How can I make my 2 year old daughter let go of her breastfeeding without depriving her of my breasts?

Question

I want to stop breastfeeding now but whenever I won't allow her to breastfeed she would cry out loud until her lungs would almost come out and this would really break my heart, so I would give in. I need help. I want to know some ways on how to make her let go of it without pressuring her. Like it will just come to her. how? Can any mother help me?

Answer 1

Have you discussed this wiith your doctor.

Answer 2

The answers from godistheanswer..and spirtatulseeker are right on. I am having the same problem with my 11month old. I have started by taking one feeding away at a time. The hardest is at night! She still doesn't sleep all the way through. I'm assuming you have her on solids and maybe another milk or formula? Try one of the sippy cups with a soft spout. The Nuby Stages is the one I am using and seems to be working. Even if she has to use a bottle for a while it's better than the breast! It does break your heart I know but when you give in, try to cut her feeding time shorter than usual and finish by giving milk or formula. Some kids self-wean but unfortunately we don't have one. If you still need more advice, ask your ped. or La leche lg. like someone already suggested. Good luck to you, I'm sure you'll do fine! And ignore all the negative answers. They obviously don't have kids or didn't breastfeed!

Answer 3

I'm not sure what you are asking. The best connection she could have with your breasts is certainly by breastfeeding.

She will wean all on her own and without pressure. The fact that she's not letting go means she's not ready yet.

What you CAN do is not offer, let her be in situations where she'd normally seek to nurse without you more often and she'll let go when she's ready. You should be noticing that over time she is indeed moving towards weaning. It won't just come to her, but she is already moving steadily towards it.

She IS still a baby. And not letting go of breastfeeding is yet is not a sign in any way that she will have trouble letting go. In fact, when they choose the time, the better for them.

Answer 4

I don't know all the answers, but I can tell you this: my daughter-in-law didn't stop her daughter either, and by the age of three the little brat was yanking on her mother's breasts in public and having a fit. It is going to get WORSE.

You need to take care of this right away, and stop worrying about it. Simply say no, you are a big girl now. Big girls drink from cups. I wouldn't take more than a week or two to get this done.

Answer 5

First of all I want to applaud you for being willing to feed her for as long as you have. Congratulations!!
As for the way to wean her the only thing to do is just stop and let her cry. My son cried for a month when I took his bottles away from him (only at night because that was the only time he still had them) If you are feeding her more than once a day try taking away one feeding at a time until she gets used to it then take another. Also buy her a lovey ( an object like a stuffed animal or doll) to comfort her. Good luck.

Answer 6

Sounds like you're going to have to pump and mix 3/4 breast milk to 1/4 whole milk or 2% milk (whichever your pediatrician recommends) in a sippie cup and try to give it to her that way. Then, if and when she accepts it, then go half and half until she's on just cow's milk. Why, at age 2, is she still nursing?? Most doctor's say to stop breastfeeding at age 1.

Answer 7

She will stop breastfeeding on her own but it may not be soon (children have been known to wean themselves shortly after they learn to use a cup and some take a nip now and then into the school-age years).
Your daughter is old enough to know what she wants and how to get it. The first thing to do is speak with your daughter's doctor. The second thing you need to do is make sure that your daughter has enough meals and snacks as well as milk, water and juice to quench her thirst and satisfy her hunger. Be extra sure that she is only nursing for comfort or habit. Third, look at your life, are you in a transition, is your daughter starting a new day care or some other change? Weaning may have to wait until things calm down a bit.
If your daughter nurses at random, only allow her to nurse at specific times you control. If/when your daughter nurses at specific times then try to avoid your "nursing spot", any comfortable chair or maybe even sitting down during those times. Cuddle her more than usual, a lot more than usual, half an hour or more before her usual nursing times and make sure she isn't getting tired, hungry or bored. Buy, make, find a box of new and different toys, craft supplies and other distractions. Pull out the box to distract her whenever nursing seems imminent.
You can try buying some interestingly decorated or shaped tippy-cups and introducing a new one when times are really rough.
You can also try filling several cups with different drinks and putting them on the bottom shelf in the door of your fridge and letting your daughter help herself. (This should be temporary or she may drink too much and not be hungry for food, but it may be enough to get you a couple of weeks so she can move on.) If you do try this, you can just reduce the number of cups once she is weaned in order to control her fluid and food intake.
The older she gets, the harder it will be for you to choose when to wean. If you are adamant about weaning, it is best to do it now. If you have mixed feelings than just help her reduce the number of feedings to once a day or less and then reduce the amount of time she spends nursing until it is just not worth it.

