I am not enjoying this anymore

[vermontgirl]

My daughter is 16 months old and I am having such a hard time with nursing. She is one of those really intense hyper needs kids and she is just so demanding about it. She spends the whole day wrenching up my shirt and shoving her hand down my shirt. She cries and screams all the time for "dees" (nurse) and It is so tiring. I am literally talking all day. It is just about the only thing she is interested in at this point.

I am tired, frustrated and my breasts hurt. It is not comfortable to nurse her anymore. I could be happy nursing her every 2-3 hours but I just cant do it as often as she wants and it is causing so much stress to her and I.

At night she wakes up constantly to nurse and I tried to night ween her recently and it was just too much. She never got used to it. I don't like nursing at night, especially the volume in which she is interested in. I had a horrid night last night because she just woke up constantly crying and writhing around and trying to nurse.

I am just so tired and frustrated, but I don't want to completely ween her. She loves it so much, and she is still such a baby. Any ideas?

[Skywise]

No advice, but my ds is 15 months old and the exact same way!! I would be so happy if I could just nurse him a few times a day instead of off and on all day and night. There are times I've been so tempted to just wean him completely because I feel like I can't take it anymore.

[diamond lil]

I just wanted to reply with my sympathies. I am in the exact same boat as you. My 16 month old DD slaps, hits, and kicks me while nursing and the the nighttime nursing is getting worse. Now she won't fall back asleep unless a nipple is in her mouth and she won't such her thumb or take a pacifier.

I'm currently researching weaning books. I love(d) nursing her, but she is also a very demanding nurser and will scream unless she gets the breast.

[ZanZansMommy]

Been there done that I found that with both of my DC 14-20 mos was horrendous in regards to marathon nursing. I tried night weaning both around 18 mos & it failed badly. I waited till 23-24 mos & things went SO much smoothly. They were more accepting of the limits I put on nursing. My DC were also better able to understand things at that point...not that it was easy, Just easier than at 18 mos.

I would suspect that you DC is teething & also going through some other major milestones that happen around this age. It's rough Mama, but you will get through it.

Can anyone take her for a few hours so you can get some time to yourself?

Good Luck.

[listipton]

We're kind of in the same boat. I'm not enjoying nursing ds right now and I keep hoping that the feeling will pass soon. No real tips mama, just letting you know that you're not alone. Maybe just airing these feelings will help with the frustration, yk?

[Baby_Cakes]

My DD is also 16 mo, and we had to set some boundaries. Some days are harder than others -- but overall we've had a lot of success. I did post some of my tricks in the Mama Led Weaning tribe.

At this point I'm comfortable with an AM nursing, a nap nursing, a mid-day nursing, and a bedtime nursing. If she tries to get up my shirt or pull on me for nursing at another time when I'm just *not* into it, I say, "lets get a cup with milk," and I'll put a few oz of soymilk in her sippy. I sit with her as she drinks it. I'll read a book w/her or get involved with a toy w/her. Or, I'll put on her music DVD and we'll dance and sing.

It's all about giving them the attention they would have received nursing with positive and loving attention in another way -- while making sure if they are hungry or thirsty that that need is met, too.

Good luck, mama! You can do this!

[vermontgirl]

Thanks so much for all the support. I am sure things will get better soon. I just have to try to set some limits even though she screams and throws tantrums. My son was always so mellow, and it was easier to set limits with him. I parents with intense kids have a tendency to just give them what they want so the kid wont scream. I don't want it to be like that! I will distract and help her the best I can, but she may just have to throw that tantrum. Eventually she will learn that mama is not going to let her reach her hand down her shirt and touch her breasts all day long.

I definitely don't want to ween her yet. Who knows though, I will go as long as I can stand it I suppose.