I'm weaning my daughter who is 16 months and she is only nursing 2 times a day. The problem is that I'm having a really tough time getting her to take other things to drink in any good amount. I have tried a variety of sippy cups and a variety of juices and water and milk. She'll fuss up to an hour before giving in and taking a small amount and her diapers aren't nearly as wet as they used to be.

Cassaundra - posted on 01/16/2009

Kimberley, you're wrong, babies do not play mind games or manipulate to get what they want!! You can't "spoil" a baby by responding to their needs. It sounds like Jessica's child still needs to breastfeed. Jessica, just because you're going back to work doesn't mean you have to wean. Especially since neither of you wants to.

Get a good breastpump, Medela's electric ones are the best because they maintain lactation and have a cooler for storage built right in. Also, they're the only ones I know that aren't painful. This way she can have your milk during the day. Also, you can still nurse in the evening and the morning. You are both going to need the comfort of nursing to ease your transition to working. There's nothing wrong with continuing, in fact the World Health Organisation's guidelines for infant nutrition state that children should be nursed till they are two years old. I haven't made it to two years yet, my kids wean themselves around 18 mths, but I'm aiming for two years with my 6 mth old baby girl.

Above all, listen to what you and your child both know to be best. She's not manipulating you, she loves you and needs you. What can be more precious than that.

Krista - posted on 01/16/2009

Both my breastfed babies only would take the Nubby straw cup.  Try warming drinks.  You can add sugar or strawberry syrup to milk-not for the long haul, but to get over the hump.  If your daughter refuses to drink milk, be sure to give her other dairy such as yogurt and cheese.  Nutrition is far more important than weaning.  You could always nurse in the evening before bed time and have some peace of mind she is getting fluids, calcium, and some more bonding.  It may be less traumatic for her (and you) to continue nursing when you are not working.  Will she drink from a cup with out a lid with help? 

Krista - posted on 01/16/2009

Both my breastfed babies only would take the Nubby straw cup.  Try warming drinks.  You can add sugar or strawberry syrup to milk-not for the long haul, but to get over the hump.  If your daughter refuses to drink milk, be sure to give her other dairy such as yogurt and cheese.  Nutrition is far more important than weaning.  You could always nurse in the evening before bed time and have some peace of mind she is getting fluids, calcium, and some more bonding.  It may be less traumatic for her (and you) to continue nursing when you are not working.  Will she drink from a cup with out a lid with help? 

Krista - posted on 01/16/2009

Both my breastfed babies only would take the Nubby straw cup.  Try warming drinks.  You can add sugar or strawberry syrup to milk-not for the long haul, but to get over the hump.  If your daughter refuses to drink milk, be sure to give her other dairy such as yogurt and cheese.  Nutrition is far more important than weaning.  You could always nurse in the evening before bed time and have some peace of mind she is getting fluids, calcium, and some more bonding.  It may be less traumatic for her (and you) to continue nursing when you are not working.  Will she drink from a cup with out a lid with help? 

Jessica - posted on 01/15/2009

Thanks for all the suggetions ladies.  It's helpful to know that others have walked through this and that we'll get through it all right.  I would tend to keep breast feeding, but I'm returning to work in a few weeks time and I don't want her to be going throught the trauma of weaning at the same time as separation anxiety.  I've nursed her so long because it is such a special bonding opportunity and I have had a really hard time giving it up.

Ami - posted on 01/15/2009

Have you tried a morning of giving her as many salty foods as she wants to see if it would get her over the hump of avoiding the sippy cup? Just an idea.

Stacey - posted on 01/15/2009

Will she drink out of a straw?  Sometimes the novelty helps....

Kristi - posted on 01/15/2009

Maybe some extra cuddles and love will help her let go of the nursing...

