help weaning baby from breast feeding?

Question

we have a 15 ont old that is not weaning easily. It is killing me any thoughts?

Answer 1

The article below gives some good advice and tips. At 15 months it is most likely time to start weaning. All four my children gave up breast feeding naturally at around 12 months. One stopped at 10 1/2 months and another not until 16 months (but we moved during that time).

Answer 2

At 15 months you can start giving him/her a sippy cup. It's perfectly okay to give regular milk after 12 months, but if you are not comfortable with this than you can pump the breastmilk into the cup. The sucking reflex is still good and can usually transfer over to a sippy cup without much problem. I wouldn't go to a bottle now, then you end up with a 2 year old not wanting to wean from a bottle. A lot of weaning difficulties result from not wanting to lose the comfort of nursing and not the actual milk need. Hold your baby while he/she sucks on the sippy, continue to cuddle like you did when you nursed, and soon you'll find that you have made the transition.

Answer 3

This is the best source of weaning information:
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/weaning/index.html

However if your daughter isn't ready to wean there is absolutely NO reason to wean. And though the nursing may be annoying, because often times. You should know that even if your toddler is nursing constantly it is likely just a phase, and it will pass. Very soon you will be down to 2-3 sessions per day.

How often do toddlers nurse?
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/bfextended/toddlernursing.html
"Nursing frequency for toddlers is usually pretty erratic and varies greatly from child to child. It's normal for toddlers to be interested in everything around them and, as a result, not as interested in nursing. At other times, baby will be so focused on the big changes within herself (developmentally), that she will want to spend lots of time at the breast to reconnect with mom and adjust to all the new skills in her life. Some children nurse often ("like a newborn" is a frequent comment that you hear from the moms of 12-15 month olds), some nurse only once or twice a day, and some nurse a few times a day on some days and frequently on others. No matter what the nursing pattern, average nursing frequency decreases gradually as baby gets older. Once or twice a day nursings can continue for months and even years, depending upon the child and mom.

Toddlers nurse for comfort, in addition to nutrition. Nursing can work wonders when baby is hurt, sad, upset (nursing is a great tantrum-tamer), or sick. Toddlers may also use nursing as a quick way of "checking in" and reconnecting with mom throughout the day.

Sometimes your toddler may go through phases of increased night nursing. Common reasons for increased night nursing in toddlers include teething, decreased nursing during the day because of distraction, developmental advances and reconnecting with mom.

It is typical for a toddler to nurse more often when away from home for a few days, or when there are other big changes in the typical day-to-day routine. To a toddler, nursing is warmth, comfort, reassurance... it's their "home away from home" that they tend to retreat to when things are unfamiliar or uncertain. Once you are back at home and settled in (or once your child has adjusted to the change, regardless of what it was), the increased nursing tends to fall by the wayside."

Also remember nursing isn't an all or nothing thing. You can limit feedings to a certain time of day, or a certain amount of time. While breastfeeding is still a very important source of nutrition for a toddler, they aren't going to starve if you limit them to a reasonable amount.

Best of luck

Answer 4

The AAP recommends a minimum of a twelve months for breastfeeding, at an analogous time as the WHO recommends at minimum of two years. After that, the two agree that a new child could desire to nurse as long as the two mom and infant experience delicate. So do no longer pay attention to everybody who tries to declare your infant is basically too previous to breastfeed! additionally, teething is on no account a reason to wean, so do no longer hardship approximately that. My son have been given his first the teeth while he became basically shy of 8 months previous. I nursed for yet another 6 months - and likely, my nipples are nevertheless intact! i did no longer wean my son. He stopped breastfeeding on his own at 14 months, and that i did no longer push him to proceed. He desperate it became time to give up, so I enable him. i for my area does no longer enable my infant below a twelve months previous give up nursing. no longer less than, i might pump it and positioned it in a cup until eventually they have been a minimum of a twelve months previous. Do despite is suitable for you and your loved ones. Self weaning rather is the gentlest, least perplexing thank you to do it. and because, regardless of what some human beings will attempt to enable you know, there are great reward to nursing previous a twelve months previous, it unquestionably won't harm a new child. yet once you'll be able to desire to wean, i might wait until eventually your infant is a minimum of a twelve months previous. sturdy luck!

Answer 5

A 15 month old who is not weaning easily should not be weaned yet.

Answer 6

You want to eliminate one breast feeding at a time, replacing with a bottle. You will want to space the additional elimination feedings apart so your body and baby have time to adjust. Dont try to eliminate the feedings too quickly.

I know it can be a challenge. Congrats on breastfeeding for so long!

Answer 7

Why are you weaning? Are you going to school, work, or are you just ready. Some children will wean on their own when they are ready and you can't really "force" them. I have never had this problem, sorry I can't be more help.

Answer 8

I agree with Birdman. If he is not ready then why try? Breastmilk is the best source of nutrition your child will EVER recieve..why stop now? In some cultures, they breastfeed until the child is school age. Not that I would want a five year old hanging on my boob...but I did give my daughter pumped breastmilk in a cup until she was almost 3.
Give him some time...I promise he won't be doing it forever and you should cherish the short amount of time you have left to experience the bond while breastfeeding.

Answer 9

aw.... that's tough if the little one's not ready to... (that would break my heart too) is he/she walking yet?

that's when mine weaned.... when they started to walk, they kind of weaned themselves. they didn't want to be 'tied down' to the breast anymore. they got restless and started motoring around.... (my first baby girl at 11 months and my second at 13 months) that's when we started giving them the bottle and they were just as happy as they could be to have their drink on the go! In fact, my first baby basically weaned me before I was ready (I wanted to breastfeed her at least 12 months but she was having no more of that). when she was ready to walk, I could not keep her still on my lap to breastfeed her anymore. she was ready to move on.

Answer 10

I started my daughter by giving her 3/4 breast milk and 1/4 formula experiment with different bottles to see which ones she/he is taking to slowing increase the breast/formula ratio and good luck I know it is hard.