Stopping Breastfeeding

Tiwany - posted on 02/14/2009

Hello Lisa, my son Hayden is 15 months old, born on the same day as Caleb. He is a 100% breast fed baby. I have recently started him on Soy milk, which he enjoys in my absents. I have three other older children I had to ween and for me the easiest way to change there focus is to go away. I'm military and very often have to travel. Each time I had to ween a child it has been around a military duty (TDY). Whether the trip has been 1 - 8 weeks, when I return home they are disinterested. My first, who is now 17 weened after 11 months, my second was almost 3, my third was 2 and I'm hoping Hayes is now. (LOL). I hate letting go, because it is a special bond you build. But, when the molars start breaking through it is really time to let the grow. I hope that helps. Don't feel bad for feeling bad when you don't give in. It's hard for all of us. Just keep that in mind and you should be okay in about a week or so.



ti

Jax - posted on 02/13/2009

Hi !  I'm Jax, 39, from the UK and have a 15 month old who does exactly the same.  Our boy doesn't like any other milk tho (except in cereal).  He doesn't ask for it when we go out or go visiting, so we're looking to put him in nursery a couple of afternoons a week - it may stop the trend.  Maybe they just ask for it cos they know we're there.

Do you need to stop altogether tho ?  My dbb is exactly the same in the morning and last thing before bedtime too.  I think they'll stop when they want to.  Perhaps try entertaining him with something just before you know he'll ask for it - might take his mind off it.

Catie - posted on 02/08/2009

I would recommend a gradual wean. It is best for baby AND for you. Even though your body produces what milk it needs, if you quit cold turkey you will suffer with engorgement and run the risk of developing mastitis (infection in the milk ducts). I JUST had this talk with my pediatrician last week. And by the way she breastfed all four of her children! She said the best thing to do is start with the most demanding feeding time (in your case morning) and start there, find a distraction to get him off of it. Even if this means waking up 20 minutes before him and having his breakfast ready when he wakes up. Do this for a week or so, and then continuing that new routine, pick his next most demanding feeding and work a way around it. Even if it means playing outside for a while to distract him, continue that routine for a week and then add in a new one. DO this so that you and him can adjust. This way your body will slow down the milk production. For me my son only nurses a couple of times at night. so I have to figure out how to break him of this. I would just have my husband get up with him, but he works and goes to school full time so he NEEDS the sleep. Good luck sweetie!

Laura - posted on 02/07/2009

My little guy (also born on November 10) just decided to stop nursing this week. :( Personally, I would maybe try substituting the ones in the afternoon with a good tasting juice...you know something he really likes.

Galina - posted on 02/03/2009

I stopped at 12 months gradually. I cut out 1 feeding for a week or two, and than another.. and so on. I think its the best way for you and your son.  That way you are more comfortable and you decrease the chance of getting mesticitis (sp?) or pains.

Erin - posted on 02/03/2009

Hi Lisa. I have a somewhat different situation than you because I had to go back to work full time when my son was 4 months. I nursed my son for exactly 12 months - I actually stopped on his 12 month birthday - but by the time I stopped he was only nursing once or twice at day at most. So we exclusively nursed or had pumped breast milk for the first 6 months, and then by 9 months had switched to 50/50 breast milk and formula. Then by 12 months we had switched to milk and sippy cups, and nursing just once a day.

So even though we have different situations, I would still recommend a gradual break. Maybe for a few days or a week, drop one feeding and substitute a sippy, then after another week drop the next feeding...and so on. When you give him the sippy let you know how proud you are of him that he is a big boy, I think this might distract him from thinking that he needs to comfort nurse. With my son, by the end of 12 months when he was nursing just once a day, he didnt even really care about it. He would only nurse for a few minutes, then start getting un-interested and start playing. I knwo that he was not distressed at all about weaning - but maybe that was just his sign of being ready. I would just give it a try and see how it works. If he seems distressed, you can always keep nursing him.