Kristi - posted on 01/15/2009

I also wanted to say that my son is not for sippy cups. He drinks from a normal glass and from a straw. He actually prefers my Camelbak (of the straw variety) - so now I consider it his. He could never get the hang of restaurant straws until recently but has been drinking water from the camelbak for months. Also, the Sigg works great for us. He was one of those babies that NEVER drank from a bottle... we had to feed him expressed milk from a shot glass when I had to be away for any length of time when he was a wee little guy!

Kristi - posted on 01/15/2009

Mine never really liked milk at first although he now will ask for it over water sometimes. We don't really offer juice except on special occasions for health reasons - too much sugar. However, before he would really accept milk, I would feed him Whole Milk yogurt almost every day (Yo-Baby) and they also make a whole milk drinkable yogurt. I would just offer constantly offer water. We are weaning right now at 16 months.

Danielle - posted on 01/15/2009

Sounds like she is not ready to wean. There is nothing like the warmth of mama's skin. Just the peace of knowing they are getting good nutrition and hydration is a good reason to continue.

Kimberly - posted on 01/15/2009

I agree with Amy - She will drink when she is thirsty. Babies are very good at getting what they want from us (they know mind games very young!). When you want her to drink, give her a sippy cup or whatever you may be using. If she doesn't want it at that moment, don't force it. But when she is thirsty, she will drink! You will find that diapers aren't as wet as they get a little older. They don't pee as much as they do when they are infants.

Amy - posted on 01/15/2009

She is just having a tough time getting used to the conversion, but rest assured she will not dehydrate herself she will only drink when she is thirsty and as for the fluid just keep water and milk on hand where she can access it on her own time, she will adjust in no time, it's just on of life's many changes.

Katie - posted on 01/15/2009

I agree with Danielle! If your little one still wants nurse, and you are comfortable with carrying on nursing, then that would be best. If you are not comfortable, or cannot continue nursing, I refer to my above suggestion :-)

Danielle - posted on 01/15/2009

If I was you had I got on with breast feeding like you obvisoly do I would just carry on because it is such a bonding experience and you are lucky you have been able to breast feed for so long and well, I could only do it for 3 weeks as my son was a piggie, If you feel ok about carrying on then do it, I know some people disagree with breastfeeding for a long time, but the time you spend with your little one you will never ever get that time back again. Other people should keep there opinions to themseleves. Good luck I hope everything works out well with whatever you do and try.

xx

Katie - posted on 01/15/2009

Maybe your little one prefers the breastmilk to the other drinks - have you tried pumping and lacing her store milk with a little breastmilk? Once she accepts the mixed sippy cup, you could gradually stop adding breastmilk to her drink... Hope this helps!

Christina - posted on 01/15/2009

I nursed all three of my kids. I remember at the time it was harder on me then it was on them when I weaned them, however what I found that worked was I put a sippy cup in every room wherever they could reach. I also made a special cupboard where they could reach and put all of my kids dishes it that cupboard, I presented it to them as "thier special cupboard for when they wanted a drink or something to eat they could be a big kid" it sounds funny but it helped and when I put the cups filled a quarter way with fluids different kinds they just started to drink them. it became easier for them. And the hardest thing I had to do with weaning was being persistant and saying no more your a big girl/boy now these are mommys and pointing to a cup and saying those are yours.

It took a lot and I found I cried a lot because my baby was no longer a baby but with time it becoes easier

good-luck hope this helps a bit

Dana - posted on 01/15/2009

I went through the same thing with my daughter!  I tried mostly watered down drinks, Fruit2o turned out to be a favorite, we don't use milk but she does like vanilla Silk (soy milk) occasionally.  The hardest part is just cutting them off, it broke my heart but I was pregnant at the time with baby #2 and really needed to get her weaned!  Just keep presenting the sippy cup to her, my daughter was stubborn but eventually gave in.  Good Luck!

Victoria - posted on 01/15/2009

I was having a simlar problem with my 15 month old boy. What I started doing was making sure I left his cup somewhere he could get it when ever he wanted and he just started helping himself.