How old was your baby when they were weened and why did you ween them (or were they self weeners)?

Faith - posted on 11/16/2009

Both of my children-1 boy and 1 girl-were self-weeners at age 3. During my son's 3rd year I was pregnant with our daughter, so he wasn't getting much but comfort nursing, but it kept his world right side up especially with his daddy flying military and gone a lot.
When it came time to go overseas as missionaries, our son's smallpox vaccination took at 5 years of age, but our daughter's never took in two tries because evidently she had plenty of her mommy's immunity as she was still nursing and smallpox vaccinations, which used to be required annually to go to Mexico, stopped taking on me in the late 60's. My children were both born in the 70's.
Faith Heath

Amanda - posted on 11/16/2009

My little girl is self weaning right now, she's only 6 1/2 months and i'm very sad about this. I am not working, and would have loved to continue to breastfeed, but she just doesn't want to anymore, she's given up her night feedings (would go for 12 hours without eating) so i had to give her a bottle. I do have a little bit of breastmilk frozen that we're using, but I can't pump anymore, my body just won't do it, so i have to use some formula. Reading all these posts about everyone breastfeeding so long makes me wish so badly that I could go on longer............but it's what my daughter wants.

Elizabeth - posted on 11/14/2009

My son was a year old when he self weened. After he was started on regular foods, he had little to no interest in nursing anymore.

Naomi - posted on 11/13/2009

Hi my 1st had to be weened due to reflux i made it to 11.5 months with her, 2nd i weened at 28 months ,3rd was 3yrs 4 months ,4th self weened at 19 months i tandem feed the last 2 for a bit over 12 months i loved breast feeding but am happy that i have my breasts to myself again lol

Sarah - posted on 11/13/2009

My daughter will be six years old in December and is still an avid nurser. I started talking to her about weaning when she was just 2yo, just to let her know that it was okay to stop if she wanted to. Once, when she was 3, I was again talking to her about weaning and she looked at me tearfully and asked if that meant she had to stop now. I reassured her that she could nurse as long as she wanted, but let her know that someday she wouldn't want to nurse anymore and that it was okay with me. Now whenever I bring it up she just grins at me and says she will nurse forever! I tell her that is NOT the case, and remind her that we do a lot of other things together, and that weaning simply means she is growing up. I certainly never intended for her to nurse this long, but she has always been a high-need child and I feel it is important to let her decide when to end this stage of our relationship. We still co-sleep, so nursing is pretty much limited to mornings when we wake up and storytime at night when she's going to bed. Of course, she will ask to nurse anytime I'm sitting down, but it's usually because she's bored so I find other things for us to do together. I will definitely be ready, though, when she finally is!



Regards,

Sarah

Amanda - posted on 11/13/2009

my first nursed till almost three my second stopped at 25-months when I became pregnant with the third I think the taste may have changed. And that brings us to my third he nursed the longest at 43mos. He was so funny about it as he got older, toward the end he would say "mommy sit down" pushing me to the couch, then he would pull the leaver which raised the foot rest climb up onto my lap and tell me which one he wanted. He was too funny...He's five now and I miss those days.

Tanya - posted on 11/13/2009

Be careful that you don't get your forum deleted because "they" don't condone weaning until after a year. I have my postings deleted due to someone else thinking that I teaching a cup or sippy shouldn't occur until after 12 months.

Conni - posted on 11/12/2009

Quoting Caitlyn:

My baby is three months and I had to ween him because he would wake up every 45 minutes during the night to feed. By the time I was done feeding him and changing his diaper I was not able to go back to sleep and then I was cranky from no sleep. I also had to ween him because in a couple weeks time I have to do christmas shopping and it is a 2 hour drive just to the nearest place to do shopping. I need someone to babysit for me to be able to do so. He is doing great with the soy milk I am giving him and is gaining weight normally so I am very proud.

Did you feel guilty when you weened him so early? I'm having a hard time with my 2.5 month old...well it's ME that's having the problem actually...he is doing great with nursing but I just dont know how much longer I can hang! I dont feel the "bonding" that everyone talks about, it feels more like a chore...and maybe that is selfish of me to think that way but at the same time I almost feel resentment every time I sent down to feed him (every 2 hours still even at night!) When I start talking to my husband about stopping breastfeeding I start to feel guilty, like I'm taking something away from him...I'm really conflicted about this to be honest!

