A New Thread For Mamas Who Are Doing Child Led Weaning - Page 5

[mom2threenurslings]

Originally Posted by charmarty

Amanda and Alexander. How long ago did he wean?

He weaned exactly 10 months ago. He'll be 6 years old 2 months from today.

He had a pretty good day today, until the end of my father's birthday party (at a really nice restaurant!) when he couldn't play a game on our friend's cell phone because he couldn't use both hands...he had a meltdown recalling everything in the day that he couldn't do because his arm was broken and just cried and cried out of frustration (and exhaustion, as it was past bedtime and he barely slept last night!). All three of my kids were asleep by the time we got home and they all stayed asleep as I carried them each up two flights of stairs from the car to the bedrooms (dh is still at work...ugh!).

My left breast is getting engorged, as Haley barely nursed today because she had so many new people to play with today at my parents' house (they have two couples staying at their house for the weekend) and so much to do at my dad's party! I'm going to go upstairs soon and see if she'll nurse in her sleep!

[eilonwy]

I'm going to a LLL area conference tomorrow; MIL offered to watch BeanBean, but I declined because I tend to become very engorged when he's not around to nurse. I've had to pump three times to relieve the pain since BooBah was born, and I get a ridiculous amount of milk. I'm convinced that he's getting between 700 and 1000 calories a day just from me. Mike thinks that may be a little much, but if I eat less than 2000 calories a day I feel like I'm starving to death, and I am slowly packing on the pounds anyway because of the whole horrific "starvation mode" thing. I wish I could eat regularly and often, but I always grab what I can and end up feeling hungry, tired, angry and miserable. I've been somewhat depressed and very angry lately, and I know that my diet (rather, my lack thereof; "diet" means "regimen") has a lot to do with it.

Meanwhile, I need to borrow some money from my mother and buy myself some fat pants, because my behind is freaking huge.

[sea island mama]

On the topic of nursing someone else's baby...
I have nursed my niece (9 weeks old) a couple of times as my sister doesn't have enough due to a breast reduction & hates having to give formula. Unfortunately, I can't seem to get anything when I pump or I would give her that as well.

On the topic of nursing a 4 y.o....
:
It has bothered me quite a bit to nurse her at all since I was pregnant with ds (I had a nursing "aversion") & had to "wean" her about 3 months in. Since he was born she has gradually built up to nursing every morning again (& occasionally during the day if something traumatic happens).

We had a big fight this morning because she tried to force her way in between me & ds who was nursing at the time. He grabbed on with his teeth, I pushed her away (after trying to ask her to wait) & she kicked me! After that there was no way she was getting any .

This has been building for a while, I think. Every morning she says "I want milky!" & it immediately gets my back up. I usually say "pardon me?" or something to that effect & she sweetly says "may I please have some milky?", but by that time I'm annoyed & only grudgingly let her have some.

Dh says I should "just wean" her , but as you know, it's not that simple. Anyone else have problems like this? Don't even suggest I nurse them at the same time. Although I have done it a couple of times, it gives me the willies just thinking about it.

[RadiantMama]

2 gallons?

Hey wow i thought i was nursing a lot. how much water are you drinking? i often think i'm not getting enough...and how long did you exclusively breastfeed? I may do a survey here....

[mom2threenurslings]

Originally Posted by eilonwy

Mike thinks that may be a little much, but if I eat less than 2000 calories a day I feel like I'm starving to death, and I am slowly packing on the pounds anyway because of the whole horrific "starvation mode" thing. I wish I could eat regularly and often, but I always grab what I can and end up feeling hungry, tired, angry and miserable. I've been somewhat depressed and very angry lately, and I know that my diet (rather, my lack thereof; "diet" means "regimen") has a lot to do with it.

Meanwhile, I need to borrow some money from my mother and buy myself some fat pants, because my behind is freaking huge.

