19 month old can't be weaning, right?

[natural_mama89]

My son nursed until he was three years and a few months old. My daughter is now 19 months and for the past two months she has hardly wanted to nurse. When she asks she will just have a sip then pop up and say, "done". When I offer usually she says , "no" and shakes her head and tries to recover my breast. It makes me so sad. She is still so little. I really planned to make it to at least two with all my children. Is this really weaning or a nursing strike? She has been teething pretty bad lately. Could that have anything to do with her disinterest? What should I do?

[readytobedone]

Originally Posted by natural_mama89

My son nursed until he was three years and a few months old. My daughter is now 19 months and for the past two months she has hardly wanted to nurse. When she asks she will just have a sip then pop up and say, "done". When I offer usually she says , "no" and shakes her head and tries to recover my breast. It makes me so sad. She is still so little. I really planned to make it to at least two with all my children. Is this really weaning or a nursing strike? She has been teething pretty bad lately. Could that have anything to do with her disinterest? What should I do?

if it's been going on for 2 months, it seems like it might be true weaning.

i would continue to treat it as a strike (offer often, offer in different places, offer when she's sleepy or upset), but don't be too disappointed if it's true weaning. i do think that some kids truly self-wean before 2.

((hugs))

[PJJ]

try...

Try to give no other liquids, no sucking devices, and offer often.

Do not think it is weaning, from your description.

Good luck mama!

[Conifer]

I hope I don't get yelled at for this post.... maybe I just don't understand.

Try to give no other liquids, no sucking devices, and offer often.

I completely respect people bfing for as long as they want. But why would you withhold other liquids and things that the child wants in order to make them bf? If you are child-led bfing...shouldn't the child decide? If they want to start up again...no big deal (right?). Please please please don't take offense to my post. I really am trying to understand.

Ds did this at about 18 months and just never asked again to bf. Dd was almost 2. I have a healthy attachment to both. I never really felt guilty (just a little bittersweet) because I was letting them decide.

[RasJi7]

Originally Posted by Conifer

I hope I don't get yelled at for this post.... maybe I just don't understand.



I completely respect people bfing for as long as they want. But why would you withhold other liquids and things that the child wants in order to make them bf? If you are child-led bfing...shouldn't the child decide? If they want to start up again...no big deal (right?). Please please please don't take offense to my post. I really am trying to understand.

Ds did this at about 18 months and just never asked again to bf. Dd was almost 2. I have a healthy attachment to both. I never really felt guilty (just a little bittersweet) because I was letting them decide.

I'll try to answer that. The liquid that child needs is the breastmilk, juice or water are not nutritionally enough for the little one and may be filling baby up when baby should be filling up with bm. Same concept as in the beginning when people give their babes water and juice too soon.

[PJJ]

bottle vs breast

Originally Posted by Conifer

I hope I don't get yelled at for this post.... maybe I just don't understand.



I completely respect people bfing for as long as they want. But why would you withhold other liquids and things that the child wants in order to make them bf? If you are child-led bfing...shouldn't the child decide? If they want to start up again...no big deal (right?). Please please please don't take offense to my post. I really am trying to understand.

Ds did this at about 18 months and just never asked again to bf. Dd was almost 2. I have a healthy attachment to both. I never really felt guilty (just a little bittersweet) because I was letting them decide.

When there are alternatives, sometimes what is easier is "decided" by the mama and it gets label as child led. The culture is toward weaning from the beginning due to the lack of value for human milk.

Human milk is superior to all liquid alternatives.

Hope that helps.

[VocalMinority]

My 17-month-old started weaning around 15 months, which was also way earlier than I expected. He only wants to nurse when he's ready to go to sleep. If I offer him the breast other times (like when I would like him to sleep...) he's just not interested.

To be clear, I never supplemented with formula, I don't offer juice ever, he only drinks small amounts of water on hot days, and I wasn't enthusiastic about him trying cow's milk, but he was interested in trying it because he saw his older brothers drinking it. Now, when he's thirsty, he pulls at the fridge door until you open it and then points at the milk and is very insistant. Again, unless he wants to sleep, he wants the same cold milk his brothers drink. Despite his interest, I refused cow's milk altogether until he was past a year, because I *do* value breast milk. But at a year & 1/2 most of his calories are from food and I truly feel that if I ignored his *clear* desire to start weaning, I would be *forcing* my own desire to keep breastfeeding on him and not letting him develop at the pace he's designed to. *This is just my instinct about this particular child*. I know each is different.

[mauri456]

My daughter was EBF and weaned at 16 months. I do work and stopped pumping at 12 months so I do know I did have a huge drop in supply which prolly contributed to it. So, I do think it is possible for a baby that young to wean.

She just stopped asking. I'd offer and shed nurse for a minute and pop off. I felt like she was in control of it all. I'd still offer for a bit, maybe it could be teething or an ear infection.

Good luck!

[natural_mama89]

thank you all. She seems a bit more interested now that her teeth are not bothering her so much. has gone back to nursing at least once per day for about ten to 15 minutes. I will continue to offer and see how things go.

[PJJ]

great news

So, it was something else that sparked a strike, not weaning.
Great job mama!
Teething does impact CLW and is often mistaken for CLW, when it is a strike.
I really believe that 2 is the earliest for a CLW almost all the time.
Glad to hear that things are better.

[~Kristina~]

My ds self-weaned at 19 months. He just wasn't interested in it anymore. I'm *hoping* he'll want to start nursing again once his brother arrives.

[~Kristina~]

Originally Posted by natural_mama89

thank you all. She seems a bit more interested now that her teeth are not bothering her so much. has gone back to nursing at least once per day for about ten to 15 minutes. I will continue to offer and see how things go.

So glad to hear!!! :

[Ruthla]

Originally Posted by natural_mama89

thank you all. She seems a bit more interested now that her teeth are not bothering her so much. has gone back to nursing at least once per day for about ten to 15 minutes. I will continue to offer and see how things go.

I'm glad to hear it!

At 19mo, I would DEFINITELY say it was a nursing strike, unless there are outside factors (such as mom's subsequent pg impacting supply).