What to do if you toddler seems to be weaning too early?

[APToddlerMama]

My 19 month old seems to be weaning. For the last two weeks, he just isn't interested in breastfeeding at all. He is not sick or having any issues that I know of.

Prior to this, he would *never* tell me "no" if I asked if he wanted milk and he would request this himself as well. Now, he is telling me no or latching on for about 3 seconds and then popping off and going to grab his sippy cup or his pacifier (yes, he does use one...was in the NICU and couldn't hold him for parts of this so wanted to offer him some comfort). He will then come back and snuggle and want to touch bare skin like on my stomach or arm while he uses his nuk or drinks from his sippy cup, but doesn't want to nurse.

Any ideas? Do kids come back to nursing after weeks or even months? I just cannot stand the idea of pumping to keep my supply up, so will supply this be an issue if he does decide to nurse again later on?

[jillmamma]

Does he still want to nurse at his sleepy times? Maybe just let him for longer at those times? Sounds like he is getting to be very interested in the world and exploring and not always wanting to take the time. DD started doing that around that age, and is still asking before bed now at 4.

[honey-lilac]

DD was about 18 months when she weaned (even with my gently trying to push her to continue). She started dropping her constant round-the-clock feeds at around 13-14 months, then one after another until at about 19 months she started refusing even at night and EVEN when she got hurt/sad/etc. She would say, "no nurse, want hug" if I offered them. Now, two months later, if she sees the breasts with no shirt on she will sometimes say "nurse?" but after giving them a quick kiss she'll say "all done" and move on. She never once asked to really nurse since she weaned.

[APToddlerMama]

I think I've lost my supply pretty much completely... maybe that is why he isn't interested? It seems like by the time he was nursing just a couple of times a day, it had massively diminished, and now, I see him sucking, but I hear a swallow about every 20 sucks. Is it gone?? Do people keep nursing for comfort or encourage nursing when it seems like the milk has dried up?

[kristin0713]

I'm not too regular of a poster around here but wanted to share my experience because it is so recent. My DS just self-weaned over the summer at 18 months. I was shocked and sad. It had been about a month or so that he would randomly choose to not nurse at bedtime or another time and I just figured that maybe he was full or whatever. Then we went on two vacations back-to-back, moved DD into his room, he started cutting his molars and got a cold. I think all of these things combined caused him to go on a nursing strike and he just never looked back. I did as much reading as I could and tried all the tricks except trying to latch him on while he was asleep, because he has been STTN for so long now and I didn't want to interfere with that. Everything I read said to offer frequently but not push it, and not to let him see that it was upsetting if he refused. I really wanted to at least make it through this winter and until he was 2yo...but he just refused. Even now, occasionally he will tap my chest and say, "num-nums" and I will say, "Do you want nn's?" and he will shake his head and walk away. Sigh. Everyone says that it is so rare for an 18mo to self-wean, but that is what happened here.

[Mbella]

I am relieved to see that I am not the only one going through this. Ds just turned 18 months old yesterday and it seems like he is starting to self-wean. We have just gone from 3 feedings to 2 short ones (before nap and before bed). Occasionally he will ask for the morning one. I know I still have some milk, but not a lot. His suck is starting to change too, like he just doesn't seem very interested in nursing anymore. I am ready for him to wean, but it makes me sad because he might be my last baby (I want one more and dh doesn't). I am just happy that I nursed him this long. I had problems nursing dd and I EPed for her for 10 months and I wanted to nurse ds as long as he wanted and I felt comfortable with it. I was hoping we would make it to two years old, but I don't think that is going to happen.

[APToddlerMama]

Thanks for posting mamas. We are officially "done" I guess. I am sad and was so "sure" that we would get to at least age two as well, plus I wanted to at least keep nursing over the winter with all the cold and flu bugs that are around. I am glad to hear other kids are self weaning this early too. I can't believe my little obsessed-with-breastmilk boy is weaned! I think I'm feeling some sort of hormone crash.