I'm in the same boat...unable to lose weight due to the "starvation mode" thing. I'm tandem nursing, always forget to eat breakfast and don't eat much during the day, and my body thinks it's starving. If I could just remember to eat / eat enough! What makes it horrible for me is that my family thinks I'm eating junk or eating too much and I'm actually eating very healthy...it's just my metabolism is basically shut down. UGH!

[Mom4tot]

That has happened to me...I didn't realize there was a name for it. It started last year, all of a sudden, I started gaining weight.... The past few months I have finally begun to lose weight, only because we had a couple of very active vacations. I kne it was my metabolism slowing down, but I didn't know why.

[sparkeze]

to everyone!

My DS is 30 mos and nurses anywhere from 1-5 times during the day and 1-3 times at night. He's slowly been showing less interest in nursing and I can see that he doesn't need it much anymore. He still loves nursing, but mostly only wants to when he's bored or tired. Unfortunately I can't offer to nurse for distraction or a bribe anymore - he usually refuses to nurse at those times! And the only time that he spends more than 30 seconds nursing now is at night... I miss the settle in to nurse with a book days!

[Elphaba]

Nevermind

[mother_sunshine]

Elphaba, I've learned that if you honor one's feelings and respect them for it, then it won't be such an issue. Those are real feelings she's having, and nursing for comfort is a real need. That's wonderful that she can pinpoint exactly what she needs, and be open about it, rather than just crying and you not knowing why. Adults and children alike need their feelings validated and emotional needs met, not denied and laughed at.

[*solsticemama*]

A bit late on the uptake but I'm here. We're still pretty early in the game compared to some of you mamas. Ds is 22 mos.

I just got "mothering your nursing toddler" It's been helpful. Before reading it I was thinking I'd nightwean at 2 but now I'm not so sure. Ds is still a big nightnurser, 4 or 5 times a night which makes me think it's filling a need beyond just being close to mama. The part I find hard is when he cluster nurses and asks for "oht side" every 2 mins At 4 in the morning I'm not always my best and sometimes I wonder whether it wouldn't be better if I just nightweaned completely. But so far I've decided against this.

Right now I think we're dealing with thrush...AGAIN : My nipples are soo sore I'm rinsing them with vinegar/water solution and I'm applying a paste of acidopholous mixed with a bit of water. This afternoon I'm going to get a homeopathic as well. : that this clears it up because it's forcing me to redirect ds when he asks to nurse too many times in the course of an hour. I really don't like denying him this source of comfort

[Evergreen]

Aughhhh! My dad was getting on me about weaning tonight. It was a very uncomfortable conversation. I am not going to get into it right now, and he will have probably have forgotten about it next time I see him, but AUGHHHHH!

[mother_sunshine]

Evergreen. Hang in there. You're the Mama.

[wasabi]

I thought I'd jump in. My DD just turned two and I'm pg with our second. I'm hoping that she'll wean during the pg but it won't at all surprise me if she doesn't. :LOL I'm starting to experience a lot of nipple soreness and I do find myself limiting nursing somewhat once the milk is gone and I'm in pain. Fortunately she nightweaned herself about a month ago so that has been a huge blessing. Anyway just thought I would say hi.

robyn

[mother_sunshine]

I just wanted to say Congratulations to Joan (Mom4tot) for being Senior Member of the Week!




And to all our newcoming CLWers!

[Mom4tot]

Awww, shucks, Michelle!!

I'd like to thank the Academy....and all of the people who love me! :LOL

[birthdancedoula]

I have not read all the replies but I wanted to drop in and say :
We're CLWeaners Caleb, who is 5, nurses just about everyday. He says he's going to nurse until he gets married but I may have to put my foot down, lol! His little brother self-weaned at 15 months. I got pregnant with my youngest then but he said that he was "done with nummies cause he is a big boy." I tandemed the oler two and now I'm tandeming the oldest and the baby. Its been a bittersweet experience but I wouldn't trade a minute of it...I'm going to be so sad when my b/f'ing days are over.

