Toddler - renewed interest in nursing...

[kkd]

Just curious on your opinions/theories on why my DD is suddenly much more interested in nursing.  She's 2 1/2, and I thought she was getting close to weaning.  We have had a few 24 hour periods here and there where she did not nurse in the last couple months.  If DH is around she is sufficiently distracted to not think about nursing for bedtime or after waking.  So, with him home quite a bit over Christmas break I thought perhaps she'd wean.  On the contrary, she is asking for milk more AND spending more time nursing.  After waking up in the morning, if we have the time, she likes to latch for 45-60min!  She wasn't nursing for anywhere close to that amount of time previously.  No big life/developmental changes recently that I can think of- the only change was probably sometime Nov-Dec timeframe she gave up her pacifier, which used to be in bed with her.  Wasn't a big deal, it was coming apart and we told her she couldn't have it anymore.  She had seemed really attached to it, but she didn't fuss or shed tears - she seemed to understand it was "broken" and she couldn't have it anymore.  That could increase her "suck" need...but the interest in nursing didn't happen immediately after giving the pacifier up so I don't know if it's related at all.  Her nursing isn't a problem at this time, I was just curious if others have experienced this renewed interest in nursing and if there are any explanations floating around. 

I've also wondered - if she weren't still nursing - how else would this need or whatever this is, how would it otherwise be expressed and filled?  Oh- and it's not about milk because my supply is very low - I rarely feel like I have much milk so she is nursing for comfort, not for milk. TIA

[TiredX2]

First--- Hi, neighbor!  I'm in Redmond.

Secondly, have you noticed any big milestones?  More speech?  More independence outside of the nursing?  Anything like that?

I, personally, know that my DD nursed a ton more right around 2.5 BUT she also had a new little brother, so I'm pretty sure it was more related to the sudden influx of milk than anything else, lol.  That said, child led weaning is generally not the steady slope we picture (or at least *I* pictured before having kids).  I thought there would be a steady, constant decrease in nursing.  Instead, there were periods where nursing went way up, then down, then up again, before finally cutting off.  A lot of people notice a real up-tick of nursing around 17-21 months, so it wouldn't be shocking to have other ages/stages where the nursing increased.

I wonder, too, if it could be one other issue.  "Don't Offer, Don't Refuse" is generally considered a very effective weaning technique---  before 2-2.5.  Under that age, with distraction, many children will unintentionally wean.  Above that age it is much more rare.  So, your child could have just reached a less distractable age where she remembers she wants to nurse independent of outside activity.

Either way, it sounds like you are doing a GREAT job and are very in tune with your DD's needs.

[kkd]

No, no major milestones that I can think of - the only thing I could think of was elimination of pacifier use awhile back.  Of course she seems to change/learn/do new things just about every day - so who knows! 

Yes, I've done don't offer/don't refuse for quite awhile, and that seemed to be "working" in terms of her skipping nursing sessions now and then.  But- as you pointed out- it may just be that we are past the age of out of sight/out of mind.  Interesting thought.

And, your description of a slope was very helpful - I hadn't ever thought of weaning as a line graph before :), but I guess I did have a percerption of a pretty straight downward line- less milk, less interest, leading to less milk and...less interest...and your comment that there are increases/decreases along the way makes sense. 

I'm more sensitive to this uptick in nursing because I'd like to go on a trip for work to Atlanta the end of April.  I'd really like to go, but don't want to leave her if she isn't weaned, and I don't have a crystal ball that will reveal whether or not she'll be weaned by then!!  I need to book everything soon - flight, hotel, other arrangements, etc. so I also don't have the luxury to wait until April to determine whether the trip is feasible.  On one hand, I feel since DH would be with her, she could cope with losing her milk for a few days, but I don't want weaning to be a sudden/traumatic/stressful experience for her.  I guess some people would say that at nearly age 3, it is OK to cut off milk, but I don't feel comfortable weaning her by leaving.

[TiredX2]

Originally Posted by kkd 

I'm more sensitive to this uptick in nursing because I'd like to go on a trip for work to Atlanta the end of April.  I'd really like to go, but don't want to leave her if she isn't weaned, and I don't have a crystal ball that will reveal whether or not she'll be weaned by then!!  I need to book everything soon - flight, hotel, other arrangements, etc. so I also don't have the luxury to wait until April to determine whether the trip is feasible.  On one hand, I feel since DH would be with her, she could cope with losing her milk for a few days, but I don't want weaning to be a sudden/traumatic/stressful experience for her.  I guess some people would say that at nearly age 3, it is OK to cut off milk, but I don't feel comfortable weaning her by leaving.

I can totally understand that, but I you really can't base her behavior in 3 months from now on what she is doing now.  If you are CLW, though, and she is nursing several times a day I would guess that she will not be weaned by April.  Since weaning before 3 would still be on the young end for CLW, it's not too likely anyway.

That said, DS spent two nights away from me when he was almost four (and a night before then) with no problems.   DD spent a night away from me on occasion starting when she was not yet 3.5.  Both of them were still night nursing and nursing during the day as well.  DS was especially funny because he insisted on sleeping with his Grandpa and during the night cuddled over to him and tried to nurse, lol.  Since most kids do start to lengthen out the time between their nursing sessions (sometime nursing a couple times a day for a week, then missing a few days, or even a week, then going back, etc...) at some point, missing a few days becomes less important as they get older.  Of course, there are children who if they miss even one day, it's over, but I would consider them fairly rare at that age.

Good luck with your decision!