Conni

Sang - posted on 11/12/2009

I ween my son when he was 14 months and a half. When he was about 9 months, I planned to have another child. In order for us to have another child, I have to ween him. It took me almost a year to be pg again. He cried for 2 days ( my heart broke that time), then that it.

Vlatka - posted on 11/12/2009

My daughter was 2 years and 9 months old when I weened her. It wasn't my idea, but psychologists. My daughter is affraid of most of the children and psychologist said it is because she still thinks she is a part of me, and not a person of her own. I still don't feel good about weening her, she loved to nurse so much!

Caitlyn - posted on 11/11/2009

My baby is three months and I had to ween him because he would wake up every 45 minutes during the night to feed. By the time I was done feeding him and changing his diaper I was not able to go back to sleep and then I was cranky from no sleep. I also had to ween him because in a couple weeks time I have to do christmas shopping and it is a 2 hour drive just to the nearest place to do shopping. I need someone to babysit for me to be able to do so. He is doing great with the soy milk I am giving him and is gaining weight normally so I am very proud.

Kaz - posted on 11/10/2009

Quoting Sidney:

Jake is 27 months and still going strong. He wants it when I sit at the computer, when I sit in a chair, when I sit at the table, and definitely when it's time to go to bed, or take a nap. He also nurses through the night off and on, and first thing in the morning.

Now you could be talking about my 16 month old daughter there that is exactly how she is LOL



Can live with the disturbed sleep and I enjoy it so I am letting her wean herself

Ann - posted on 11/10/2009

i son is 19months and he just started to ween the only true problem i have is the night time feeding and 6am feeding. its not hard as long as you give them something in replace of that feeding if for a snack give her an apple or some form of fruit that she like. my son was a comfort feeder i just started to play with him when he would cry or walk around until he was relaxed. oh and dont worry about what ur husband or anyone else says it will happen with time

Martha - posted on 11/10/2009

Our daughter was three years old and still enjoyed nursing. I didn't mind at all because we were friends with so many long term nursing moms. It was just a natural part of our lives. She was weaned at 3 years because of preschool and other events that would take her away from us for awhile. Our extended family was no longer supportive and had not been for some time.

Rhiannon - posted on 11/10/2009

my oldest was a self weener. around 7 months she had started foods, was not into the bottle and we were getting ready to travel from germany to washington state. I wanted to continue but she was no longer interested. My 2nd daughter seems to not really care either way. She is almost 3 months now and I plan to go until I can't anymore or she stops.

Mel - posted on 11/10/2009

I stopped at 19 mnths with my first, I was only feeding her when she woke at night. I thought if I stopped she would sleep through, unfortunately she still woke, she just wanted a bottle of cows milk instead! Must more time consuming. This time I think I will let Jaimee stop when shes ready.
Mandy-Lynn I think the best way is to drop one feed a day and slowly drop them. You could still feed at night or express if you wanted too. Slowly dropping a feed gives your body time to adjust and baby time to get used to the idea too

Mandy-Lynn - posted on 11/10/2009

My daughter is nine months old, and I am have having a hard time weening of the breast. I have to go back to work in a few months, I love breast feeding my daughter, but I really need help on how to ween my daughter.

Dawn Marie - posted on 11/10/2009

I have always loved the blessing of nursing. Three of my kids w at 12 - 13 months because they liked regular food and went strait to sippy cups. My fourth child refused to eat anything but mommy milk until 27 months. Then I made her switch to cows milk because I was pregnant and the doctor said the nutrients are given to the milk first and the new baby gets whats left.

Chloe - posted on 11/09/2009

I am breastfeeding my 2 year old daughter & 4month old son and plan to do so until they self-wean.

Shannon - posted on 11/09/2009

I EBF my first child for 7 months... then thansk to my management job at a local casino in CT, I just couldn't keep up any longer. She had gotten to only nursing twice a day by that time anyway....so onto bottles full time. She was always very healthy, still is now at 6, hardly gets anything more than a cold when the weather changes.

