how did you start weaning your baby?

Anna - posted on 05/30/2012

My son is 2 and I've been trying to wean him since he was 21 months. I'm also totally against crying and causing distress so that's why it's taking me so long. I tried weaning at night first but it didn't work out very well, my son was crying for over an hr, no other soothing was working, so I gave up and decided to wean him from day feedings instead. That was fairly easy and painless and I used distractions. What I'm doing now is letting him nurse but shorteting the nursing sessions. Like I'll say you can nurse for a little bit and I'll slowly count to 10. Sometimes it woks, sometimes it doesn't but the best way to wean is gently and with love. If you're ready to do that, it might take you anywhere from a week to a yr to fully wean. You have to watch your baby's reaction and make sure you show him how much you love him throughout the process. Tell him you're not weaning because he did something bad but simply because he's a big boy now and your relationship with him will not change due to weaning. Good luck!

Amanda - posted on 05/29/2012

Mine stopped on their own but they were over two.

Demetra - posted on 05/28/2012

I agree with Heather Kelly above, YOU have to be ready to wean. I breastfed till my daughter was 2 and a half. I honestly believe you should breastfeed as long as possible.

by then we had reduced the number of feedings to the night feeds, which was more for comfort than anything else. My mom came to visit us, my daughter's very close to her and she has more patience with a crying baby than hubby. I started by weaning off the one breast by showing her a spot on the wall where mommy had made an owie on her one boob, A few nights later, after being asked if my owie was better, I told her my other boob had also gotten an owie and would "flinch" everytime she touched it if it wasn't to stroke it, she seemed to be ok with it, except later when she was asleep and turned to me to suckle. My mom took her and comforted her. The first night was the worst, but by the third night we were ok.

Star - posted on 05/27/2012

Breaking the habit is the gentlest way to go. I started by nursing for a few minutes then saying "milk all gone" and giving a sippy cup to appease the empty stomach. Walks in a stroller, car rides or someone else putting him down for a few days in a row is the easiest route. Replace with sippy cup of milk and sing songs. It only took about 3 days with both our sons, turtlenecks and staying firm but loving. Repeating "milk all gone", "empty", "no milk til sun comes up" or whatever your child responds to. It's hard at first, but once they start sleeping through the night you will feel so much better and life at home will be more relaxed and everyone will be happier and better rested.

Andréa - posted on 05/24/2012

I totally agree with the night weaning first! This is a combo of sleep training as well (the link of dr gordon). I found that once my son started sleeping thru the night and not waking 2-4x to nurse, it totally changed my outlook on weaning him. We slowly (have been on a slow wean for 4 months now) have edged out the nursing during the day. Currently at 18mo he only nurses to go to sleep at night. He will go down for a nap without nursing, so I know he can do it. He is just so excited to be able to nurse at the end of the day, that I am not ready to let that one go...and clearly he isn't either.



I know that "don't offer/don't refuse" is another gentle way to wean if he is still nursing a lot during the day. We needed lots of distraction at first, and a few added sippys of milk with snuggling. Now when he asks I take it as him just pointing out parts, and start a game of "where is your..." Hahaha. Good luck!

Margarita - posted on 05/24/2012

Hi Sara,
I agree with the last nursing of the day being the last to go, as the others are less "necessary" in his mind. One thing I did with my daughter (she used to nurse to sleep as well) was to start reducing the duration of the nursings. For example, if it took her 15 minutes to fall asleep, then I'd let her nurse for 10-12 minutes, then rock her. She didn't like it at first, but eventually she got used to it. At the home stretch (she was down to one nursing for five minutes or less before sleeping), I picked a time when we'd be out late on a few occasions (Christmas holiday parties for us) and let her fall asleep in the car on the way home. Then I didn't nurse her and simply rocked and sang the nights in between. I'd originally planned to wait until after New Years since we'd be flying and such, but when I realized I had all these nights close together when she'd probably just fall asleep in the car, I jumped on it and had stopped about 3 weeks before the flight. If you're not in a rush, I'd say start removing one feeding at a time, maybe start by shortening before eliminating if it helps, and waiting at least a few days before removing (though you can certainly shorten) the next one. The longer the process, the easier it should be on both of you. Good luck!

Beth - posted on 05/23/2012

When my son was 13 months old, he was only nursing once in the morning and once right before bed. The rest of the day he was fine with cow's milk. I first cut out the morning feeding, and eventually the night feeding, giving a bottle of milk instead. It went pretty smoothly for us, and that's how I knew we were both ready for it. I don't know how often you are nursing, but I guess my suggestion is to make that last night feeding before bed the last one you give up, if you're worried about tears. But they will still likely happen. Also, please don't feel bad because he's not falling asleep on his own yet, every kid is different. My son is 4 now, and we're still working on that one!

Heather - posted on 05/23/2012

Do YOU want to wean him? Because you don't have to ya know. Night feedings should be the very last to go. Try only nursing him morning, night, and maybe once during the day, but not before nap time(s). Try putting him down with a sippy cup of milk, water, or half water/half juice instead. Try this for a week.

Then cut out any midnight nursing sessions, this will be tough, but when he gets a sippy cup of milk in the middle of the night, instead of you, he will soon probably stop waking up in the middle of the night to nurse for comfort. Do this for a few nights or more.

Then cut out the morning nursing, and give him a sippy cup of milk when he first wakes up, do this for about 5 to 7 days, then cut out the night time nursing, and instead, give him a sippy cup of milk. This worked for me weaning our daughter, she was 22 months old.

Celeste - posted on 05/22/2012

OK, then I'd start with night weaning

During the day, I started reducing the time nursing (for example, you can say "When Twinkle Twinkle is over, nah nahs (or nummies, etc) are over!")
Lots of distractions. I kept them busy so that they'd "forget".

Sara - posted on 05/21/2012

thank you very much. yes, I guess I'm ready to start it slowly.

Celeste - posted on 05/21/2012

Are you ready to wean? It's OK to continue, but you can put limits on him. One suggestion is to start nightweaning:
http://drjaygordon.com/attachment/sleepp...

And please don't feel bad. I'm not a big believer in sleep training. I did night wean my twin boys at around your son's age and it worked for us. Do you have a SO or husband that can help you? My husband comforted them while they cried (they were NOT happy).

If you're ready to wean, I'd start slowly. Maybe try night time and then cut down during the day?

Good luck! Great job for going 17 months!