Nightweaning - have lots of questions.

[merebella]

So, I'm nightweaning DS who is 12 months (almost). We just started the other day and so far so good. We're doing Dr. Gordon's plan (yes, I know you're supposed to wait til a year, please don't flame.) Anyway, we're still in the first part where I nurse a little, then put him down awake. This is mostly working okay, but my boobs are getting quite full ( he used to nurse anywhere from 2-5 a night.) What do I do here? Right now, the couple seconds of nursing is enough to take some off the top so I can make it til morning, but tomorrow night we're supposed to start not nursing at all. I can't make it all night. How do you deal with all that milk and not be uncomfortable or engorged? will pumping just create another problem?

Also, now that ds isn't going to be nursing at night, he's going to be missing a lot of his bm calories. Probably 50% or more. So, do I see this as just a natural progression of developing and relying less on bm, or do I try to replace those night feedings with day feedings? He only nurses probably 4, maybe 5 times during the day, before each meal and at night. Is this enough for a 12 mo? They are short feedings, only a couple minutes.

I'm not sure how to think about the whole thing. I'm ready for him to be sleeping longer stretches, but I don't want to fast track him to weaning. I want to go as long as we both want to, but at least 18 months. I also want to make sure enough of his calories are coming from bm. Plus, there's the kind of emotional letting go of that sweet night time. I'm fine with getting up once a night for him, and wouldn't mind if he kept that up for a while. I just can't do the 2,3,4 times a night thing anymore.

thoughts? Anyone btdt?

[lifeguard]

If you are really engorged pumping just enough to reduce your uncomfortableness will be helpful - your body will adjust fairly quickly to the change in demand.

With ds I did offer more during the day when he first weaned to try to prevent complete weaning. I don't think it was necessarily needed but it made me feel better that he was getting enough. We nightweaned at 14 months & ds was already pretty reliant on solids for his calories.

Sleeping longer stretches has made a HUGE difference in our lives - especially mine!

[Baby_Cakes]

It took my boobs about a week to adjust to not nursing from 11pm until 6 am. It takes time, but your body will adjust. If you can't make it, I would just hand express if you can. I personally think pumping would do more harm than good, only b/c your body won't adjust on its own. It will think you are still trying to make milk at that time for your baby.

As far as his calories/nutrition, as long as you still bf on demand during the day, he should be fine. As he starts to eat more solids, he will be getting more nutrition from that as well. As babies enter their 2nd year, their nursing sessions do become shorter but they still get a lot of nutrition and comfort from these sessions. As long as he is satisfied, it is just the right amount. I think you are doing great.