[Evergreen]

Hi Ashley!

My daughter eats very little solid foods. Seriously, she will be two in January,and will eat a handful of Cheerios, a bite of an apple, and two baby carrots for an entire day. This is her normal routine, sometimes she will eat some pasta or soy cheese or salmon but only if it has been days since her last real meal.

I know that breastmilk is the only thing really sustaining her right now. I also think she just had a growth spurt. Everyone is saying she looks really tall. She used to be a pretty voracious eater, but not anymore.

i was just joking with my dad about how toddlers don't eat anything. He said in a really rude way , "Jsut breastfed ones" and kept going on about how I needed to wean her. he is one of those people who never shuts up when he has a point ot make. He said "You don't want her to end up like your brother.' My parents joke that my little brother nursed forever and that is why he is a 22 year old alcoholic who still lives in their Florida room. But he used to eat everything (still does) and he actually only nursed 13.5 months (yeah, forever :LOL)

So that is the story. Like I said, he will forget about it, but he needs to understand that I am the mom. I quoted the WHO and he said he wouldn't beleive anything the UN agreed with

[Kate522]

Us Too

I CLWed my now 4 1/2 year old. She self-weaned the day our second baby was born. I was all set to try tandem nursing, but she had other plans. I shouldn't be surprised because she's like that: makes up her mind and goes for it. She just needed the closeness with nursing. The hardest part for her was falling asleep without nursing, but we've worked past that.

I loved "Mothering Your Nursing Toddler". It got me through the rough patches. I'm the only one I know who has nursed a 3 1/2 year old (excepting you all). My mother and sister gave me some grief once she turned a year, but I stuck to it. Mostly, they were weirded out because it wasn't in their realm of experience. My husband has been extremely supportive and so have my best friends (both of whom had no children at that point).

Now I'm CLWing my second babe. She's a year old and nurses differently than my first child. She's not as needy with nursing as Elizabeth was. I think she'll wean earlier, but who knows and I don't care.

As far as sleeping goes, we co-slept until Elizabeth was 2. Then we slowly transitioned her to her own bed. She's okay with it. I'd nurse her back to sleep several times in the night until I realized a lot of those time she was sleeptalking! She wasn't even awake. If I left her alone, she went back to sleep. Then, I didn't get up unless she called Mama! three times. A whimpered "mama" meant sleeptalking. Anyway, what really helped me was the simple fact that most children don't "reliably sleep through the night until age four." When I read that, I was like "whoa! why haven't I heard that before?" Why should I get worked up about sleep when they
are not going to do it for four years? It really calmed the situation for me.

[Mom4tot]

Welcome Kate and Ashley

[Amys1st]

Hi Ladies,

I must say I love your posts. I am Amy and can I play too?

My DD is 29 mo's and is CLWeaning. She is down to at the most 2 a day. But, since she is not napping as much sometimes just once.

I have noticed her sessions will last on average 15 seconds. Once or so a week maybe 5 minutes to calm down etc. I know my production has gone down to nothing and I am wondering if she is forgetting how to nurse. She seems to go to do it and then stop as if to say "nah" or she has a look on her face like she is thinking-did I forget something? Then she goes about her business or starts to nod off. She has not nursed to sleep in days also. Has anyone noticed this with their nursling(s)?

I don't think I need to go into all the awesome benfits of nursing a toddler...but I am fine with her weaning since we came this far. If she would have weaned last year- I would cry like my best friend did. But she has done so well with it.
I see a confident, bright, not a picky eater little girl who is a Terrific 2 year old not a terrible 2's child. I have had people tell me children are clingy from bfeeding so long. I say thats good since if DD was not clingy- she might move out of town! She is not clingy one bit and I owe her ways to bfeeding. The downside on a humorous note- DH and I think she might be smarter than us! He said the other night jokingly it was my fault since I did the Bfeeding, not him. I then said it was his fault since he wanted me to bfeed in the first place!