My DD is suddenly all interested in my breasts again...she's been weaned for 3 months, pls help!

[Natasha D]

Hi moms, My DD is 25 months, nursed until she was 2, co slept most of her life – there was a period of about 1 month (3 months ago) when we tried to transition her to her own bed, sleeping with either myself or DH but we all suffered too much so we brought her back to bed – which we are ok with.  Weaning did not happen how I thought it would there was a point about 3 months ago when I was 'touched out' – she was pacifying all night, cranky, fighting me for it and I had had enough.  DH saw/felt my pain and nursing stopped…it hurts to think about it ending this way bc all along it had been a good experience.  My DD is very strong willed, wise beyond her years, and has a scream/cry that will rock you, needless to say I give in easily to avoid hearing it.  Since coming back to bed, weaned, all has been well, she sleeps through the night – fusses here and there, but a gentle hand on the back and shes back to sleep – life is good J.  Now here lies the new problem my DD almost always had her hand on my other breast while nursing, after weaning this stopped (mostly) too, but I let her if she ever wanted to, I think she finds it comforting.  But the last few days she is always wanting to touch, play with and cuddle with my breast, even to the point where she is trying to get it out of the top of my shirt in the wee hours of the morning to nuzzle with, she wants to rest her lips on my nipple, I even have to reach down to make sure she dosn’t put it in her mouth, which she hasn’t... yet, but has been very close…I’m not sure where all this is coming from, up until a few days ago she only reached for my breast when she was nervous, or uneasy and now all this.  I want to stop her, but I don’t want to be harsh about it, please help, looking for suggestions on my best approach to handling this new situation, TIA.

[phathui5]

She may not have been ready to wean and this is her way of letting you know. If you're ok with her wanting to nurse, then her hanging out with the boobs is fine.

On the other hand, if you aren't wanting to go back to nursing, it might be good for you to gently draw a boundary and not allow her to nuzzle/snuggle your breasts in the morning. 

[mamazee]

I've had kids become fascinated by my breasts again after weaning, but not so soon after. I agree that it is fine to nurse again if you want, but OTOH it's also fine to not be OK with that.

What I would do is gently redirect to a different kind of cuddling (so saying "no" to it didn't feel as harsh) and just say that I didn't want to be touched like that. She did get it eventually but it took a while of redirection before she did.