I'm weaning my toddler from the breast can anyone help?

Question

It's been 2 days since I last nursed my son who is 19 months. While I'm at it I'm "training" (for lack of a better word) to sleep in his big boy bed instead of mom's bed. He still wakes up several time a night but not as much as when he sleeps with me and nurses.

I am wondering how long did it take you to stop producing milk and for your child to sleep through the night after weaning.

Thanks for your help!

Thank you for all of your help! But please do not critize me for weaning my toddler. I did it for 19 months which is more than most people! My son has NEVER slept through the night! I'm a single mom who hasn't slept since the day my son was born, and it's effecting my health and I believe it's effecting my son's development. So please do not post if you don't agree with what I'm doing! I need help not critizism! Thank you =)

Answer 1

Hi,

I just want to help with the lactating part of the question.

One sure-fire way to decrease the milk quickly, is to take an over-the-counter cold/allergy medicine with sudephrine in it. IE: sudafed etc.

Sudephrine, dries out all the glands in your body including your breasts.

I hope this helps,

Mother of 4, ages 7, 6, 4, 10 months.

Answer 2

I stopped nursing my daughter at about 13 months and leaked for a couple months after that and produced milk for about a year after that. My son I only nursed for about 6 weeks and still produced milk for about a year. I think you have to make this decision and most importantly stick to it, it will be rough at first but it will be worth it when you are both getting some much needed rest!

Answer 3

i stopped breast feeding when my son was 18 mos. it took me 2 weeks to totally stop producing milk but it was pain free. i just did it really slow, eliminating a feeding a day. but when i first stopped breast feeding i had to give him a bottle 2 or 3 times a night. (i know hes to old but it helped) so i did that and its been 2 mos. since and now he sleeps all the way through the night, no bottle. umm... and the big boy bed issue....my son still sleeps with me so i cant help with that. i would say though do one at a time. wait till he can sleep through the night all the way till you train him to sleep by himself. hope it helps and props for breast feeding more than a year!

Answer 4

The bigger concern with cold-turkey weaning is that YOU are likely to become engorged and may get mastitis. I would go more gradually. Your husband can take over/distract sometimes, but do try to nurse a few times a day, and gradually reduce the number of feeds over the next 2-3 weeks.

Answer 5

P.S Just because they are older does not mean your milk is some how less valuable. It still gives them immunities and other good things every growing toddler needs. Nursing toddlers grow better and have more resistance against infection.

I can tell you how we did it. I nursed my son until he was 3 1/2 and my daughter until she was 2. Both weaned themselves. At one point I even tandem nursed (both at the same time) for more than a year. We also co-slept both. My son went into his own bed about age 3 and my daughter just a few months ago. Both decided when they wanted to. With our son I would nurse him and my husband would read 2 books of his choosing and then he would go to sleep in his own bed, which was pushed right next to ours. Evectional we made a big deal about “fixing” up his own room and let him pick out some posters. Then we moved his bed in his room and kept the same routine with nursing and books. Then my hubbie would go to sleep in our son’s bed with him and sneak out when he fell asleep. We never refused nursing or our bed to him if he woke up at night. We both knew that in time he would want to stay in his room and would stop nursing; they do grow up to be big kids fast on their own. When he was ready he did it. He is a very independent child because of this. He makes simple chooses for himself because he has the confidence to. Our daughter was completely different. Maybe because of our son, she wants to be big just like him. Maybe because she’s a girl, or maybe just because all kids are different. I’m not sure when my milk stopped because when my son stopped nursing my daughter still was. When my daughter stopped nursing it was cold turkey, her choosing. We make sure they don’t take naps and stay up until 9:30pm. Then we all go to bed and get up anywhere between 7-9am. Good luck!!!
Mother of two, ages 4 and 2.

Answer 6

At this point he shouldn't be eating at night. Like the above answer mentioned, he's only doing it for comfort. Feeding at night can cause tooth decay and so it's best that you stop that habit as soon as possible.

Just put him in his bed and if he gets up put him right back in it. If he wants to breastfeed tell him no and maybe give him a sippy cup with a little water. There's going to be crying and it's not going to be fun but it will only be a little while before everything is fine again. Good luck and God bless :-)

Answer 7

At his age he is using the breast for comfort only and not for food. He should not have to eat at night. Try taking him to a store and let him pick out a stuffed friend..maybe that will be his new comfort.

Answer 8

put cabbage on your breast, it hurts but works!!

Answer 9

LET HIM TASTE IT