Need encouragement to keep nursing my 2yo

[chipper26]

My dd is 2 years and 5 months.  We are still nursing but I'm seriously considering night weaning over Christmas break.  But, I've had several people tell me I should just wean all together b/c it would be easier.  I can't picture taking that away from her right now.

I don't really want to wean.  I still like it and dd LOVES her nummies.  I just feel a bit awkward now that we are well past 2 and still nursing.  I know it is no one's business, but I know my family and friends think I'm crazy for nursing this long.  If I am not completely following CL weaning, will I know when it is time for us to wean?  How did you decide, or did you just let your LO decide?

[Koalamom]

subbing as I need encouragement too.  I feel like others are looking down at me for nursing my 16 month ds.  Perhaps I should be more private with nursing when in public as opposed to when he was a few montghs old.

[sosurreal09]

alot of people stop NIP at some point or another. DD is 14 m/o and still NIP and i have had a TON of comments but im a very strong person and dont take their crap! people can be soooooo ignorant. only you know whats best for you're child. prematurely weaning could have some serious effects on a child mentally and emotionally...some kids are heavily effected by this.

whether or not you night wean there is no reason you cant continue this relationship-unless you dont want to. i was reading the

Dr. Jay Gordon method for night weaning while still co-sleeping. im in consideration of it myself...i know DD is young but i trust she doesnt really need it at least from 12-7, well im on the fence but still...http://drjaygordon.com/attachment/sleeppattern.html thats the article i read

[jennlyn]

For us, night time nursing was amongst the last times to go.  As my babies got older, it became a morning, naptime, bedtime thing ( plus during the night).  I didn't feel the need to nurse them much in public( after infancy) as we were home most of the time and if I knew we'd be out, I'd nurse before we left the house if need be. I'm not sure who is giving you advice, but unless they've nursed for an extended time, I'd take it with a grain of salt.  It's not their business and I found that by not discussing it with those who I knew would disapprove it made life much easier.  Kind of like religion and politics-  :)

[IsaFrench]

I decided for child number 1, at 19 months because pregnancy= sore breasts

for child 2 and 3 , did CL weaning (it lasted 30 and 28 months)

but by that time they were no longer night nursing (except in case of illnesses) so my experience might be too far off yours ....

child 2 = it just went down in stages of 4 times a day to 3 then 2 times a day and then just oncea day for a week to 10 days & then I did the "don't offer, don't refuse" but after a few days with no nursing, then I refused but it only happened on a couple of times (and not successive days )

child 3 = dropped suddently from 4 times a day to 2 times a day as we changed countries, I was the one who was really really not ready since I had pictures in my mind of nursing for at least 2 years, but it went onwith nursing twice a day for about a year (+ at night and more when ill = every time a new teeth was poping out, she had been late teething so we had about 4 busy months then), then stopped nursing, it didn't seem relevant by then

so I would say that both my child and I knew at the time that we were done with it (for child 1, I was done and she wasn't .... now I think I shouldn't have rushed to have a second child with "only" a 2 years gap between them, didn't realise the impact on nursing at the time ....!)

are the people who are advising you to wean altogether .... still nursing a 2 year old now ? or having the experience of nursing a 2 year old recently ? nursing a 2 year old who still nurses at night ? are they in the same general situation that you find yourself right now in regards to other factors in your life  ?

I suspect that it's "no" to all/most of these questions THEREFORE they are NOT , I repeat NOT qualified to give you any advice on weaning or night weaning !!!!!!

it's ok for you to no longer agree to breasfeed at night (and to take the steps that will work in your family about it),

but as long as you both agree with breasfeeding during the day .... why stop ?

[Koalamom]

Originally Posted by IsaFrench 

are the people who are advising you to wean altogether .... still nursing a 2 year old now ? or having the experience of nursing a 2 year old recently ? nursing a 2 year old who still nurses at night ? are they in the same general situation that you find yourself right now in regards to other factors in your life  ?

I suspect that it's "no" to all/most of these questions THEREFORE they are NOT , I repeat NOT qualified to give you any advice on weaning or night weaning !!!!!!

I so needed to hear this.  Thank you!

[Pirogi]

My DD is 3 yrs and some months.  I am nearly 8 months pregnant, and we still nurse a couple times a day, usually before bed and upon waking.  She sort of night-weaned herself when my milk disappeared around the end of the first trimester.  We had a period of about 3 weeks of "dry nursing," or nursing only for comfort, since there was no milk.  She was old enough to understand that it hurt me a little bit, and we had to nurse only for a short period of time.  Mostly she just wanted to reconnect, and it didn't take long to do that.  Now I have colostrum, but nursing usually kicks in a contraction, so we limit the time still.  She talks about and looks forward to sharing when her little brother or sister arrives.  She knows that there will be lots of milk, and that this is something she and the new baby can do together sometimes.  I agree with PP ... it is much easier to navigate nursing during pregnancy with an older child who can understand how it affects me and also has a concept of time.  

I stopped nursing DD openly and regularly in public around 1 year.  I don't have a problem with others NIP for a longer time at all, and I would occasionally NIP if there was some problem that nursing would easily solve.  Generally, I just felt that it would be better for us to find a more private place if nursing was needed and we could find one.

Don't worry about what others say or think about your nursing.  You and your DC will know when the time is right.  If it's not right to wean, don't do it.

Edited by Pirogi - 11/28/10 at 5:11pm

[kdaisy]

NAK...

I am tandem nursing my 2.5 yo and 4 mo, and I so understand how you feel.  My 2.5 still nurses all night.

I just wanted to highly recommend the book "Mothering your nursing toddler" by Bumgarner.  It was recommended to me on this board and it really helped and inspired my nursing relationship with DS.

And also wanted to say, it sounds like you are doing a great job! 

[chipper26]

Thank you everyone.  I really needed to read these comments and I appreciate them!

Edited by chipper26 - 11/29/10 at 7:12pm