Others Experiences on Weaning a Toddler

I weaned my daughter at 22 months after about 2 weeks of 1x a day bfeeding at bedtime. All i did to switch it up was to create a new ritual (reading a book) before laying down with her and she was totally fine with it. Maybe find something new to do that can be enjoyed before sleep and upon waking to ease the transition. good luck!

Wow, you're lucky! Mine both weaned themselves around 16 months, so maybe I'm not a good person to respond, but could you try to replace one feeding session with a cuddle session, is usually doesn't phase them. Mine always had trouble going to sleep without feeding, but at 22 months, if you don't have that issue, I'd bet that if you do a near-equal substitution, you would have some luck after awhile. Best of luck.

My daughter was 23 months when we weaned. We were down to morning and night only feedings. I began telling her that we were just going to cuddle and talk instead of having "boobie" (what she called it). She only protested a couple of times and when she did I would tell her that the boobies were sleeping and she needed to be quiet so she didn't wake them. Seemed to do the trick. She is nearly 3 now and still talks about "sucking on mommy for food". If she is particularly tired or cranky she will still hold a boob for comfort, she puts her hand down my shirt and just rubs the top of my breast.
Good luck, I hope you have as easy and as loveing of a transition as we did.

I breastfed twins until they were almost 2 1/2. They went from many feedings per day to only a few, then to before bed and first thing in the morning, then just before bed. They probably nursed just at night for 5 or 6 months. Then the night feedings became less important and we missed a few occasionally. At that point, we were visiting family and we missed 2 or 3 feedings and I decided it was probably time to wean. It was tough the first few nights, but I kept snuggling them and just told them the milk was all gone. That worked for us! At the end I think they just wanted the comfort and they got that from just snuggling. Each child is so different!!

I found just knowing the intention in my mind was to wean and actively engaging him in activities that nurtured my child in their appropriate aged way I found it just occured natually. I myself couldn't do cold--turkey, was too emotional for both of us to even contemplate that action. However, when he was nursing 1x at bedtime when he was 3 I left him for a week with our friend/midwife and when I came back I still had milk but he didn't like it. He said it tasted green! ha So that was it. Let yourself be guided by your knowingness as his wonderful mother and honor your needs as well as his.

I finally decided to wean when my first son was 17 months old. I put something nasty on my nipple when he wanted to nurse (happened to have ginger body wash in the shower at the time), and he soon lost interest. We were down to just a few feedings a day by then as well (2-3x).

i just got my 20 month old weaned 2 months ago, right after she turned 18 months.... i had a similar situation as you, down to 3 feedings a day.... what i did was cut them out one by one and that worked for me. it took a few months, but i started with skipping the nap time feeding which she seemed perfectly ok with... i just made a new ritual for naps, instead of nursing, i lay down with her for a bit and rubbed her back - it turned out that nursing had become a comfort thing - so the back rub replaced the nipple... next the morning one which was the easiest for me to drop, since she is a morning person and all i had to do was distract her until i got out of bed... i just had to start getting right up and making her breakfast when she woke up... that one was pretty cold turkey. the night one was the hardest since she is worn out at the end of the day and it took a couple more months for her to be done with that. she had gotten to the point where she only nursed a few minutes each side and my milk supply had gone down since i was only nursing once a day so again it was the comfort thing. eventually she would fall asleep without once in a while, and within a couple weeks of that she stopped asking for it as regularly and then right after 18 months she skipped a couple of days and the next time she asked, i said no and just rubbed her back instead and she didnt complain, just fell asleep and that was that. it definitely took longer than i wanted, but it worked for us.

Hello S.,

I put Tobasco Sause in a diluted form on my nipples to discourage my daughter from breast feeding. She would still ask for it but then say she didn't like it because it was too hot and spicy. Make sure you dilute the Tobasco because it will not feel good otherwise. Hot boobies are not as great as they sound. It does have to be hot enough for your son not to like it. I had to keep adjusting the level because my daughter was a trooper and would just get used to the heat and taste. Good Luck. My daughter was older and it was really hard to get her to wean, but it did work. She did get a little sad, but I gave her extra cuddles.