My son, now 14 months... he was all breast fed till 6 months, then yet again.. that darn high stress job came into play!! After 6 weeks being back at work, I was only getting about 12oz a day, and he was still taking at least 18oz while I was at work. However, we plugged along, I dropped one full day of work, only working 30 hours instead of 40, but the extra day at home was good for both of us. I pumped as much as I could while at work, and nursed him at home as often as he wanted. This stayed this way till just recently. He decided one day at just under a year that he no longer wanted to nurse before naps... only when he woke in the am, and at bedtime. About a month ago we went to only bedtime, and now if I am lucky, he will about 3 times a week. So, I still pump 3 times a day every day to have some to give him since he des not drink milk... and BTW... he is always sick... had ear infections that started at 2 months of age and have continued on and on since then, and he's had bronchytis twice in his short life. He has allergies that are enviromental and to legumes (soy, beans, peas) and he is hypoglycemic.

Kristin - posted on 11/09/2009

My oldest daughter self weaned at 14 months. I was unable to nurse my second daughter because I was on Magnesium Sulfate for 3 days when I had her. My milk never came in, I was devastated. My 3rd daughter self weaned at 23 months. My son is 8 weeks old and we plan to let him self wean whenever he is ready. My breast fed babies never had a bottle.

Carolyn Jane - posted on 11/09/2009

My eldest son self weaned himself at 18 months, I'm sure it was because I was pregnant with number 2. My daughter also self weaned herself at 19 months. The youngest is now 20 months and I am still breastfeeding. We have plenty of broken sleep - waking up at least three times during the night to feed. As soon as I sit down on the couch, he brings blankey and wants a feed - if he's busy playing and I'm busy then it doesn't bother him. I don't think he has any plans of giving the breast up very soon - so its interrupted sleep for a while still......I've breast fed exclusively and I defintely think the breast is best - my kids have never had any serious illness except the odd runny nose and cold.

Carrie - posted on 11/09/2009

My son sefl-weened at 12 1/2 months. I am a working mom so I did some direct breastfeeding and some bottles with pumped milk. He figured out after a while that bottles were much faster and no longer wanted to breast feed directly. With my second son, I am being careful not to progress to faster flow nipples on the bottles so that there isn't such a difference.

Kate - posted on 11/09/2009

My oldest child nursed until I weaned him at 3 yrs 4 months. I was pregnant with child #3, and had been tandem nursing for 14 months. My second child nursed for that entire pregnancy, and still nurses at 3yrs 2 months. My 3rd child is now 14 months and nurses constantly. I really do hope to wean my 3 year old sometime soon. It's been a LONG year, nursing 2 kids.

Shantell - posted on 11/09/2009

My first child breastfed until she was a little over three years old and I weaned her because I was pregnant with my second child. I've had a history of miscarriage so I felt I needed to wean her at that time. I am still breastfeeding my 21 month old and plan to do that until she is at least 2 years old :)

Jessica - posted on 11/09/2009

my twins breastfed until they were 18 months old... i told myself it wasn't my decision when to wean, no one goes to kindergarted still breastfeeding... so they decided at that point...

Rachel - posted on 11/08/2009

lol....weeners.

Tara - posted on 11/08/2009

my son Luka (10 months) is self weaning as we speak, just latches on and then sucks for a few mins and then bites (drawing blood!). Still likes two long big feeds though early am and before bed, probably just as well as I have to go back to work in Jan, but have stock piled milk in the freezer and he does the whole sippy cup thing well also!

Darcy - posted on 11/08/2009

My first I weaned at 14 months, my second I weaned at 13 months, and I am nursing my 3 mo old hopefully longer than my oldest



I had a rough time carring a pregnancy so we weaned.

April - posted on 11/06/2009

I am still nursing my youngest who is 17 months, I've tried to wean her more than a few times but clearly she is not ready, She nurses 3 times a day usually for naps and nightime, sometimes more (she sleeps with me and has an all access buffet at nite). I am trying to get her out of my bed but she sneaks in their in the middle of the night. My older two didn't nurse as long. The first was 3 months ( I went back to work and didn't have time to pump) and my second was 5 months ( i'm not sure why we stopped so early).

