Moms, help, help me, I am down for the count

[lisa1008]

Hi,

I am reaching 18 months of BF my daughter and it hasn't been easy. She was very high need from the get-go and nursed nonstop the first 4 months. She has yet to sleep more than a 4 hour stretch and while there are parts of BF'ing I find sweet and endearning, I am beat. I have gained (yes GAINED) almost 50 pounds this year. I attribute it to no sleep, larger appetite, inability to reduce carbs like before pregnancy, burned out adrenals/hormones. I look and feel terrible all the time. I tried some nightweaning but her screams overwhelmed me and I live in an apartment. I am desperate and tired and am ready to cut it way, way way down and try to get myself back.

Please help me with any advice you can.

[Katie T]

I have no helpful advise but couldnt read without giving u a (((hug))) hang in there hopefully someone has helpful advise.

[kiwiva]

18 months is difficult. At that age my DD had gone back to nursing like a newborn (though it was a phase that didn't last too long). It was very draining! DD was also one who didn't do a long sleep stretch until forever it seemed. That is so tough.

A 50 lb weight gain should be looked into. Have you had your thyroid checked? Yes sleep deprivation contributes to gain, as does carbs, of course, but you should look into if there is a hormone disruption contributing as well.

I didn't night wean until 28 mos, but I know a lot of people do it at that age. Are you cosleeping? That can make the night nursing easier for many families. I wasn't one of those people, it always woke and kept me up, which is why I finally night weaned. But she remained in our bed.

I don't have a lot of good advice here, I guess. But something to consider is that parenting a toddler is very draining itself and nursing can make it easier in many ways. So you may not want to cut way way back as you are removing a tool you currently have and your DC may rebel and become more insistent and needy. I know I have seen many threads here in the past about night weaning at that age. That may be a place to start for you. Another thing to consider is they really do change so fast and soon you may find the nursing demands less draining no matter what you do.

[pbjmama]

I agree, get your thyroid checked.

[mom61508]

Originally Posted by lisa1008

Hi,

I am reaching 18 months of BF my daughter and it hasn't been easy. She was very high need from the get-go and nursed nonstop the first 4 months. She has yet to sleep more than a 4 hour stretch and while there are parts of BF'ing I find sweet and endearning, I am beat. I have gained (yes GAINED) almost 50 pounds this year. I attribute it to no sleep, larger appetite, inability to reduce carbs like before pregnancy, burned out adrenals/hormones. I look and feel terrible all the time. I tried some nightweaning but her screams overwhelmed me and I live in an apartment. I am desperate and tired and am ready to cut it way, way way down and try to get myself back.

Please help me with any advice you can.

DD is almost 18 months and we went through the same thing too. I night weaned her at 14 months and it was fairly easy. From 11-6am she was not allowed to nurse. I gradually worked into that by letting her nurse as long as she wanted before bed and when she would wake up in that window of time I would only let her nurse for 5-10 minutes then tell her she had to go nite nite. I just did that less and less and by the 4th night she was sleeping till 6am! Then she would nurse and go back to sleep. We did have one night of crying for about a hour and half. I cuddled her for the most part and I think I gave in to her once but only let her nurse for 10 mins or before she fell asleep. Right now she's only nursing before bed time. I'm trying to wean by Janurary...it's bittersweet. But like you I'm really over BF.