I recently weaned my 18-month-old after struggling for a few months w/ what seemed like little progress. I agree that, for an older baby/toddler, continuing just a few times a day may be confusing. I tried and tried to continue to simply cut out the final few feedings we were still doing one at a time but it seemed like the constant tantrums, etc. weren't decreasing. When I finally just cut him off altogether, he quickly got over it and seemed to forget. My biggest concern was that my son was nursing to sleep and I thought it would be a nightmare trying to get him to adjust but he really did great. Of course, every child's different but I just wanted to share my experience. Good luck!

I just weaned my 2 1/2 onle son. I simply told him Mommy is brocken and they don't work any more. He was down to only mornings, naps adn just befor bed already. I was serten to offer other opptions. "If u are thersty u can have milk" "I can cudle with u all u wan't but can't give u nersing." it was a fight the first two days then it was more a game for him to try to nurse. It has been two weaks and he doesn't even think of it now. I would also tickle him and try to distract him.

He is goign to fight it, but jsut remember there are so meny ways to halp sooth him or get him to sleep. He jsut doesn't know them yet. It is up to u to teach him.

I also weaned my son at 22 months. I did cold turkey, it was rough, but it was the only way (for me). I tried cutting down too, but it was confusing to him. He cried for about a week and was done. After the weaning I noticed that he was not as clingy and he ate better. Two big plusses for me. Good luck,

hey there. i am a mama of a 3 1/2 yr old girl who still nurses in the morning. we started weaning about age 2. we weaned during the night. then a few months later started weaning during the day. up to that point she still nursed on demand. so at about 2 1/2 she was only nursing in the am, at nap time and then to go to sleep. then i took out the nap time nursing, and the naps went with it. she no longer napped, which was an adjustment. a month or so later we took out the bed-time, and some people will disagree with me here, but i let her "hold" my breast for comfort. it was something that she had done already, but it kind of took the place of nursing. i told her that we nurse in the am, and she could hold my breast if she wanted to. it worked for us. we also have a night time routine that was put in place at year 1, so she just fell right asleep. plus without a nap, it was easier for her to go down at night. the am nursing is more for "waking up on the right side of the bed." it helps her start the day. i hardly have any milk, so she nurses, literally, for about five seconds on each breast. soon that will go away and i will only have memories of nursing my sweet baby. know that your baby will let you know when he is ready. remember that he won't nurse until he is ten, no matter how many people will make that silly comment. he won't. it is a precious thing that is over before we know it. savor it. and also, the month you decide to completely wean, look forward to a nasty illness. their bodies will miss that immunity we give them. i tried to wean my daughter completely, and then she came down with a terrible stomach bug. i felt that nursing was the only comfort. and it was the only thing that she kept down. so we started up again. she is so healthy, and i think it's my milk. the benefits of prolonged nursing outweigh the desire to wean.however, if you are ready, i would take out a nursing month by month (first nap time, then night time, and lastly am). and be consistent. that's key. much luck to you and your baby. ~sb

Hello,
I just recently weaned my 15 month old cold turkey. I actually went away for a few days and came back and told him that the boo boos were gone.
He tried but instead would suck his thumb to comfort himself. He did see the boo boos the other day while I was in the tub and he tried to nurse again. I did have to tell him once again that they were gone and he actually did okay with it. Although we both went through a little withdrawl we are doing fine know! Hope this helps!

J.

I just finished weaning my 19 month old son. I used a water bottle that has a top that requires you to suck on. And when he would ask for milk, I would say, "No, but you can have some water."

i had to wean my son around the same time, because i was pregnant and getting sick all the time...i replaced the few times i nursed him with the bottle. he never seemed to miss it, and he seemed to really love nursing. one person i heard just told thier daughter that her breasts were broken and put band-aids over her nipples, and that seemed to work fine.
nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn

I weaned my son at 17 months. I cut out the easiest one first, that was mid day. Then I cut the hardest one, night time. I did not substitute milk or a sippy cup, I just cuddled and rocked him and followed the same bedtime routine as usual. My plan was then to cut the morning one the next week, but after two mornings of no night time nursing, he wasn't interested in the morning. So we just stopped. I do not remember it being traumatic at all for him...in fact it was almost too easy.

Two of my boys nursed until they were 19 months. I simply told them, I know you are sad, but Mama's milk is all gone. After a week or two they were happy with their tippy cups and stopped asking.

J.