Brandi - posted on 11/06/2009

I'm so happy to hear from so many other moms that are still nursing after a 12 months. My son is almost 15 months and he nurses all the time. My family is weird about it, my mom always makes comments about other people who are nursing two year old babies and it makes me mad, it's like she is pushing me to stop. I want to let T self ween, so I just try to remind her that there is nothing wrong with nursing older babies.

Claire - posted on 11/05/2009

I am still currently breastfeeding my son 3 times a day; he is now13 months old. I find it wonderful, peaceful and relaxing for both of us, plus all of the added health benefits he's receiving during his second year of life. I had the flu a month ago, and even though I had my son in my care 24/7 during that time, he didn't get ill. I'm sure that was sue to him getting my antiboduies in the breastmilk. My Dad said to me today (who I don't see all that often) 'Oh, youre STILL breastfeeding'. I explained my thoughts on the issue and said I'd wean my son when we are both ready, whenever that may be.... It frustraits me that I feel I have justify myself and my choices, and also that society in general uses that word 'still' when refering to mothers feeding after one year. I look forward to the day when my choice to feed my child (however that may be and to whatever age) is respected, accepted and not questioned!

Krystal - posted on 11/05/2009

Quoting Marcy:

My kiddo is 3 yrs and 3 months and still nursing. It's pretty much only in the morningh when he wakes up, when we get home after I pick him up at school (sometimes but not that often) and I nurse him down at night. Some nights he wants it others he could care less. I figured I've gone this far with letting him lead the way he can just finish it up for me.....I'm also not pushing anything right now either....he can nurse through flu season which is fine with me.

My baby just turned 2 last week while she was sick with the swine flu. She suffered fevers for three days followed by four days of throwing up and through all of this, she didn't eat anything for 8 days. If it weren't for breastmilk, she would have been starving. I was so thankful that I hadn't already weaned her when she got sick.

Krystal - posted on 11/05/2009

I'm really struggling with this one. My third daughter just turned 2 last week and the dentist today told me that her four front teeth are decayed and now she's needs surgery to get them capped due to nursing at night. The same thing happened to my second daughter at 2 1/2 years old and I didn't nurse her after 4 months because I got shipped to Iraq for a year. Mia wants to nurse at night, during the day, as soon as I walk in the door from work, when she's happy, sad, you name it. I want to wean her only because she's taking to biting down really hard in her sleep and my nipples usually in her mouth. I'm upset and confused because I feel like I'm a good mom but I'm getting mixed messages and my daughters are suffering in the meantime.

Amanda - posted on 11/05/2009

my son is 15 months and still nursing. he doesnt show signs of stopping either, which is cool. i get alot of negativity with him feeding on me still though, has anyone ever gotten that? it makes me so mad, if they only knew the benefits of breastmilk, i think they would stop, :)

Angela - posted on 11/05/2009

I nursed my daughter for the first year. We were down to just 3 times a day, and she already took juice from a sippy, so weaning was not difficult. I stopped at one year because (a) I hated breastfeeding and (b) one year is the recommended amount of time. If you can continue to breastfeed I think it's great, but for me it became awkward as she got bigger. Good luck to you!

Brandi - posted on 11/04/2009

Oh it is so good to know I am not alone, My family thinks it is wierd but I am still comfortable with it. The US is the only country that thinks of nursing in terms of months. Every where else thinks of years. I am trying to be patient and enjoy this time while I can.

Brandi - posted on 11/04/2009

Still going strong at 2 yr and 1 month. i would love to wean/ he one the other hand does not shre this feeling. This is my 3rd to breastfeed and this child took to it easy and loves it. But by 2 I feel I am more a comfort deviice for him more than anything. At what point do you put your foot down and say no more? I am very conflicted with this, I have always gone by self weaning, he isn't going for it.

Brandi

Laura - posted on 11/04/2009

My daughter nursed exclusively (no bottles) until she was 16 months. She then became too demanding and wanting to spend 24/7 comfort nursing or she would throw a fit. I weaned her onto a sippy cup. She was a much happier baby once she stopped thinking about nursing all the time. I do wish I could still nurse her, but for her it was all or nothing.

