BF toddler feeding very frequently - help!

[CluckySC]

I'm still breastfeeding my son (21 months old today) and hope to keep going until he's two, or maybe a little longer.

Boobies are absolutely his favourite thing in the world, which is fine, but lately he's feeding very often, sometimes every 10-20 minutes for hours in end. He doesn't usually do this, he'll sometimes go 6 hours without a feed just fine.

Lately there's been a lot of stress, car accident, selling house, in the process of moving now, lots going on, and I'm not sure if this is affecting it because he definitely feeds for comfort more than the milk itself. Stress definitely isn't helping.

I'll try saying boobies are resting, try distraction, try offering him a drink of water or rice milk instead (can't do dairy) and sometimes they work, but more often than not he bursts into tears. Not a tantrum, I know his tantrums, just really really upset.

Happy to do it to a degree but when it's every ten minutes it's just too much physically. Yesterday I was on the phone trying to get our power connected for the new house and DS was playing with his Dad then he got hysterical for 'boobie' and screamed and cried for about 5 minutes (the almost throw up cry) until I hung up. :(

Any tips for *gently* helping him find another comfort source? He's never taken a dummy and doesn't form an attachment to a particular blanket or toy. It's just my breasts.

He's also been doing this in public (though much less frequently as he knows I try not to feed in public now that he's older) which is very embarrassing since he's big for his age so looks much older.

Help!!!

[Opinionated]

I have had the same thing at times from a child over two. I think it was mostly reassurance, and we didn't have half of what you had going on. We have no dummies, blankies or comfort items either.

Mine also had teeth issues as 2yo molars were coming through and food intake was down.

I allowed the boob, but after a suck or two said that was enough and lets go and do this. Soon I would just cuddle and say lets go read a story or something. The more I tried to stop it completely, the more it was wanted. We only feed morning and night now, and if something really bad happens (like today's accident and blood nose). It just took time. Once they realise they can have it, they often don't want it so much.

[hayleylea]

I not long ago stopped breastfeeding my little girl - She is 21 months now. I wanted to stop altoghter though so my advice might not be any good. She wasnt obsessed with them either - would only feed once a day - sometimes two times a day if she had a sleep but the second feed was very rare. I thought i would have had a really hard time stopping her from feeding all together because although she didnt do it much she loved it iykwim. One day i just decided it was enough and I said 'no more boobies, mummys boobies are sore' That was it! The first night i put her to bed i sat with her and she cried for all of 2 minutes and was fine. She occasionally asked for it after that but i just said No they are sore - and now she just points and says 'sore and laughs' she knows they are 'gone'.

Distraction would be my best bet - at that age he doesnt need to be feeding that much - and as you have said its for comfort and he needs to know that mummy isnt a dummy :) As tough as it is if you want to stop him doing it you will have to be prepared to put up with a few tears - but they hopefully wont last for long.

All the stress in your life sounds awful! :hugs: And could e contributing to this constant feeding. Maybe go out and get a brand new cup - a cool bright coloured one and offer him a drink in that when he wants you to feed him? Or sometimes it takes a bit to get them to attach to a toy - so maybe just offer him a special toy and keep offering and see if he attaches to it? My kids 'teddies' have been my saviour many a times lol.

goodluck :)

[JabberJaw]

Is he teething by any chance? My 21 month old was the same a couple of weeks ago, i thought she was cutting eye teeth....one day when she was having a screaming melt down i realised she was actually cutting 2 of her 2yr old molars :eek: and i believe that was her problem.

(well thats my 'excuse' anyhow)

Also could be stress and growth spurt. or even something like an ear infection. Constant feeding is the ony sign my DD gives for an ear infection, she gets no fever till its really bad.

[CluckySC]

I don't think it's an ear infection but I was suspecting the molars too. He has a pretty hard time teething (the molars make his ears hurt when they upper ones move down) so could be that.

Opinionated - I'm trying to do similar. Not saying no, but if it's just constant trying distraction some of the time. Usually if he gets them he wont let them go :laughing:

Maybe I need to wait till we get settled in the new house and see how he goes then. I'm glad that I have something that can comfort him so much but when I walk into a room and he exclaims "Boobies!" starts running towards me and climbing me with this little excited hyperventilating snort of happiness I wonder if I am just boobs with legs at the moment!

Ah the joys of breastfeeding a toddler! :p

[JiminyCricket]

My son 16 months is doing this at the moment to but at night he is feeding every 20 minutes and grizzling most of the day.
I am pretty sure he has some teeth coming through because he did the same thing when hes last lot of teeth came in, I am not sure which tooth so he is getting bonjela put on a few times a day.