Nursing Issues with two kids

[aylaanne]

DS is going to be 3 in November, and DD is 3mo. I have returned to work and school. In the last month or so, DS has been giving me crazy temper tantrums while nursing.

Some contributing factors:
* I have been working three nights a week for the last month
* I have been going to school five mornings a week for the last month (but usually he's not awake until right before I get home)
* DD needs to nurse often, of course
* DS likes to stay on the boob FOREVER and I get blisters and sore. He also treats my nipple like a straw, including chewing on it when he stops getting milk (which is after about five minutes).

He's started screaming like I'm killing him when I take the boob away. I've tried distracting him with cuddles or juice or reading, and he's not having it. I've tried setting limits, making deals ("when the timer goes off, we're done and having dinner") but it doesn't make a difference. One out of every four times I'm able to sufficiently distract him, but the rest of the time he's a nightmare. And we only nurse once or twice a day, but he demands it more often and my poor body can't keep up.

Any suggestions? I'm dreaming of weaning but I don't see how I can when he's so attached to it still.

[SundayCrepes]

My second child came via adoption so I had to be very careful of my supply. Although my (then) 2.5 year old was helping me keep up my supply, I quickly learned that I had to limit him to one side and after the baby nursed.

I've been typing hoping to bring back memories of how I accomplished that. I think I just did it because I had to. "This is your side. Let's read a book."

I have found that ignoring the undesirable behavior and rewarding the desired behavior can make a huge difference. For example, when my 4.5 year old whined so much that no one could stand to be around him, I told him my ears would get turned off when he whined but that they would be turned back on if he used his regular voice. Then I followed through. You would have thought someone was peeling off his toenails and I was standing by and doing nothing, "Mommy, I need you. You have to help me," in great whiny drama. After 2 days of that most of the whining is gone. Maybe something like that might help.

You sound more than busy. It's great you're still nursing both. I know I couldn't wean my son (still can't) because he so loved nursing and would have been really jealous of the baby if I'd weaned him.