If you nightweaned but let your LO nurse as desired during the day...

[zwitterion]

How long after nightweaning did your LO continue to nurse? My DH says that since I'm nightweaning DD, she will probably completely wean within 6 months. I think (and hope!) he's wrong, but the idea that I might be pushing complete weaning on her merely by nightweaning makes me feel really sad and a bit guilty, too. So tell me the honest truth--is nightweaning going to drastically hasten overall weaning? What's your experience? Thanks!

[surfamy]

I nightweaned my dd1 at 28 months and she continued to nurse till she turned 4 (and I actually had to nudge her in that direction.) She nursed through my entire pregnancy and shared my "moes" with her little sister for 2 years. That child loved nursing!

I honestly don't think that nightweaning will affect your daytime nursing unless you are actively trying to wean. If you remain available to your dd, then she will likely nurse as long as she needs/wants to. For some kids that's sooner and for others later. No worries mama! Let go of that guilt!

ETA: I think this is posted in the wrong forum! Can someone move this to BF beyond infancy?

[greenbeanmama]

I decided to night-wean my son at about 25 months because he chose to start waking up every hour again to nurse, and I had just gotten pregnant again (I get very, very sick and needed as much sleep as I could get!). My son was definitely a high-needs baby, if that makes a difference.

He day-weaned at about 28 months. But I honestly think he would have nursed longer, but I think the flavor of my milk changed due to pregnancy and he didn't like it. He'd latch on, get a bit, pull off and make a "yucky" face, and then nurse a little more before making another face.

I have heard of some mamas who successfully night-weaned and then nursed during the day for over a year more. Is your daughter fairly mellow? She might take night-weaning as a push for overall weaning. In my son's case, he would wake to nurse and I would remind him that we had to wait until it was light out or the alarm went off. At the first sign of sunrise, he was pouncing on me to nurse. This went on for several weeks.

What is your motivation for night-weaning? If it's so your daughter will sleep through the night, just night-weaning may not help. My son still wakes up at least once a night (often twice, on a rough night we just put blankets on the floor in our room, as my husband does not want TWO children shoving him out of bed!). But night weaning did decrease the number of night wakings from eight or more to less than five. Not at first - at first, it made it much, much worse because then I had to stay awake to comfort him back to sleep and I was so ill and tired as it was. But long term it did help with night wakings, but certainly didn't stop them all together.

Not sure this helps, but that's my experience. I hope you can be at peace with whatever you decide!

[boobs4milk]

i night weaned dd using dr. jay gordon's method @ 16-17 mos. it took us about 5 weeks as we went very slowly. she continued to nurse until we did don't offer, don't refuse @ 26.5 months.

[wholewheatmama]

We nightweaned around 19-20 months (also with the Jay Gordon method), and my daughter is still nursing *strong* at 27 months with no signs of letting up anytime soon.

[mosesface]

We nightweaned around 18 months. Dd is 25 months and still nursing even though my milk completely dried up due to pg 12 weeks ago!

[Heba]

Oh ds day-nursed for ages after night-weaning. I can't even remember how long, but way long enough for the two to be unrelated. Like surfamy I ending up nudging him towards complete weaning in the end (um I regret that now but that's another story...). Anyway, I really don't think one will lead to another at all.

Good luck!

[zwitterion]

Oops! I meant to post this in main BF forum. Can it please be moved? I'm sorry!

[zwitterion]

Thanks, everyone! That's what I thought, but DH is an MD and presumes he knows everything about BF because that's what his medical books said--and heaven forbid I try to contradict him with the "anecdotal" evidence of just about everyone else I know.

My motivation for nightweaning is to get my period back so we can TTC #2. I am not currently using Jay Gordon's method--I'm telling her the nursies are sleeping if she wakes before it's been a certain amount of time since her last nursing session and slowly making the required interval longer and longer (my LLL leader's suggestion). She is adapting and begrudgingly getting used to being told the nursies are sleeping, and she's now falling asleep within 10 minutes of waking if she can't nurse, generally. Plus, she's sleeping longer at a stretch already, and it's only been 4 nights. Yes, I'd love for her to sleep through the night, but that's not my motivation. I'd happily nurse her all night if I had already become fertile again.

My DD is not at all mellow! She's a very happy girl, but she is persistent and strong-willed. I think if she wants to keep nursing during the day, she will push for it.

Thanks again! You've really made me feel better about this.

[GwendalynsMommy]

I nightweaned my oldest at 26 months. She's 3 1/2 and still nursing.

[woodchick]

DD1 nightweaned right around her 2nd birthday. She's coming up on 4, nursed through my second pregnancy and still asks to nurse a couple times a day.

[annettemarie]

As per the Lactivism guidelines, I'm going to move this Breastfeeding Beyond Infancy.

[zwitterion]

Thanks, annettemarie!

[justthinkn]

We had nightweaned completely by about 18mo's, had no effect on daytime nursing - just about to wean at almost 3yo, but it's more mama-led than not.

[rzberrymom]

Originally Posted by zwitterion

My DH says that since I'm nightweaning DD, she will probably completely wean within 6 months.

This happened to me--I nightweaned my DD at 18 months, and by 2 she weaned completely. I've very often wondered if I caused it by nightweaning her.

[jecombs]

I night-weaned at 14 mo. DD continued to nurse for another year, then I nudged her toward total weaning because we wanted to TTC #2 and I hadn't got my cycle back. Low and behold, I was pregnant a month later!

[Baby_Cakes]

I nightweaned my 12-13 month old and at 18 months she is still nursing strong during the day. But, I want her to be done by 2, so if within the NEXT 6 months things change I wouldn't mind.

Just offer plenty during the day. You guys should be fine.

[tabrizia]

I night weaned DS around 15 months. He is still nursing at almost 3 (19 days till his birthday), he nursed through my pregnancy with DD and is still happily nursing 3 to 8 times a day.

I haven't night weaned DD yet, but will probably do so around 15 months like I did with DS, I don't expect her to wean anytime soon either.

[Letitia]

DD was nightweaned before 16-1/2 months, when DS was born. I didn't give birth to him so pregnancy wasn't a a direct cause. I can't say how it happened because I was so tired I don't remember! DD nursed a LOT during the day until maybe 25, 26 months, then started lessening. She turned 3 in January and still nurses 1-2x/day.

[NJKim]

We just nightweaned a month ago at 21 months, for the same reason - trying to get my cycle back. He nurses so much during the day that I can't imagine this will cause him to wean completely in the next 6 months! I really think it's up to you as much as your child, if you offer several times during the day and let her nurse when she wants it, she probably won't completely wean.

I'm still waiting for my cycle to return.... I really hope I don't have to wean completely