successfully weaned! « Back to Group Discussions

[CalmCenter]

I knew I wanted to wean my daughter sometime during this pregnancy, but was not sure how/when it would happen. She is 2 years and 7 months. She was a hard core nurser, including nighttime. In somewhat desperation I allowed her to go with my husband for 4 days to visit family without me. Our first overnight separation! She seemed ready and happy about it. I thought she might wean or begin weaning and it wasn't happening otherwise, plus I could really use some alone time. 

It worked out. She came home happy to see me, but not desperate. I told her the milk was all gone. I let her nurse one last time to see there was no milk. She asked for it for a week or so. 

Naptime and bedtime were challenging at first as she had never fallen asleep in bed without nursing. I held the line, gently, and cuddled her and rubbed her back. And had faith she would/could fall asleep without nursing. She woke 2 times the first night, I gave her water and she went back to sleep. Now 2 weeks later she is napping and going to bed relatively easily. We still cosleep so the intimacy and connection is always there if she needs it. And if she cries or moans in her sleep I rub her back. But she doesn't wake during the night! She sleeps 8-10 hours a night uninterrupted. She sleeps way better than I do! Lol. 

I just wanted to share this success story, because I wasn't sure how it would turn out and I am so glad I took the leap. 

[jodieanneanton]

Thanks for sharing.  I am glad it went so well for you and your little one!

[babytoes]

I remember when I weaned my 8 yr old, it was very hard. He was also a hard core nurser, and wanted nothing to do with solids. He was still exclusively breast fed at 16 months. At that point he was nursing so much it became a strain on me, and I knew I was going to have to push him very hard to supplement with some solids. After a lot of coaxing, begging, and prodding, he finally went down to 4 or 5 sessions a day. Out of the blue, he suddenly started eating more solids and only nursed before bed, and early in the morning.

I'm glad you finally got her to wean, I can only imagine it must be bittersweet. With every one of mine it was. Congrats!

[Bena]

Congrats CalmCenter!

Finally weaning my daughter was a huge  step for us also... she was also really attached to nursing, and in the weeks leading up to it, I was really dreading it and imagined the worse.  I had loved  nursing her, but I was done, and was beginning to panick at the thought I would never successfully wean her!

But in the end, it worked out fine

It is such a relief when things go smoothly!
 

[SamiPolizzi]

Congrats! I'm glad it worked out so well! 

My son recently weaned too. I wanted to let him wean on his own, but when he was still 2 and a half and nursing like crazy, I started getting pretty worried it would never happen. I was even away from him for several nights in a row on multiple occasions and he just picked up right where he left off when I came home. Anyway, eventually the nursing slowed down to about once or twice a week, until my milk dried up.For a while he still asked and I told him he could try but there wasn't going to be any milk. He was about 3 yrs and 3 mos. 

[maogans]

Calmcenter, thanks so much for sharing your success story, especially your tips on napping without nursing!  That's my clutch right now and part of the reason I've been hesitant to wean altogether.