Can't get my 17mo off the boob!

[CordeliaJ]

Help! I have tried everything I can possibly think of to get toddler off the boob. We are struggling TTC #2 and I think the bfing is behind our struggles.

He only bfs at night, and is actually thirsty because he just won't drink enough during the day. Even our childminder really struggles, and honestly we have tried every drink under the sun. He just obviously saves it up for his night feeds. He just screams at me if I offer him an alternative at night, he usually cosleeps with us so will just kick & scream if he doesn't get it. I can't sleep in another room as we don't have a spare, plus I can hear him anywhere in our flat, and I can't bear to listen to him scream, let alone the whole night.

I know there's no real solution, but I just wanted to vent somewhere really.

 

[Amalee]

Will he take expressed milk from a cup? Maybe you could try giving him expressed milk, then mixing with regular milk until he's happy with just the regular milk.

 

[Tristansmom]

Amalee's suggestion is awesome! My kiddo nursed till 22 months, also co-slept. Once he weaned he finally started sleeping ttn. Good luck!!

 

[CordeliaJ]

No, he won't unfortunately. He's a boob only boy!

 

[J22]

I just wanted to say that I really feel for you. It´s tough going! We´re night weaning our 16 month old this week (I remember your name from the tri boards in 2013!). I just couldn´t take the number of night feeds (or comfort feeding) I was having to do any longer, plus I´m 10 weeks pg with baby number 2 and need to get some rest at night. We don´t cosleep though and moved her into her own room at 14 months old. Her dad´s going to settle her in the night and to my total surprise she´s responding amazingly to him - hasn´t signed for milk and cries for maybe a minute at the most then falls asleep on his shoulder and he has her back in her cot quicker than if I boobed her back to sleep. She´s with me all day every day and a really booby baby so I can´t believe how well it´s going. She´s waking maybe twice at the moment.

I´m not sure how you can get your toddler to take more fluid in the day other than try different cups maybe - have you tried with a straw? My dd likes the novelty of it (she won´t take cows milk but does drink plenty of water). Does he eat fruit too? x

 

[embeth]

I've literally just weaned my 16 month old. He was mainly feeding evening, waking in night and then before we got up in the morning. In the couple of weeks leading up to stopping I took supplements to help reduce my supply which seemed to help then just stopped! He did kick and scream about it for the first couple of nights ( also co sleeps) then was fine and now not even 2 full weeks on he sleeps through the night when he never did before! The only thing he will is water nothing else! I make sure he has plenty of other sources of calcium/dairy health visitor says that's fine. Not sure about how to get ur little
One to drink.. Once you stop he will get v thirsty and have to give in and drink! Mixing milk is a good idea or just keep offering water. My lo still won't touch any other milk tried all sorts just spits it out!!

 

[CordeliaJ]

Thanks ladies!

J22, congrats on bub number 2, how exciting! I remember you from the tri boards too

Basically during the day he will drink stuff, just not enough, and he will only really have water & juice, not milk.
We have tried to get him into his own bed, but at some point during the night he just won't stay in it anymore. Ditto with dad putting him to bed, it works on occasion but then the next night he just won't go down without me.
I also work 4 days a week, so I don't want to come home & just listen to him cry for hours, I guess I'd rather just cuddle him. The cosleeping is a problem because he will kick me and screech in my ear until I feed him, I just don't know what to do anymore.