Weaning

[shaestar]

:crying Willow is 2 and a half and we are weaning. She has not drunk milk for a while-instead putting my nipple in her mouth and just holding it there or licking it:no I have had many conversations with her about how it makes me feel yucky if she doesn't drink (it actually makes my skin crawl eeewwwww) and that maybe it's time to have cuddles instead if she doesn't want the milk. She has been totally cool with that-way cooler than I imagined.
Thing is I'm sad-she's still such a little one to wean and I AM nudging her, it is my idea for sure. I just cannot deal with the no feeding-it really does feel awful.
Suppose I should be proud of the hours we put in-10 months tandem feeding and all:love

[marmee]

Oh my! Yes - what a gorgeous achievement! :buddies:

I can so relate to how you are feeling and what is happening. Our DD did the exact same when she was 3.5 years old. She seemed to wake one morning and just forgot how to suck! I had heard of it happening - but to experience it was surreal. She would just put her mouth there, then look up at me and say "it's not coming" and then cuddle me before jumping off my lap and going on her merry little way. Didn't phase her. Phased me immensely.

I went out and bought her a beautiful necklace to mark the occasion. To make the end of one journey and the beginning of another. She chose it - and it made me feel so much better for some reason.

Lots of love to you. Maybe you will find a way to mark this occasion too :flowers:

[Kali]

My DD self weaned at about the same age. I was pregnant with Ash and she just decided that she didn't like the taste anymore.
I think you can call this scenario self weaning as she is not actually trying to get milk out. I don't think you are pushing too much in asking her either to do what she is supposed to do there or to leave it alone. I don't think that is weaning. Go gently on yourself. You have done a fantastic job!
I agree with Marmee ( funny that , I usually do :2lol) You should honour the occasion in some way.

[Merlion]

D will be three on the 22nd of next month and i would love to wean him as he only comfort sucks now... D is really good now and he doesn't boob at night only when he wakes up and wants to boob up to an hour

[emd]

Definitely sounds like self-weaning to me! She certainly wasn't feeding. I love the idea of doing something special to mark the occasion. When Billy self-weaned around 18 months (which I didn't even notice until 10 days after his last feed), I went through the photo albums and had a look at all my breastfeeding pictures. And then I went and bought myself some nice new bras with no easy-access clips and lots of padding and underwire!

[jodiemiller]

Congratulations on fulfilling her needs for so long. I totally relate to the bittersweet emotions though. Maybe you should buy YOURSELF a necklace to mark the occasion. ;)

[quigybopp]

Oh I hear you! Lucas hasn't had booby at all for a week now and I am the one feeling sad because I love the amazing bonding. I am proud we did it for 21 months but I am missing it so much!

[Kali]

Oh Lucas is such a busy boy! All is not lost yet though. DS fed only once a month for about 6 months before he finally self weaned.

[quigybopp]

I tired this morn and he tried sucking but I think there is no more milk :(. I feel horrible! And I had the worst dream about him last night that upset me so much that I felt sick! I don't know whats happening to me.

[shaestar]

Thanks everyone:grouphug2:
She's weaned-not a tear has been shed! She came out of nappies in the same week. Lots of changes for a mama to bear at once!

[jodiemiller]

It's all good people. They can't stay babies forever. *hugs* Remember to celebrate it somehow. :)

[Bron]

Antoinette, you'd be amazed at how much milk you are actually making ;) The human body can take literally years to stop producing milk. Once feeding is established, it becomes a normal part of your body, like making blood :) And the power of breastmilk is such that even the drops that he may be having (cos he may be having more) are very valuable. As the milk supply drops, milk reverts back to colostrum, little power pills packs full of vitamins and antibodies.

Now, Jodie, you know that breastfeeding isn't just for babies! I don't think my then 9 year old would have considered herself a baby. Actually, Josie doesn't ;)

[quigybopp]

Thanks Bron! I did hear that somewhere before! I think it's ME! I guess I am under a lot of stress and have very low milk supply and it's turned Lucas off even trying to suck. So I'll try pumping and drinking herbal tea to bring the supply up again! I miss him being attached to my booby!

[Kali]

Are you drinking enough water? just a thought :D

[quigybopp]

If you call busting to go to the loo every 20 mins enough water than YEP! :) And I burst!

[Kali]

hmmm interesting. Has your cycle returned or could you be pregnant? Both can cause a baby to wean quickly. Peeing every 20 minutes may mean that you are having too much water. That can have a bad effect as well.

[quigybopp]

Success we got booby! Yay! I just been under so much stress! A friend gave me some rescue remedy yesterday and Its working! Oh no no I am not pregers! Not ready for another!

[Bron]

are you drinking that much water?? are you that thirsty? if so, might be time to get a urine test done??

[Aine]

yay to you willow. She sounds similar to my willow she was out of nappies at the same age... What a week of achievements for her.

You have reminded me i must get some feeding shots of Zaan as i dont hve any

[cherish]

hugs- weaning is a big thing! I agree- mark the occassion, buy yourself something!!

[Rebean]

The human body can take literally years to stop producing milk. Once feeding is established, it becomes a normal part of your body, like making blood :) And the power of breastmilk is such that even the drops that he may be having (cos he may be having more) are very valuable. As the milk supply drops, milk reverts back to colostrum, little power pills packs full of vitamins and antibodies.




Bron - where can I find more info on this? Specifically the milk turning back to colostrum part? TIA

[Pinky]

It's all good people. They can't stay babies forever. *hugs* Remember to celebrate it somehow. :)

what??? oh crap and I just got this new one.. he's going to grow up TOO.. damn it - this wasn't disclosed when we got him...

sheesh now you tell me! what if I will him to stay a baby forever?

what a great idea about honouring the occasion. we never did with the girl.. I was sad. she wasn't ready. at 2.5 it kind of just dried up one week when I got sick.. she sucked but no milk came out.. she was sad I can still see her expression "there's no more milk mama" oh now I'm crying..

better go to sleep now.

[Rinelle]

I'm feeling a bit funny about this too. Ezri weaned at 4.5 after getting a cold. She went from feeding to sleep every night, to suddenly stopping. I thought she was all OK with it, but in the last few weeks she's been saying she misses breastfeeding, and she wishes she could still feed. It's been over a year.

[michelle_j_r]

i am well on the way to weaning Darcy at the moment too with mixed feelings. He turned 2 at the beginning of the month, and to be honest 2 is all i thought i would do so i am well and truely happy with that. But i have not weaned the way i would have liked. My milk supply has dropped to almost nothing but he is still asking for boob. A couple of months ago he was getting two good solid feeds a day and that was all he was asking for. Now though he gets very little (no idea how to judge it but it feels like maybe a couple of small mouthfuls each side and that's it) but he is asking for a feed all the time. So clearly he misses it and wants to feed more.

ergh. It's hard. I thought i would be happy to move on from this stage of things but not if he is looking to continue feeding. But i seriously can't express (had a lot of trouble even with a big supply as my let down reflex is very slow and very stubbon) so i am sort of left a little unsure about i feel about it all.

sigh.