on demand to more of a schedule

[iheartwren]

I am breastfeeding my 16 month old still on demand, but I am ready to decrease some of the feedings maybe down to 3 a day (morning, nap, and before sleep). We are working on nightweaning right now and then want to start decreasing some of the daytime feedings. DD is very demanding of milk right now and it is causing a lot of stress for both of us. So I am curious what gentle techniques have worked for you to encourage less feedings at more regular times. I am hoping to do this in the next couple of months so I am willing to do it very gradually-I just need some strategies. I am looking for helpful ideas, not opinions about whether or not I should do this. Thanks so much!

[D_McG]

I wish I could say that the typical gentle suggestions worked for me but they did not (distraction, etc). I had to just pick times we'd nurse and comfort the other times. The transition was short though and then we were both happier. I find that in the second year the frequent nursing gets in the way of things. Like my kids don't develop other coping skills until I partially wean. I'm not sure it's supposed to be that way, but it's certainly true for us.