Weaning from Nursing...

[JennyLynn512]

Alright we'll try this post in here and see if I can get some people to give advice! I posted this in the breastfeeding section but didn't get any replies. Hopefully I get some in here!

We are currently trying to wean Valerie off the breast. I've decided it's time and we will be starting to try for baby #2 in a couple of months, so here's my question.....How can I get her completely off the breast? In the past month we've went from 5 times a day to 3; so that was a great start. But I just can't cut it down anymore from once in the morning, once in the afternoon, and once at night. She acts like she is obsessed with nursing, so how do I get her to not depend on it so much? How did you ladies who have weaned your LO's, do it? Any advice would be helpful!

 

[Bec L]

Sorry, I don't have any advice to offer but I will be interested in any replies you (hopefully) get. Is there a reason why you want to get her off the breast before you get pregnant? We are hoping to TTC again soon and I am just hoping to continue b/feeding Poppy until it is no longer viable.

She has majorly cut down on her feeds to only morning and night (only the occasional day one) but I am not sure how she will ever give up those 2, espcially the night one which gets her off to sleep at night.

Will your LO take a bottle or a cup of milk? Or is it less about the milk, more about the boob?!

 

[Serene123]

Caitlyn cut down to 3 times a day and it was a little forced on her to be honest. I couldn't feed her 5 times a day anymore, so the 2 inbetween I'd give her a cup of milk (if she wanted it) then take her for a walk so she wouldn't be interested. They were both comfort feeds though. Does Valerie comfort feed or are they proper feeds? x

 

[JennyLynn512]

They are definitely comfort feeds. The only real feeding she has is at night, when she's ready to go to sleep and wants her milk. The rest of the day she drinks water, some milk (if we're lucky) and the occassional juice. I think she would drink more milk from the sippy if she knew that was the only place she was going to get it from. When we're busy and doing lots of errands, she can go all day without the breast, but if we're at home having a lazy day, she's constantly pulling my shirt down when she's ready for a nap and wants to comfort suck.

There are a couple of reasons I want to wean her from the breast; I, myself am ready. I never thought I would go this long and even though I am extremely proud of myself, I'm ready to have my boobs back to myself. Secondly, I've only had one period (last month) since having Valerie and in order to get my cycles back on track for baby #2, the peditrician said that I needed to cut down the amount of times I nursed Valerie. I know it all sounds a bit selfish, but she's really not dependent on me anymore for her food....it's just all about comfort. If I was still completely nursing her, then I would continue doing it. But she eats what we eat and eats very well. That is her main source of food.

Anyway...hubby thinks that I'm going to have to just stop giving in, but I'm such a stickler for her crying and reaching/pulling on my shirt. I nurse 3 times a day....ideally I'd like to cut it down to one (night time). I just don't know what to do at this point!

 

[Blob]

Gawd i'm at this too, i just give in to her Though i have managed to cut it down to 3-4 times a day. Morning, afternoon and bedtime...but i have NO idea how to cut down more than this. Though if she gets upset she wont calm down unless i feed her

 

[Serene123]

I think the only way to stop is to stop completely and I'm not ready to do that

 

[Always&4ever]

I can't comment as Jasmine is still on 4 feeds a day

 

[maybebaby]

I'd be interested in replies to this as well. I've gotten London down to nursing at night and in the morning, but I do pump during the day while at work. I'd like to drop the pumping but am nervous to do so...

 

[JennyLynn512]

Thanks everyone....Toria -- you sound like my husband! He says the same thing, the only way to stop is to just stop giving in and stop completely. Ugh, who knows. I guess we'll keep trying and see where it goes.