Weaning a 14 month old?

Emily - posted on 02/02/2009

Look into the "No-Cry Sleep Solution for Toddlers & Preschoolers" by Elizabeth Pantley. She's my favorite authority on baby sleep habits, and has helped all three of our kids. She's got some great tips on night-weaning, helping kids fall asleep without nursing, and on weaning from a family bed. :)

Personally, I'm still nursing my 13 month old a few times a night, and we still co-sleep. I know she's teething (she just cut two molars and has at least 3 other teeth on their way), so she's really uncomfortable during the night, and I don't mind nursing her while I sleep. My 2 1/2 year old just weaned (she was only on one feeding a day for about 4 months... the bedtime one) but she still likes to climb into our bed several nights a week... normally I don't even notice until morning. I have no idea when she actually comes in.

Also, I still wake up many times during the night needing a drink. We keep water bottles near everyone's beds so they can quench their thirst at night. If your daughter is only waking up thirsty, you could try offering her water instead of milk.

Paula - posted on 02/02/2009

pls...just remember that your baby does not have her own functioning immune system until shes around the ages 2-3yrs old. she still is building up her immune system through your breastmilk. she may want to nurse alot at night because she is teething and nursing feels good on her gums. or she's just not getting enough to eat in the day. if your working and away from her, then she is just playing catch-up on nursing she missed while you where gone. i know it seem hard, but she just want her mommy close by, and nursing does that for her!

Shannon - posted on 02/02/2009

I am in the same boat as you Jamie my son is turning 1 years old and he also wakes up about 4 times to be breastfeed. I know that it also is a comfort thing just wanting to be in my arms. I just don't know where to start by teaching him to fall asleep without the breast or being always rocked. If anyone has any suggestions I would love to hear them.

Jamie - posted on 01/31/2009

I am about to face this.  My daughter was bottle feed so weaning her was easy.  Breastfeeding my son is a whole different ballgame.  She was sleeping through the night.  He is 11 months and still wakes up about 4 times a night.  I'm so not looking forward to this, thanks for your insight!

Ciara - posted on 01/31/2009

Thanks for posting this!  I don't have any advice but want to sympathise with you.  I'm in the same boat and her molars are just now coming in (she's 13.5 months).  I never thought about that being a hurdle before weaning, but it makes sense.  Weaning when they are sick or in need of comfort may not be the best time.  But it has given my husband good practice in comforting her, which seems to be a key component in the night weaning from what I understand.  Good luck, and please let us know what you decide to do.

Goldie - posted on 01/31/2009

I know that it may be hard to let your little one cry it out but it may help. Have dad go into the room and offer a cup of water. We had to do this with my daughter. Most dr's are okay with a little one having water in middle of the night. It also may be that she is just thirty. What ever you do try to stay out of the room at night, so daddy will need to be okay with the crying it out too. It took about a week and my daughter was sleeping through the night, she still gets a cup of water to go to bed with incase she needs a drink but she drinks very little.

Carrie - posted on 01/31/2009

does she have her molars in yet?  that increased the nightwaking for us, and once they were through it was much better.  As for nightweaning, I didn't have any success.  We fully weaned at 20mo, and the middle of the night nursing was the last one to go (he was most attached to this one).  I just offered snuggles, singing, and even though he was sad, he got over it in time.  If he got really hysterical I did nurse, but after a while he gave up the session.  (I knew it worked when one night he got really upset, so I thought I'd go ahead and nurse him, but by the time I'd pulled my shirt up he had turned away from me and given up - that was a bittersweet moment)  I also found that a lot of times he is thirsty in the night (even after we've weaned) and he likes to have a sippy during the night and then he goes right back to sleep.

Good luck!

Krystal - posted on 01/31/2009

the only thing that worked for me was the crying it out, which i know is not for everyone. at 10 1/2 months she was still not sleeping through the night and i felt she was ready to. i stopped all other nursings except the bedtime one. she cried for 3 nights, the first night was about 20 minutes, the second as well was 20 minutes, and the third night was about 10 minutes. it was so hard to hear her cry but i knew she wasn't hungry, wasn't dirty, and was safe (i have the video monitor so i could see her). now she gets put down and sleeps for 12 hours with no problems.

good luck with whatever you find works! know that eventually she'll get there!