Kandi - posted on 11/04/2009

I am a mother of three and nursed all three! My first I had to ween her at 6 months as i started working again and my body doesnt respond to pumping. My second child self weened from daytime feeding at around 13 months and night time nursing at about 15 months. My third is 6 months now and I intend to allow him to self ween as long is it doesnt go past the 15 month mark. why 15 months? I firmly believe that that is enough time to get comfortable w/ vit. D milk.

Hannah - posted on 11/04/2009

my daughter was 12 months when i started to ween her. my breastfeeding goal was one year and i was also pregnant again, so i wanted to make sure there would be enough time inbetween me nursing her and a new baby to cut down on jealousy. she was completely weened by 13 months. no issues at all.

Lily - posted on 11/04/2009

with my son i stopped at 13 months, supply was very low, it wasnt even painful to stop. with my daughter, shes 21 months now and were still going 4/5 times a day. i plan to wean her aroumd 2.. well see though.

Willow - posted on 11/03/2009

I weaned my son at 22 months because I was 5 months pregnant and I felt very uncomfortable when I nursed him. I had a hernia and he would try to touch that spot and play with it while he nursed, so that was another contributing factor. I didn't feel that it was fair for me to breastfeed him if I was starting to resent that time (especially at night) because I was feeling pain from it. I talked to him a lot about how he wouldn't need mommy milk ('milloo') anymore since he was becoming a big kid. It was a very gradual process. I tried substituting with a bottle of soymilk or yogurt drink (or either in a sippy cup) and he wasn't interested in the substitution - he really just wanted the comfort of nursing. I made sure to continue to cuddle and sing him to sleep while we transitioned. He still asks for a song from either me or my husband before he falls asleep. My daughter is 10 months old and still nursing. I am hoping that she'll continue till 2 years old. If she is still nursing at 2, I will need to assess how I feel at that time about whether we'll continue. I'd like her to wean herself when she's ready if possible.

Katrina - posted on 11/03/2009

My son was an eating machine, he was breastfeed until 2 days after his first birthday. I weaned him since I thought a year old was a good time and was the age the doctors told me was good to stop.
My daughter wasn't as into it as my son and ate a lot less so my milk supply kept getting lower and it was hard to keep up. She was nursed until she was 9 months old and then went on formula with no problem. She was mostly breastfeed but did have a few formula bottles a day from the time she was 5 months-9 months.

Briana - posted on 11/03/2009

my first stopped nursing shortly before a yr but only because I got pregnant and my milk supply drastically decreased. My second is still nursing (he is 10 months) and I plan to let him wean on his own. I don't let him nurse at night(because we all enjoy our sleep) and as a result he does not wake up crying for it now. and now my first child wants to nurse again. lol I'm thinking just because she is a little jealous.

MARIA - posted on 11/02/2009

my son is 25 months and would nurse all day! he mainly wants too when tired, comfort and for feeding, but when thirsty i always offer him a drink and he usually takes that if available, he is picky eater most times, he also does through the night, but he has many times gone a whole day without it. I will let him wean on his own. my first born i had weaned her at age 26 months.

Amy - posted on 11/01/2009

My daughter was 8 months old when she was weaned from breast to formula. Several reasons: 1 she had teeth and loved to clamp down pull back and release me like a slingshot. 2 did not have alot of time to pump at work thus... 3 (main reason) my production slowed to 3 oz per day.

Boone - posted on 11/01/2009

My oldest tandem nursed with my 2nd daughter for a year before she weaned. She was about 3.5 years. My 2nd daughter was 3 and a few months and my 3rd child, a son, was during my pregnancy with my 4th and he was 2.75 years. My youngest is 10 months and nursing strong! :) I would say that they each weaned a combination of self/and mom led. It was time and we both knew it. :(

Tracy - posted on 10/31/2009

My older daughter was 19 months when she self weaned, like most she was only having her pre bed feed. Am hopefully going to let my second daughter do the same.

Lexie - posted on 10/31/2009

I'm beginning to wonder if my daughter is weening. She nurses 3 times a day (when she wakes up, after daycare, and before bed) and gets 2 breastmilk bottles at daycare. She has completely lost interest in the bottles at daycare. She now only nurses for just a few minutes, sometime just one side (I have to make her nurse the other side so I don't explode). She is now eating everything we eat, no baby food, so I bet that is why she is straying away!