Need Advice on How to Wean 1 Yr Old from Nursing

It will be easier the longer you wait, as they nurse less frequently as time goes by. You and your body will still get health benefits from the continued nursing and it may well be a comfort for him. But, if he seems amenable to stopping nursing now, the suggestion of another poster to only nurse when your body physically needs to will have a similar effect in that your body will gradually start to produce less since the baby is demaning less. My baby is now 12 years old and I still fondly remember those early days of nursing - it's more than just nutrition - you are also meeting his emotional needs. You also do not need to wean the baby onto cow's milk if he doesn't like. He can get calcium from other sources or you can use rice milk.

Congratulations for nursing so long! My little one is 14 months old and we're down to one nursing about every 3rd day. I'm a working mom, so during the day, I gradually stopped pumping as much. Then, I got to the point where I wasn't pumping at all and just feeding him in the morning and at night. Then, I cut out the morning feeding every other day and then every two days, etc. Until I wasn't feeding him in the morning at all. I tried to go more than two days in a row without feeding a few weeks back and it was PAINFUL! So, I fully advise that you take your time. It will be less painful for you and for him. At his age, he's probably so preoccupied with all the new stuff around him, he won't even notice. Good luck!
For me personally, nursing my son has been one of the most rewarding aspects of motherhood.

I weaned my twin boys from nursing when they were a year old. I went gradually. I think I started cutting out one feed at a time about a month before I planned to stop. By going so slowly, my milk dryed up naturally. I never had any pain and I was dry two weeks before I planned to stop. It was bitter sweet. During the first year, I supplemented with formula when I couldn't breast feed, so after they turned one, I gave half formula, half whole milk and then gradually went to straight whole milk. It worked for us.

I'd stick with the suggestions to go gradually. I weaned by cutting one feeding and waiting a few days before cutting the next one. Eventually, we were down to every day and a half when I cut it off completely. I had no pain or engorgement in the process because my milk supply was kinda pooping out by then, anyway.

But one suggestion that I have is to enlist Daddy's help to cut the morning feeding. Have Daddy get him and start breakfast instead of you going in. That way, he isn't expecting you to be there and nurse upon waking.

Good luck!

Whatever you decide, do so gradually. Going cold turkey is hard on you physically and hard on the child. So if you can avoid that, do.

Just let him nurse when you feel the pain-and no other time. You will stop producing so much, then you won't be hurting and can stop altogether. Good Luck!

The best thing to do would be to cut out a feeding and nurse when you feel full. My daughter and I "weaned" each other at about 8 months. She got busy playing and I got busy sewing and we would both forget. I would only nurse her when the breast was full or I remembered and then one day we were done with no regrets on either side. There was no pain or engorgement and it was a fond memory -- she will be 31 in March. As for the baby formula transition, she didn't like it and I went to powdered milk which is similar in consistency to breast milk and that worked fine.