I have to put my "two cents worth" in since I just weaned my 26-month old son after trying everything for almost six months. He refused to stop and threw every tantrum in the world until one day I took my daughters tempura paints and painted my boobs blue. When he wanted to nurse I said I couldn't because they were blue and then showed them to him. I only had to paint them two nights in a row. He called them my "icky blues" for a couple weeks but the cold turkey worked.

Good Luck
T.

Ok...there are "experts" who would say 22 months?...cold turkey for sure!...Me being an "expert" mom...hahaha...no way. At least for me...My son was 14 months when we started to wean. I was ready...he wasn't. I picked one breastfeeding a week to cut out. I replaced that with a sippy cup and light snack to help an "empty" tummy. He really enjoyed the one on one time with a snack. I am guilty, guilty, guilty for letting him have it on my lap. He still had me to cuddle with and food. I wasn't too concerned about the time frame of things. It was a gradual thing that was full of extra hugs, cuddles, reinforcements, and kisses... The bed time feeding was a bit harder for both of us to give up. When we finally reached that feeding. We gradually changed the bed time routine. We did a bath, snack with sippy, read books, and a lot of cuddling and love. It was hard for him at first and he really resisted. On the nights when there was a wrestling match on my shirt to come up and then to stay down....I just prayed for extra patience...haha Eventually they learn....Be strong and know that the time is right for both of you....
Stay Strong....

My little boy loved breastfeeding. In fact, he recently said to me, "I loved nursing. I loved LOVED nursing." I could have nursed him for much longer but my husband put the brakes on it - that's a whole other subject. Anyway, when my little boy was about 22 months old I started building up to his 2nd birthday and I told him "When you're 2 you'll be a big boy and you won't need to nurse anymore." On his 2nd birthday, he nursed to his heart's content that morning - he was down to just mornings by then, anyway. The day after his fabulous birthday party he wanted to nurse and after I said no and after he respponded with a lot of crying, he said, "a book?" So we snuggled and snuggled just like when we nursed and replaced that morning time with reading a book. After a couple of days of crying in the morning, he stopped asking to nurse and just brought me a book and snuggled in... It was very sweet and bittersweet, all at the same time. I miss our times nursing, but I don't miss the biting... Good luck.

It sounds like you are weaning your toddler. This more limited schedule may work for both of you for awhile. There is no reason to go "cold turkey". There are still incredible benefits to continue breastfeeding until he is even 36 months old. Our culture has placed lots of pressure and artificial limits on how long it is "accepted" to breastfeed.

My advice is to breastfeed as long as both of you want to. It is great to stop 2 year old fits, give nourishment when sick and does not want to eat, and to get baby calm for sleep!

good luck!

I weaned my daughter at about 30 months. Don't do it cold turkey, you will be in a lot of pain! But you can always substitiute a warm cup of milk and some cuddling at that time, so he doesn't feel like he's missing out on being with you.

Hi S.! First off, congratulations on making it this far! My son is 19 months, still breatfeeding 3x a day and up an average of 5-6 times a night (oh I am tired). He has been asking for ba ba during the day much more than usual as of late and I have been telling him gently, no ba ba right now - his mouth pouts and he whimpers a bit and then he is off to the next thing. It sounds like we have the same challenge before us. I, too do not have the guts to do cold turkey. My challenge is the night time weaning - how did you do it??? I have a very persistant young boy!

S.,
When our son turned 1 yr old, I stopped cold turkey. I didn't want to, but I had such depression and anxiety that I needed medication and didn't want him affected by it. We gave him vanilla enriched soy milk by Soy Dream and he loved it. A few years later, he decided that he didn't like it anymore and he hasn't had any since. He is now 7. Because we don't give him milk, our pediatrician recommends calcium enriched OJ, Tums or vegies that have natural calcium sources.
Best wishes

You could try to cut out one feeding of the day for a week and continue to do it gradually. I actually did it cold turkey once I got down to the nap and bed time feeding by replacing those with a sippy cup of milk or water and rocking. I enjoyed rocking because we bond during that time, like nursing used to do. But I had made up my mind I was done so when you're for sure ready then that alone helps.

I weaned at 8/9 months with my children, so I don't have any experience with toddler weaning. It sounds like you use it as a comfort and bonding before going to sleep. Maybe if you changed the routine around at those times, and found a different way to slow down, before naps, and bed time. As for the morning feeding you could use his 2nd Birthday as "Big Boy" step for him and let him pick out a special cup, that he now gets to use when he eats his breakfast. I would guess that at this stage of his life the breastfeeding is more about knowing that you are there for him, than actual nurishment(I know breast milk is very nurishing). So if you make sure to be consistent, and loving, even "Cold Turkey" will work out just fine.

