un-weaning a toddler?

[MommytoHHH]

I'm sorry if this is in the wrong place. I wasn't sure where to put it.

After reading the article in this month's Mothering about un-weaning, I'm wondering if anyone here has done this and/or has advice.

My DD1 is 27 months now and she weaned at about 21 months while I was about 7 months pregnant (she simply started to forget what to do). She occasionally asks for na-nas, but she doesn't know what to do. She just puts her mouth over the nipple and sits there for a minute. She has really been having a lot of behavioral problems and I'm wondering if un-weaning her is the answer. In the article, the mom simply asked her little girl if she wanted to nurse again and she said yes, sat down, and did it. My little girl doesn't know what to do. She does still ask to nurse. And I do let her try. But she simply doesn't know what to do. Is it possible to "un-wean" a toddler who self-weaned and has forgotten what to do? She usually asks for "me-milk" every few days and I either spray some off while I'm nursing DD2 or pump some for her - so I know she still likes the milk. Any advice is appreciated. TIA!

[MommytoHHH]

No one?

[Super Glue Mommy]

oh man i hope someone has an answer for you because im in the same boat!

[clutterbug]

Responding to keep this bumped up...I am in the same boat as you so no real advice to offer Much time has passed since my DS last nursed (almost a year he was 30 months old and I was 7 months pregnant) and I still kinda find myself wondering if maybe he will spontaneously remember....he does the same thing as your DD, except not nearly as often. And he won't drink expressed milk. He will, however, accept the odd squirt into his mouth after his occasional attempts at latching

[transylvania_mom]

what I did

Ds was 3 y/o when he spent a couple of months with his grandparents and I weaned him cold turkey. When he got back home, he had forgotten how to nurse. I just put him at the breast when I had a let down and squirted some milk in his mouth. He remembered what to do next.
HTH

[SereneBabe]

I'm sorry I don't have a lot of help to offer, but wanted to keep the thread alive so other mamas who may be able to help will peek their heads in! :-)

[Triniity]

my dd knew what to do ... but she never actually nursed long enough to get the let down reflex (i think). i think our "unweaning" was totally about the closeness and the love and the trust that she can still go to her mommy ... so perhaps it does not matter if they "don´t remember" ... or does she get upset with not getting any milk?

[blind_otter]

You can try going to a local la leche league meeting to ask about this, if possible.

I only say that because I remember a mother mentioning this issue at one of the meetings I went to last year, and she mentioned having to teach her toddler how to nurse all over again after she got several teeth and couldn't figure out how to work it. I'm sorry to say I wasn't paying too much attention because DS was only 2 or 3 months old at the time and I figured if I ever had that issue later on, I would just ask at a meeting....

[My*Scorpio]

: My son, at 36 months, has stopped nursing. I am also in my third trimester. I was shocked when we took a bath together, and he no longer remembers how to latch on.

I think toddlers must not like the taste of colostrum.

I'm taking notes for after the new one comes and I get milk again.

[HappyHelpmate]

Wanted to bump this thread, to see what other responses there may be. I'm in a similar boat. I weaned DS ending in November (due to pregnancy, sore nipples, crazy hormones, and encouragement to wean before the new baby comes), and after he seemed to be having such a hard time with it, one day maybe a month ago I decided to try again, and see if I could handle it, and if it would help him get back to normal. ---And he couldn't latch on right! I thought it was just because maybe he's gotten more teeth in or it just felt that much different because I'm still pregnant and my nipples are so sensitive. I had no idea other toddlers would "forget" how to nurse too! I still dream of maybe continuing nursing after the new baby comes, as I really wanted to CLW like my mom did me. Now I have renewed hope for us! Thanks for the post!

[forestrymom]

My dd unweaned after about 4 months. She, too, weaned when I was pregnant with ds, and then kept asking but didn't really know how to latch, after he was born. I'm not sure what actually made me do it, but one day, during a tantrum, I lifter my shirt and pulled her close and she instinctively knew. It just felt natural, without any wishing or wantng--just the sort of thing I would've done if she hadn't weaned at all. I wonder if you could do a dream feed and maybe its still there but feeling forced? I hope you figure it out! Let us know!

[Mrsboyko]

I am considering this too. DD weaned on October at 23 months. I was around 20 weeks pregnant and it was SO painful for me. I would like to get her back to nursing, but i jsut don't know how. In the weeks following wenaing she did try to latch on a fw times, but didn't know what ot do from there. She jsut smiled at me and let go while giggling. i had such high hopes of tandeming, but I just don;t know anymore.

DD has developed some really obvious calming methods that i find very annoying since weaning. She pulls my hair and climbs all over me while sleeping. If I try to get any space (like actualyl be able to have my head ON the pillow) she freaks out. iam hoping maybe that unweaning will make her feel more secure w/o these quirks....