3yr old weaning help

Jeannette Torres - posted on 06/08/2010

wow

Elsabie - posted on 06/06/2010

I weaned my daugther off the night time feedings last December when she was 20 months old. I took a non spill sippy cup to bed with really weak squash for her and told her that there is no milky in the night only juice. It took a week of crying and fighting it, but it worked in the end. I now have her donw to feeding in the morning and sometimes before bed. I try to avoid the bedtime feed, as when she was little that was the only way she would go to sleep, so don't want to start old habbits again. It is still hard, because she still asks during the day, but I just distract her or tell her she has to wait until bedtime. Then I feed her donwstairs and let her daddy take her to bed with a story. We also took the cot in our room down yesterday so she can't come into our room in the night anymore. We had the cot next to our bed like an extention witht the side taken off. I had to resettle her 4 times in the night last night, but hope that this will soon settle down. Well done for nursing for so long. So glad I'm not the only one doing it. None of my friends nurse anymore so it can be lonely.

Rachel - posted on 06/05/2010

Wow - it's so great to hear about other Moms who are nursing for so long, and also to know that I am not the only one with such difficulty weaning. Congratulations Danielle on nursing 6 years - quite a feat. I am almost to 4.5 years of nursing. I tandem nursed for 18 months - it was exhausting, especially because my older one wanted to nurse all day and all night! I finally weaned him when he was 3.25 years old - it was hard, and he still has difficulty with the jealousy of watching his 2.5 year old sister nurse and it's 1 year later! I desperately want to wean her too but she loves to nurse and is very sweet about nursing. I recently night weaned her - several nights of crying through out the night. I explained that we would nurse again when the sun comes up. She understood, but still was upset for about a week. Now it's really sweet - as soon as she wakes at 6 or 7 the first thing she says is "Mommy, the sun is up. Can I nurse now?". Adorable. Once you reach a point where there is a lot of upset involved with the issue of nursing - in other words, when they want to and you often say no, it is actually helpful to wean altogether because it removes a constant source of tension - it's difficult to believe, but it actually makes things easier on the little ones to not be wondering if they can or can't nurse each time. Around ages 2 and 3 It's developmentally healthy for them also as they are at an age where they need to individuate a little. It's hard to believe. I had several therapists telling me it would really help my son if I weaned him, and when I finally did, I was surprised at how much more smoothly our days flowed....until the next developmental changed arrived!
I think you Mom's are all amazing for nursing as long as you are. Good luck!

Celeste - posted on 06/04/2010

Wow, that is so awesome that you nursed your older DD til she was 4 1/2! It's really nice to hear from others who nursed/nursing older kids. But I digress LOL

My boys have finally gone down to once in the mornings from nursing at least 6x's a day, but I'd love to cut that one out for good.

Danielle - posted on 06/04/2010

mine to, a lot of the time she has to nurse at the same time. ( has been great for the bonding between them though). a total of 6 yrs, i nursed my older daughter till she was 4 1/2. and tandem nursed her, but she only nursed once at bed time so she was easier to wean, my other daughter just won't go down in nursings.

Celeste - posted on 06/03/2010

Yes! Same here! I think one of my boys would've been weaned a long time ago. I don't know about you, but if one nurses, the other HAS to nurse too..

Wow, 6 years! Go you! That is such an awesome accomplishment.

Danielle - posted on 06/03/2010

thanks for the article. weaning would probably go easier if i didn't have another one nursing to. my daughter feels left out and doesn't understand why the baby gets to nurse but not her. all my kids have been boobie addicts lol. i have been nursing for 6 yrs non stop, i'm tired

Celeste - posted on 06/03/2010

"I have tried to put limits on it, only let her nurse for 5 min and have been cutting down from there but when the time limit is up she won't let go. or comes back 20 min later, and if i say she has to wait she will scream and fight with my shirt. how do i handle that??"

Danielle, when my boys do that, I tell them no and try to distract them. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. I know it's hard, I'm right there with you. How long have you been trying the time limits? For my boys, it took them awhile to get used to the idea. One of my boys is my "boobie addict" and even he will say "OK, nah nah all done!" I wasn't convinced that it would work but after awhile it did. It just took time..

I think it just takes time. Trust me, I understand. I'm SO ready for them to wean. But, we're getting there and you will too!

I forgot to address your night time issue.. We did the Dr. Jay Gordon nightweaning method. Again, it took time and patience, but it finally worked:
http://drjaygordon.com/attachment/sleepp...

Danielle - posted on 06/03/2010

she will be three in july and has never had a pacifier, so i know she won't start taking one now

Danielle - posted on 06/03/2010

well the one i want to wean is almost 3 and she has cow milk all the time, but it doesn't help with getting her to wean and she eats regular food to. she does it out of comfort not because she is hungry.
i have tried to put limits on it, only let her nurse for 5 min and have been cutting down from there but when the time limit is up she won't let go. or comes back 20 min later, and if i say she has to wait she will scream and fight with my shirt. how do i handle that??

Jeannette Torres - posted on 06/02/2010

I can relate. Sounds like your little one is using you as a personal pacifier. Remember they don't physically need to nurse or have anything at night anymore. I just stopped with my 18 mo. old but I do make a bottle with premix rice cereal and fruit. If he wants milk I just give him that. At first he didn't want regular milk so I mixed in a little apple juice then sometimes a little spoonfull of dessert. I just did little by little for the last 3 months and now he can't nurse because there is no milk anymore. My son just wants the comfort of my body heat and his pacifier. Try giving the paci only at sleep time. Hope this works a bit just be consistant because they do know more than we think. PS my son is drinking regular milk now but I still put in a little cereal in his sippi cup at night to fill him up so he doesn't need to drink as much.

Celeste - posted on 06/02/2010

I'm right there with ya. My twin boys are 3 1/2. I've put limits on them so that's helped. I will tell them that I will count to 10 and then nah nahs are all done. I also try to avoid the places that we usually nurse..

They've gone down to once a day, but I'd love to get rid of that last morning session!

Krissy - posted on 06/02/2010

I have the same problem. I have a one yr old as well and they both love nursing, especially when tired, sick and after they eat.