Do not comment that big girls don't nurse and try not to make her feel that she is unwelcome. This will only hurt her self-esteem and make her more dependent on the nursing. Try to act like nursing is boring and no big deal and be extra excited about other activities.

My son is 15 months old and nurses once every two or three days but is incredibly resistent to giving up nursing altogether. What you are going through is common. I have decided to just let him decide when to quit (my milk is greatly reduced so he has less and less reason to nurse). I am able to go out for a drink with my husband I just make sure I don't let him nurse the next day. Try to relax and not let frustration taint your time with your daughter. This time will pass. Congratulations and Kudos on nursing your daughter as long as you have.

Answer 8

Express your breastmilk into bottles and cradle her the same way to feed her the bottle as you do to feed her by breast. She will be initially resistant to the foreign feeling of the bottle's nipple, but she will recognize the taste of the milk. Once she is accustomed to taking breastmilk from the bottle, occasionally let dad fill in and nurse the baby with a breastmilk bottle,too. She will gradually disassociate you with feeding...conventional nursing by breast can then be used for comfort times only, then gradually discontinued altogether. Be patient and consistent, and things will work out well. Good luck.

Answer 9

Not a mother, but like to tell you .....
You are one of the VERY FORTUNATE few to be able to do it , for the SACRED purpose for which nature has blessed a woman with this ability. Why not allow nature to decide as to when to stop ? I have come across children who had the benefit upto 4 years of age! Now a days, it is very rare to come across even 2 years ! VERY VERY few will support this idea, but nature supports ! Now it is upto you to decide, whether to go by majority of modern human minds, or mother nature !

Answer 10

Sorry I dont have any suggestion with regards to breastfeeding because i develop into no longer waiting to breastfeed mine. My daughter develop into born at 23 weeks gestation so we had/have feeding themes. I did choose to the contact upon the burden element. Weight benefit has continually been a huge situation for her. She is two a million/2 and weighs 32 pounds now (yippee)! lots of the failings we did to promote weight benefit develop into further energy to the ingredients she did eat. We switched her to pediasure (240 cal in keeping with 8oz), I further heavy whipping cream to lots of the ingredients that she ate. Its like 25 cal in keeping with tablesoon and it doesnt regulate the style of the foodstuff. We also further alot of butter to mashed potatoes, vegetables, virtually each and every savory dish that she ought to eat which develop into no longer many. bitter cream is likewise loaded with energy and we used alot of that. also, we further carnation instantaneous breakfast to her finished milk to bump up its carlories. back, i recognize this doesnt help with weaning her from the breast, yet I merely wanted to bypass on some concepts we did to promote weight benefit. sturdy success!

Answer 11

Why don't you cut them off and give them to her. That way, she can suck on them whenever she feels. Also, that's pretty ******* nasty that she's two years old and the little **** goblin is still sucking your sagging ****. Kick that little **** in the face, and tell her what's up.
Be like, "YOU STUPID *****, LEARN TO DRINK FROM A CUP! I'D BE HAPPY IF YOU USED A BOTTLE! HOLY CHRIST MY CHILD IS AN IDIOT!"

Then she'll cry and hate you forever. Then you won't have to worry about breast feeding her ever again.


Either that or kill her.