Gentle nightweaning once milk is gone

[Chloe'sMama]

DD is almost 20 months and I am 10 weeks pregnant. Milk has been completely gone for about 5 days and is having a emotional effect on both DD and I. I don't want to wean, but the all night dry nursing is making me exhausted. I wanted to wait for a few more months to night wean, but last night she cried all night because there was no milk. It breaks my heart and I think she would do better if she didn't want to wake up so many times for milk that is not there.

I am planning on tandem nursing, but I do not want DD to be night nursing when baby #2 comes, so that is in the plan somewhere down the road.

Anyways, just feeling sad and tired and confused. I don't know what would be best for her.

Thanks-

[Becken]

hugs. It's so hard, I know!

If you have the support, can you have someone else take over your daughter's night wakings? That way the boobies aren't even in the picture to remind her what she's missing...it sounds like you might be co-sleeping; in which case perhaps switching her position in bed to be farther from you might help.

If you don't have a partner who can do nighttime help, perhaps you can find a different way to comfort her back to sleep that doesn't involve nuzzling up to the chest?

When I was night-weaning for the same reasons, I spent a LOT of time talking and talking and TALKING to my Dd about how my milk was gone and wouldn't be back until the baby came. I invited her into the narrative and it really seemed to help ease the transition a lot. She'll be 3.5 when the baby is born (in a couple weeks, most likely!) and she's THRILLED to get to try nursing again!

Hang in there and do what you need to do to get your rest. A happy, well-rested mama is more important to your Dd's emotional health than any amount of dry-nursing right now, IMO. It might be a rough transition, but it will be worth it!