When and How do I stop breast feeding my almost 2 yr old son.?

Question

Every one says that I should stop breast feeding him that he's too big know, but I dont know when is the right time to stop, he doesnt take a bottle at all, and only takes his cup to drink juice. Is he too big, and if so how do I start by stopping breast feeding.

Answer 1

When he is ready you will know. It's time to stop when either of you or both of you are no longer comfortable with it. Until then who cares what anyone else has to say about it?

Answer 2

You can see people feel pretty strongly about when to wean. I would say that you should do what feels right for you and your son. I found The Nursing Woman's Guide to Weaning very helpful for giving a variety of ways to wean at a different ages. I found it at my library. My 2yo was very resistant to the gradual weaning supported by almost every parenting magazine in the US. I got her used to drinking from a sippy cup then weaned cold turkey. It isn't for everyone, but my daughter was MUCH more happy that way.
Especially if friends and family are pressuring you I recommend you find the book. I really liked it.

Answer 3

first difficulty do away with the bottles as he's the right age to be eating out of a cup and 2d difficulty he could be on trouble-free comprehensive fat cows milk and not infant formulation. Why do not you tell him that Mummy's milk is going away and now that he's a huge boy, he can pass procuring with you and locate himself a gorgeous blue (or green or purple etc) plastic cup that he could have super boy milk from whilst cuddling Mummy. it is what I did whilst my 2 lost their feeding reflex and have been given dissatisfied approximately it. even nevertheless that they had cups that they used getting a "particular" cup and a particular cuddle with a e book made each and every of the kind. As for a fashion lots milk he desires, supply him a cup of milk after a meal (not in the past as this would fill him up) yet verify that he has different protein in his nutrition habitual, as an occasion, cheese, meat, fish etc. stable success.

Answer 4

No, your son is not too big to be nursing! The fact is that we live in a culture that is VERY uncomfortable with breastfeeding in general and certainly breastfeeding past infancy.

However, nursing a toddler is a great thing to do, both for your relationship and for his health and emotional well-being. If both of you are still enjoying your nursing relationship, please don't cut it short because of pressure from people who are uncomfortable with breasts being used for something other than sex!

You can check out the book, "The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding" by La Leche League International from the library and there's a great chapter on "Weaning Gradually With Love." There doesn't have to be a lot of crying and feelings of rejection on the part of your child. As one other person said, you can take the "Don't offer, don't refuse" approach and let things just progress naturally.

Again, if you and your child are still enjoying your nursing relationship, DO NOT end it simply because of pressure from other people. You can certainly find tons of support at a local La Leche League group!

http://www.lalecheleague.org/NB/NBweaning.html

Congratulations on nursing your child for almost 2 years! Stick with what feels right. You're his mama!

Answer 5

Taper off so that he only nurses before naps and bedtimes. Do this for 2 weeks.

Then, only nurse him at bedtime for 2 weeks. By then he should be done with it.

Give him a soft new toy, a book or something that plays music and use it during the last month of breastfeeding. Use it as a transition toy.

Do NOT start giving him juice or milk before bed. This is a bad habit that leads to obesity later in life.

Answer 6

Two years is the bare minimum recommended for breastfeeding. Why do you care what everyone else says, you know what is best for you and your child.

http://www.aafp.org/online/en/home/policy/policies/b/breastfeedingpositionpaper.html
American Academy of Family Physicians
"If the child is younger than two years of age, the child is at increased risk of illness if weaned"

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/bfextended/ebf-benefits.html
Breastfeeding benefits toddlers and young children...
nutritionally, immunilogically and psychologically.

* Nursing toddlers benefit NUTRITIONALLY
* Nursing toddlers are SICK LESS OFTEN
* Nursing toddlers have FEWER ALLERGIES
* Nursing toddlers are SMART
* Nursing toddlers are WELL ADJUSTED SOCIALLY
* Nursing a toddler is NORMAL
* MOTHERS also benefit from nursing past infancy
* Additional Resources
[see link for more on each]

A Natural Age of Weaning
by Katherine Dettwyler, PhD
http://www.kathydettwyler.org/detwean.html

Answer 7

You don't have to wean if you don't want to. If you and your son are happy with the current arrangement, then keep it. Babies who are allowed to self-wean are actually MORE confident and independent on average. There's nothing wrong with omitting the fact that he's still nursing when talking to friends. Personally, I talk about my 18 month old still nursing because I want people to know that some families do that. Kudos for continuing to breastfeed. It's still very beneficial to your son. If you choose to wean him, then go slowly and give lots of cuddles.

Answer 8

There are some people who believe in extended breastfeeding (nursing past the age of 1). However, at this point your son should be mostly eating solid food and drinking most liquids from a cup and only nursing one or two times a day. I'm not sure that he can get all of the nutrition that he needs from your breast milk anymore. And if you are still nursing that limits yours and his opportunities to develop a bit of independence.

Start by cutting out a few alternate feedings a day. Offer him milk in a cup at these feedings. At age 2 he should be ready for skim, but you may want to start with whole milk for a few months since it has a lot of fat like breast milk. If he won't drink the milk, try warming it or mixing in a little strawberry syrup. Also offer plenty of water, in a cup, throughout the day. Keep this up until you're down to one or two feedings a day and then down to none.

Remember to go gradually for your sake. Your body needs to adjust to the fact that it doesn't need to make so much milk. If you get engorged, try to express in the shower a little to relieve the pressure.

You will also want to set aside a few times a day for cuddling or reading together to replace the snuggle time of nursing.

Answer 9

I breast fed my daughter until 21 months. She never took a bottle. How I weaned her was only feeding her the breast before she slept or for comfort for a couple of months. Also you can try giving him chocolate milk in his cup, they make a sugar free kind now. At least that way you know he will be getting the protien and calcium he needs. One day you are just gonna have to cut it off... It's so hard.... It will take at least a week before they stop crying and you just have to grit your teeth and tough it out.

Answer 10

You do NOT need to stop breastfeeding him. He is NOT TOO BIG!!!!!!
Your milk is still full of nutrients (way more than the milk of a cow.) He will let you know when he is ready. It is not up to your friends or neighbors or family. Just you and him.
The average age of human weaning is between 4-7 years. That's when they start to LOSE their milk teeth.

If you want, you can start to limit him. I sometimes tell my 27 m.o. son that we will have milk when we get home, or in the car.
"Don't offer, Don't refuse" is another gentle weaning technique.

Here is some good info to support you in doing what is best for your son:
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/bfextended/ebf-benefits.html