how did you know

[The Fox]

when it was the right time to wean.
Did you just know, or was it something that you worked up to?
My DS is 15.5 months and up until now we have enjoyed a good breastfeeding relationship. lately however it has been getting to me and im starting to feel like i want to wean him.
Just the other night he would only sleep whilst breastfeeding and as soon as i took my boob back he would wake up and cry after a while i refused to give him anymore breastfeeds as i was so tired and wanted to sleep and he threw a 2 hour long tantrum.
He has been feeding all day long this past couple of weeks and will constantly throw a tantrum and get very upset if i dont feed him.
its this behaviour that makes me want to wean him, that and i hate the morning feed, he wakes up earlier and earlier just for boobies and its doing my head in

[MsMummy]

My son is (tomorrow) 25 months, and I'm starting to think I wouldn't be worried if he self weaned.

I have been trying to night wean him, and now give him a bottle of milk before he goes to sleep (as well as a breastfeed) to encourage him to sleep through.

He doesn't feed much during the day anymore, but he is very keen on his morning feed.

Despite me working, trying to give him the bottle, exercising a lot lately, he is still hanging on. No idea how I will wean him one day.

do you find it particularly bad when you're pre-menstrual? I have had my period back for maybe 6 months and I can't stand it at that time.

[The Fox]

yes i do find it particularly bad when im premenstrual i think he actually feeds more then too
its very frustrating at the moment and i would not even know how to go about weaning him anyway

[MsMummy]

Maybe some milk in a sippy cup?

The pre-menstrual thing is awful for me, because I wish I could just not feed him that one week a month but I can't really convey that to him.

If you want to night wean, google "night wean". there are some AP sites with some good advice about the dad attending to the baby overnight etc.

[meme]

In reply to op, I consider that the weaning process starts with the introduction to family foods somewhere (usually) in the first 12 months. In a lot of cases introducing foods other than breastmilk will change the breastfeeding pattern. Ideally breastfeeding will gradually decrease as the amount of other foods increases.

I personally think that this process takes time and is very individual. For me I believe that breastfeeding is important for emotional as well as nutritional reasons for babies and young children. I use the World Health Org guidelines of feeding until 24mths to guide me on a minimum weaning age. for this reason, even though breastfeeding decreased before 2 with all my children, I continued to offer at least one breastfeed a day until they turned 2. ( I also in some cases continued feeding after 2 yrs, but I still was working towards weaning at our own pace).

I also did start to feel like I'd had enough of breastfeeding at many and various times. I think this is a completely normal part of breastfeeding for some of us. I found that usually I made some change to how or how often I was feeding so as to feel like I was happy to continue feeding to reach my goal.

Night weaning was a big part of total weaning for me. Once I had night weaned I was happier to keep feeding until 2.

I also set other boundaries as my children got older and my feelings changed again. usually reducing feeds by dropping those I found most *annoying* or that I thought would be easiest for the child to drop. Gradually weaning this way worked well for me.

I think your weaning goal is probably going to be personal and it's up to you, and your family what feels right. I'd recommend gradually dropping feeds, and seeing how you go.

You can also call the ABA on their helpline for ideas on weaning. I've found their support great at all stages.

good luck with it

[BabelFish]

Sadly my daughter self-weaned at 7.5 months from breastfeeding and then just last week at 27 months she self-weaned from bottles.

Somehow I don't think my son is going to follow the same path. He's nine months old and very committed to his boob!!

I thought I'd wean him somewhere between two and three but will just see where it takes us.

I think if you're really over it then it could start to have a negative affect on your relationship if you force yourself to keep going - once you're sure it's not just a phase you're going through.

15.5 months is a great effort you should be really proud!!

[JabberJaw]

I have, so far, let DD take the lead and i to have days like you where i am so over feeding her.

It happens every month a couple of days before i get a period, she will just want to be fed all day and all night drives me insane.

But i am still feeding her and she is 2 years 7 months old.

These days, i can put her off from having a feed if need be. She is sleeping through the night a few times a week, goes to bed each night without being fed (because i work, so has a cup of water) she wakes about now (10-11) has a feed and hopefully will sleep till 6ish and have a little bit more sleep.

I do remember though DD going through a stage like you have mentioned, but i always blame it on growth spurts/ill health/ moving...something

Best of luck, i know what its like so you have my sympathy, but i have no great advice sorry.

[The Fox]

thanks for the advice i actually remembered today writing another thread a month or so ago asking if 15 months was too young to wean lol, i think i was feeling the same as i am now which just goes to show its probably only a phase that he is going through and will go back to normal soon. At least i hope so, im happy to continue feeding him if it goes back to how it was so i think ill give it a week or two and see how we go

As for dropping feeds the only set feeds he really has is in the morning, before his nap and before bed, these are the feeds im happy to keep, its the ones that he has started demanding during the day, you know the 2 min feed, go and play for 5 mins come back have another minuet then off to play then back over to demand more ahhh the trials and tribulations of breastfeeding, i wonder how much easier my life would be if i just didnt give such a crap about these things

[BabelFish]

It would probably be much easier! But it wouldn't mean as much

[Mrs Nietzsche]

Yes well. With my daughter, becuse I was worried about her still feeding at school (she was just on 4).

Ds is 27 mths. He still feeds ... once in the morning. He's had about 4 days where he skipped it altogether. (This is because I refuse to feed him at 5.30am when he wakes up, and sometimes he gets bored waiting and runs off).

If you are feeling sick of it - it might be easier on everyone to cut back rather than wean altogether.

I cut back DS in 2 main stages really - night weaning, and then snacky feeds during the day (just in the past months).

Both involved a fair bit of protest from him. I night weaned him at about 18 mths and it wasn't too bad (much easier than the first time at 12 mths, after which we relapsed).

Cutting back feeds during the day involved distracting him, seeing if he would go for milk instead or water, or w/e, making a game of it ie 'no booby! .. can i have huggles??! and then he says - no huggles!! and we both laugh.

There's a certain point beyond which I've found I can't push him without him obviously becoming anxious and insecure about what's going on. I tried to cut back day feeds too much to begin with and after a couple of days, it was like he twigged to it and had a really hurt uncertain look in his eyes, so I eased off.

Anyway excuse the essay but I guess my alternative suggestion is to cut back and see how you feel - distraction, keep htem busy, provide alternatives, keep your shirt on. I think that is gentler on everyone than 'cold turkey'.