
Elizabeth - posted on 07/08/2012 ( 3 moms have responded )
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My boy is 19 months old and I REALLY WANT TO STOP BREASTFEEDING HIM, but he is SO STUBBORN. He refuses to fall asleep at night without the breast, and will cry for HOURS in the morning and nap time if I don't breastfeed him. Please help me. I loved breastfeeding him when he was 1-12 months... But I am feeling hopeless now... How can I wean my stubborn boy? A bottle is not an option. He just throws it and spills milk everywhere. Should I just go cold turkey and let him cry, kick, and scream for hours? :
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Lori - posted on 07/08/2012
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I wouldn't go cold turkey. It won't be good for either of you. Does he sleep through the night currently, or does he wake and want to be breastfed back to sleep too? I also have a 19 month old who I still breastfeed. I've been having trouble with her waking in the middle of her nap and wanting to breastfeed, and waking in the middle of the night several times per night wanting to breastfeed. I've started using some of the techniques from Dr. Jay Gordon's sleep solution.
http://drjaygordon.com/attachment/sleepp...
Even if you don't have a problem with night waking, you might want to read through this article.
What I've been doing is limiting the amount of time I allow my daughter to nurse before bed. If she's not asleep after half an hour... she's done. She cries about it, but I just lay in bed next to her and tell her that she already got her mommy milk, now it's time to sleep. She's slowly learning to fall asleep next to me without needing to have the boob in her mouth. At nap time if she wakes in the middle of the nap I am now refusing to nurse her again. I'll go in and lay her back down and sing to her, and tell her to go back to sleep. So far we're making pretty good progress. She's now taking longer naps, and is starting to fall asleep easier if I'm not breastfeeding her.
You don't need to worry about a bottle. He's old enough he doesn't need to drink out of a bottle. As long as he's drinking something during the day, and has had food and water before bed time, he'll be fine. Does he drink cow or other milk during the day when it's not bed time?
Morning time breastfeeding should be able to be averted by distraction techniques. Don't lay next to him in bed or sit with him on the sofa or wherever you normally nurse him. Instead, just get up with him and get him playing with his favorite toy. Offer breakfast shortly after he's gotten up.