tell me why I shouldn't wean

[sarahr]

... in a few months anyway.

DS, almost 1, has never been that into nursing. As a little baby, he nursed when he was hungry and when he wanted to go to sleep, but never for pure comfort. Once he got the manual dexterity to eat any real quantity of solids, he much prefers that to nursing, and he eats a very varied diet.

Now, at 11 months, he just nurses before naps and bed and overnight. But he's becoming increasingly willing to be rocked to sleep instead. Honestly, I much prefer to rock him to sleep than to nurse him. I don't at all enjoy the feel of comfort sucking and since getting teeth, his latch has sucked. He's also bitten me a few too many times. But I love rocking him to sleep and feeling his body rest against my chest.

I feel a little guilty thinking about weaning because I nursed his sister for so much longer. So, either give me reasons not to wean him or tell me it's okay.

[akind1]

I feel that the nursing relationship is a two way street - if you feel done, and your LO doesn't seem to be bothered by less, or no, nursing, then maybe you are ready to wean. There are good reasons to continue: the immunity benefits for one, it is a great nutritional source, especially if you have a picky eater for another.

DS is 14 months, and I am newly pregnant. Like you, we are only nursing a couple times a day, (morning and bedtime, occasionally naps if needed) He doesn't really comfort nurse either. I think he will most certainly wean during the next couple of months.  and I am ok with that. he also likes to be cuddled to sleep.

In your case, and what I do with DS for naps to start with, we will work on bedtime next, - is cuddle to sleep. If he doesn't seem to want to nurse, then don't offer. I never refuse when DS asks. (not in so many words, but if he diving up or down my shirt, that is a good sign :)).

There are lots of benefits to continue nursing, but there are babies who self wean before 2. Maybe yours is one.

[D_McG]

sounds like now would be a nice time to end it.  I knew it was time with my DD when I really craved that non-nursing intimacy that for me is just impossible to get while nursing.  

[hollytheteacher]

I personally wouldn't be comfortable weaning before age 2.  Even if for some reason the actual nursing stopped, i'm pretty sure i'd be pumping and offering human milk as opposed to cow's milk or any other substitute before age 2.  I was never in your shoes as ds loved to nurse 20 times per day at a year lol, but i'm pretty sure that is what I would do *if* my child weaned prematurely.

[matyja]

When my now 6 yr old son was around 1, I thought geez maybe I should wean him because it's the thing to do when you're baby is not such a baby anymore.  So we went through many incidents of him crying and asking for (insert word for mama's milk) and me saying no sweetie and trying to soothe him as best I could in other ways.  Well, holy moses that lasted for all of about 1 day and with both of us ending up in tears I thought forget it.  I certainly don't want to wean him and he clearly wasn't ready... so we continued.  One day... when he was closer to 2, he just gave it up, almost cold turkey.  No fuss, nothing.  I'm like... are you sure you don't want (mama's milk)?  And he never asked again.  But it was HIS decision that time, so I went with it.   Now, with dd at 3 yrs it was a different situation, namely because I learned from ds to the the child lead... and so she only just about 2 months ago gave up bf entirely.  In the end she only needed to latch for literally a minute to fall asleep, but then even that stopped.  Perhaps she noticed a change in the milk due to me being preg?  But in any case it was a much happier journey.  With this next baby, I'll again let them take the lead.  Sure some people might stare or make comments when you're out and about in public nursing a preschooler, but you know what?  Who cares!  It's your life and your baby - not anyone else's to tell you what to do. 

[Nicole730]

If I were you, I'd wait for the *magic* one year mark.  And then stop offering. 

I planned on nursing DD longer than the 14 months I did for DS, but she, to, is very much so interested in food and not so much in comfort nursing.  I've been nursing her after she eats supper - around 5:30-6 and then just rocking her to sleep around 6:30.  She does actually nurse a good amount two times a night though.