Does nursing increase around 17 months?

[Jokerette]

Did anyone else ever noticed an increase in the amount of nursing sessions around 16 or 17-month-old? My son is almost 17 months and for the past two or three weeks he has asked to nurse very very frequently during the day. I'm not sure if he's feeling new insecurities about the world or whether he is just practicing his newly learned sign language. He signs that he wants to nurse approximately every hour or two during the day… This is a major increase since he used to only ask to nurse first thing in the morning and last thing right before bed.

I'm wondering if this is likely to be a temporary phase? Teething? Or if this is the way it's going to be and I will eventually have to wean him down on my own. I had been hoping that he would self wean eventually so I was surprised when his nursing increased.

Has anyone experienced this? If so how long did it continue and how long did your child and nursing?

 

[CatandKitten]

My DD just hit 16 months and is nursing more too. For some reason her sleep is poor again (hard to settle and frequent waking) and nursing helps her settle.

 

[Maxy1]

Yeah DS went through this stage of feeding more just before 18 months, it didn't last long, I think about a week. I think it's developmental. He pulled back to twice a day and more recently (20months) he has tried adding another one due to teething pain stopping him from eating solids.

 

[kbkb]

Ditto...Increased nursing coinciding with him sprouting 4 molars. I was beginning to get worried a bit myself. Back to nursing a couple of times in the night...nothing else is helping him settle. Hoping this is temporary. I hate the thought of a cryathon to wean him.

 

[Jokerette]

Thank you ladies!! Anyone else?

 

[kosh]

yep, that happened to us at around that age too. he was nursing every couple of hours or even more frequent! it stopped after a few weeks.
having the opposite issue now!