Okay, so I have sucesfully weaned three toddlers. My first was definatly the most difficult, but you can do it without going cold turkey.

I just weaned the third because I am pregnant with my fourth so I will start with what worked with him. I would start with the morning feeding. Have a cup of water ready for him in the morning and bring him into bed for some snuggle time. If he is not a snuggler, then be ready to get up and distract him with some breakfast.

Since he is very verbal just let him know that he will get to nurse at nap time. Once you have this morning feeding done you could choose between nap time and bed time. I usually go to nap time next just because it is the next in line.

If he is used to being layed down after falling asleep while nursing(all my kids were) then I would rock him to sleep and put him down. He may still ask to nurse, but once again I would tell him he gets to nurse at bedtime. My babies would often fall asleep to humming and a cup available for thirst while they were being rocked. Expect some resistance!

You may enlist your spouses help for bed time weaning. Usually by the time you get to this stage of weaning it will take care of itself. I use the same tactic as nap time and rock my toddler to sleep. Find what works for you best and go with it. It may be back scratching or snuggling with him in bed, if it is big enough.

Whatever you do, keep the rest of his routines the same. Keep nap time and bed time the same. I don't recomend tiring him out by extending the time. Then he would be cranky and more prone to wanting to nurse.

Good Luck,
C.

I have never breastfed my children that long, but my pediatrician says it is better and easier to wean as early as one year. The nutritional needs should no longer be there if your toddler is getting a well balanced diet and drinking cows milk.At this point is is probably more of a habit and comfort to breastfeed. As with any habit it is better to give it up completely than to prolong it. Your child can still have that closeness with you at nap time and bedtime, Just start a new ritual( whether it is readinga book ,rocking for a few minutes etc.) I think you will enjoy that just as much and you might like being the owner of your body once again.

Hi, I also think cold turkey is not the greatest approach. It seems if you have successfully night weaned and your son has the language for you you to communicate well enough, you can just make a goal of when to be done ( like a few months ahead) and in the meantime slowly cut out one feeding at a time. Choose the nursing time that is easiest to replace - maybe the morning one, if he usually comes to you in bed, you can get up ahead of him and be ready to engage him in another activity or help making breakfast etc. You can explain that just like you don't nurse during the night, now you only nurse to nap/sleep. Then think about a new night time routine ( this was the hardest part of weaning my son, going to sleep=nursing, how do you change that?) replace nursing with rocking or a special new song or light a candle or something. I think it isn't confusing to nurse just the 3 times and then cut down if it is consistent and you can think of new things to do to replace the habit of nursing. When my son was down to just nursing to go to sleep, we set a date a couple weeks ahead and then had a "no more milk" party and made it like a Bday party, we got him a new water bottle etc.. there were still some tears as we adjusted to the new routine, and he was a little shocked that he really couldn't nurse after the last night, but after a few days it was smooth. Good luck!

I weaned my son at 30 months and we had gone down to only nursing at bedtime. When I realized he would nap fine without nursing first, I just explained that we were only going to nap at nighttime. I think he cried for the first day or 2 and then he got it.

After being at only the nighttime nursing for a while, we made the weaning a celebration. We bought cupcakes and lit a candle. It really was a milestone that deserved celebration and acknowledgment. My husband made up a spontaneous song for the occasion that went something like "happy birthday to you/ you're just over 2/ now milk is for babies/ who're smaller that you/ Congratulations!!" We had a newborn that was nursing too. My son sang that song for many weeks/months afterwards and really seemed to take in the congratulations that he had graduated out of needing mama's milk. I believed the weaning did not have to be traumatic and for my son and it wasn't.

Good luck and best wishes.

I tried weaning starting at six months. First time I got mastitis so had to keep going. Second time she got the flu and that was all she would eat. Third time we were out of town and her sleeping schedule was thrown off and it was the only way to get her to sleep. Then a month later at 21 months she just stopped!

I would definitely use distraction, a cup or other food when he would usually nurse. I've heard of moms covering their nipples with bandaids and telling their kid that mommy has an owie and can't nurse them. I didn't have to try any tricks but it might work, good luck!