My daughter is 21 months, and she nurses all the time, to the point where she doesn't eat much real food. She only weighs 21 lbs. and she is tall, 3 ft.. I don't really want to wean her completely, but less frequently. She also still nurses 3 times at night. For the record, I do not believe in crying it out, or leaving her at night, she still sleeps with us.
2007-04-05 04:40:10 · 7 answers · asked by ♥ ♥ ♥ 6 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Newborn & Baby
I had that problem and decided to cut down rather than weaning. I also dont believe in crying it out.
I started by not offering the breast, but not refusing.
I then started giving her a time limit of the count of ten....my count....you start very slowly and speed up. I also refused to nurse in very public places.
This cut down on her nursing...but I really needed a shock treatment for my daughter and put band-aids over my nipples and told her they were ouchie....and that we could only nurse at particular times.
My daughter was REALLY cross that she couldnt nurse at night...so I had to sit up and rock with her til she finally fell asleep again. After a couple of nights of that, she didnt expect night nursing.
I also was concerned about my daughters weight...and my cuting down on nursings and limiting drinks like milk and juice I succeeded in getting her to eat more.
We cut down on nursing and developed a nursing relationship that continued until 3 1/2
2007-04-05 05:43:32 · answer #1 · answered by psychokitty 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Hey its ok! It will get better. I have always nursed my little one through the night untill they were about 2 1/2 years old. It seems like at about that age they miraclously start sleeping through the night. Maybe not everyones children do this but it has happened at my house 3 times so far. All my children have slept with me until they mostly outgrew the need. At around 3 I put a little bed in my room and start putting them to bed there... Even if they fall asleep in my bed first I change them to theirs.
As for the weight as they get older they do slim down I once talked to a pediatrician that toldme at around 3 they should have ten lbs for every year something like 3 yrs is 30 lbs
so your daughter is not really that small.
This is all just another moms opinions.
Good Luck.
2007-04-05 05:25:15 · answer #2 · answered by Carla R 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
There is no nutritional need for nightime feedings past the age of 6 months, unless there is something medically going on. I dont believe in crying it out either, but I would just not nurse my daughter. I would hold her and rock her back to sleep. After 2 nights she stopped waking, because her little tummy had been re-trained. Just think, if you had been waking to eat at 2am, you would get up each night thinking it was time for a meal. Our tummy's are on a schedule and you have to change it.
2007-04-05 04:49:44 · answer #3 · answered by Melissa 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
As adults, we decide what we feed our children. It is our children who decide how much and of what they eat, from what is offered.
Your child should be getting nutrition from food at 21 months.
I would suggest (since I have done this myself) that you decide when you want to nurse, for me it was an early morning feeding and an evening feeding. My daugher co-slept until she was 2 as well, I wore a bra and nightshirt to bed to make sure she didn't "find" the milk on her own. Give her juice or milk in a cup, when you feed her meals, offer no drink. Children fill up on liquids at mealtime and can't eat food. Your daughter's food servings are 2 tablespoons of whatever food is offered, for example if you have mashed potatoes, green beans and meatloaf for dinner your daughters servings would be 2 tablespoons of mashed potatoes, 2 tablespoons of green beans and 2 tablespoons of meatloaf. Below is a link to the food guide pyramid, so you can see what her nutritional needs will be.
My daughter is now 31 months old, she does not nurse. She is 34 inches tall and 22 lbs. Healthy!
Good Luck!
2007-04-05 05:17:26 · answer #4 · answered by Renee B 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It sounds like u dont wanna quit nursing, if u do, your gonna hafta get a lil tough with her.
Start by only nursing her at bed time or nap times, maybe once in the morning, and start giving her food, she will refuse it at first, but u hafta be persistent. Slowly, like every week, cut out a feeding.
At nite time, maybe give her a cup of water, but with both mine, i found it easier to just let them cry it out at nite. As long as they have a good dinner, and maybe a good nursing b4 bed, they can go the whole nite. Usualy after like 2 days of crying it out, that fight is done, they will just stay asleep all nite once they know u mean business.
Good Luck!
2007-04-05 04:52:11 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Shes old enough to set some ground rules with her. Its OK to tell her 'no' ...decide for your self when and where you want to nurse her...on a schedule may suit you better right now....i know its nearly impossible to say no at night....but you tell her, we'll nurse after breakfast, you eat your ____ first. Its ok to establish some ground rules about nursing with a child this age. Just decide for yourself what those ground rules are and then be consistent
2007-04-05 07:43:05 · answer #6 · answered by motherhendoulas 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
all babys cry. crying isn't that serious. i don't think there is any way to wean her completely without letting her cry a little. just keep on nursing her until u want to wean her completely since, u don't believe in crying it out.
2007-04-05 05:07:14 · answer #7 · answered by Miki 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