Would like to wean 3 yo

[flatstanley72]

I would really like to wean my 3 year old DS. I am ready to be done and I would like to be able to go on a trip for a few days in August.  Currently, DS nurses to sleep at night (but DH is able to get him to sleep fine if I am not home), then 1-2 times during the night and again when he wakes in the morning. Some days he takes a nap and nurses to sleep for his nap, but some days doesn't nap, so he doesn't nurse during the day on those days. I am wondering 2 things: 1) Does it seem realistic that I could wean him by August? 2) Even if it doesn't work out to wean in time to go on this trip, I still want to begin taking a more active approach to weaning him because I am very ready to be done. I am just not sure how to go about it. I have a 5 yr old DD, but didn't have to do anything to wean her because she self-weaned around 2.5 yrs when I was pregnant with DS. Another pregnancy is definitely not in the plans, so that is not going to work this time around! Any ideas would me much appreciated.

Thanks!

Kim

[TiredX2]

First, I want to reassure you that your DS will be fine even if he doesn't wean before you go on your trip.  When DS was almost four he went to "Grand Camp" with his big sister and grandparents for three days and two nights.  He still nursed often and never went more than a few hours at night without nursing.  He was fine!  He did snuggle into his Poppa at one point during the night and say, "Nurse" but he got over it quickly once he realized I wasn't there.

What I always recommend to people is to determine what is bothering you *the most* and work on that first.  So, are you most bothered by having to nurse him to sleep?  Then work on that.  Are you most bothered by the middle of the night nursings?  Work on that.  Once you have determined what you want to address first, there are a lot more specific advice.

[rubidoux]

I think there's plenty of time and as TiredX2 said, he'd be fine if you didn't change anything and just went on your vacation.  I would be tempted to do that, myself, and then see if he even wants to nurse when you get back.  My older son was nursing a lot more than your LO when we suddenly weaned at 3 1/2.  He was pretty sad for the first 24 hours or so and we did cuddle a lot for the first week, but it was all much easier than I would have guessed.  I'm pretty sure I was more bummed than he was.  I think it would have been even easier for him if I was just not available.