopped waking for feeds, I couldn't believe it! LOL but it was still tougher actually settling her down.

Now she goes down much easier, I lay her down and then stay with her until she falls asleep. She is like a different baby and I really can't believe how quickly she stopped waking especially as she was waking soooo much sometimes every 2 hours or so and it was so draining!

I'm trying to wean her by the time this baby comes as tandem feeding doesn't really appeal to me. But she still loves the boob so I think it is going to be hard so I'm taking it very slowly but it is such a relief sorting her sleep.

 

[little moomin]

Lol i still put my son to bed this way , just lie quietly and cuddle, he's 3.5 i feel very lucky! I found i had to year a bra in bed and long top times when i tried to wean before otherwise he would actually try and eight me to feed?!! Maybe wearing a bra will help too to restrict access x

 

[little moomin]

Fight *

 

[dinosaur2010]

Thanks for the responses- getting dd into her own room is definitely going to happen u just need to get DH on board to sleep in her room with her for a few nights until her habits have changed!
We r going on holiday in 2 weeks and I was thinking of waiting till after that but I'm literally at the end of my tether and I'm starting to dread night times !

 

[little moomin]

The break in routine might be ideal to break the habit though it may well ruin your holiday if she won't go to sleep so maybe waiting is best. Or tonight just say screw it this is the last time, feed her, hand her to oh and go sleep on the couch. Depends on your frame of mind

 

[dinosaur2010]

^ i need to get DH on board not u!

 

[BintUmmi]

^ i need to get DH on board not u!

LOL!

We went on holiday about a week after we started the night weaning, it helped us in a way actually because she was more tired by the time bedtime came that she went to sleep easier! So it might work in your favour

 

[little moomin]

Haha well maybe norovirus is the solution then he will be happy to hide from you for a bit

 

[yeahuloveme]

this being my first you can tell me where to go, but I would not BF her while your gone, new place new rules, and hopefully the habbit will be broken by the time you come home, Good luck x

 

[Teeny]

I delayed night weaning thinking I needed dh there but ultimately that would mean 2 transitions as I would have had yo take over night waking a again.

so I bit the bullet and just cuddled her back to sleep and bam next night she slept thru! I was so surprised.

whatever u do, decide what ur approach is and stick to it. giving in will undermine urself and make the process tougher and longer

gl xxx

 

[dinosaur2010]

I can't actually believe this but last night I breastfed dd to sleep and she always wakes up about 30 mins later which she did and I settled her. However when DH came home from work I slept in spare room from 9.30pm and DH slept in our bed with dd in cot next to him. She woke once!! At 3am- no crying she was just smiling, DH rocked her back to sleep and she's still asleep now in her cot (7.30am) I don't actually believe it!! Hope it's not a one off- we will def be doing this for the next week! I am amazed I thought I'd have to go in and comfort her!!
I, however, was awake at 11pm, 2am, 4am, 6am and now!! Lol think I need the sleep training not dd!!! Thanks so much for all ur advice I can finally see an end to breastfeeding and its not traumatic or letting her cry for hours and hours!

 

[BrittasticTX]

Holiday is a good time for breaking habits, that's how I got rid of the pacifier at 6 months. I am still wondering how to go about the weaning process because like you, tandem nursing does not appeal to me. But as far as the night wakings, I read The No Cry Sleep Solution and it made ALL the difference as far as sttn goes. I recommend this book to ALL moms!

 

[Teeny]

I can't actually believe this but last night I breastfed dd to sleep and she always wakes up about 30 mins later which she did and I settled her. However when DH came home from work I slept in spare room from 9.30pm and DH slept in our bed with dd in cot next to him. She woke once!! At 3am- no crying she was just smiling, DH rocked her back to sleep and she's still asleep now in her cot (7.30am) I don't actually believe it!! Hope it's not a one off- we will def be doing this for the next week! I am amazed I thought I'd have to go in and comfort her!!
I, however, was awake at 11pm, 2am, 4am, 6am and now!! Lol think I need the sleep training not dd!!! Thanks so much for all ur advice I can finally see an end to breastfeeding and its not traumatic or letting her cry for hours and hours!

that's great, well done! now u just have to remember that she can do it it she kicks up a fuss on any nights to come! I'm sure she will be great tho xxxx

 

[Teeny]

this being my first you can tell me where to go, but I would not BF her while your gone, new place new rules, and hopefully the habbit will be broken by the time you come home, Good luck x

it would depend on how much lo is feeding still. some woman can stop cold turkey without any probs but it can cause discomfort for the mum, and even mastitis. the recommendation is to stop one feed at a time xxx