At what age did your child self-wean?

[MamaLeah]

I was just wondering, for those of you with children old enough to have self-weaned, at what age that happened. I don't know many people whose children self-weaned, but from what I know, I understand it is wildly different from child to child. Just thought it would be fun to see what experiences are out there.

[lisamarie]

My ds gradually weaned himself at 20 mo. I am so glad that we practiced childled weaning, but grieved for about a month after he weaned himself. Our nursing experience was so wonderful, that I was sad to see it end.

Warmly~

Lisa

[Milo]

Jadon started complaining that there was no milk in my sippy when he was about 3 and a half - I was newly pregnant, but could still hand-express lots of milk, and Eli was still nursing alot, so I knew there was milk there. I figured it must be that he wasn't getting any/enough when he nursed - maybe forgetting how? I told him he could keep trying, or have something else to eat or drink. Mostly, he chose something else, and took to hugs and cuddles for comfort. Now, he asks for a hug and kiss to "cheer me up" if he needs physical comfort.

Right before my return to fertility after Eli, he went for about three days almost exclusively nursing, and asking to nurse like 20 times a day....I thought about weaning him then, because I was so overwhelmed ( he's tall, I'm short, there was no way to physically avoid his little hands) Then, the morning I thought "I just can't do this anymore" - he went back to once at waking up, and right before his nap. Sometimes, he says that when this baby is born, there will be lots of milk, and he can nurse then. I will let him try if he wants too, but kind of hope to only nurse two at a time....

[Jish]

My ds was 22 months and I was three months pregnant. I didn't want him to at the time, but my pregnancy was miserable, so I think it was a blessing in disguise. I probably got tired of me pulling him off to go throw up.

[SagMom]

My 1st weaned at 2 1/2, my second at 3 1/2. I'll have to get back to you on #3.

[LEmama]

Ds#1 weaned at 27 mos. I did non-verbally encourage this by limiting his time at the breast, nursing only before bed and after waking in the morning. I was in my first trimester of a pregnancy at the time and just could not stand nursing...I don't know why, but it made me nauseous and was so irritating. One night he just didn't ask for it before bed...
When we lost our newborn, I had such a strong desire to start nursing ds#1 again. I actually offered, but he just put his mouth to me briefly and giggled. I realized that I just wanted to renew our nursing relationship out of grief, so I never tried again...
Until ds#2 - I was so happy to have a sweet little nursling again!!! He is still nursing at 27 mos., but I can tell things are winding down...I predict he'll wean by summer.

[gabner]

6 years, 3 years, and 2 1/2 years

[Kelso]

Child led weaning

DD self weaned by 13 1/2 months. By that time she was nursing in the Am and when I got home from work to reconnect. Then she didn't want to in the Am. Then she was too busy after work and wanted to run around and see dad and play, etc... It was ok for me cause it was slow and not sudden or stressful. Ds is still nursing at 15 mo. Some days just am andpm. Some days 5 or 6 times a day. It just depends on his mood and needyness for that day.

[Alexander]

2 years, and 18 months.

Too early, but they would not have it :

What can we do?

a

[mamaoso]

Is there some way to see the results without voting? I have a 21mo. old that's still going strong, so I can't really vote since I haven't weaned at all yet. I really want to do child lead weaning, but it's so hard to imagine him still nursing at 5 or older. He really really likes it, so it seems he may never want to stop!

[lisamarie]

Mamaoso~

Great Question about the poll results. I am sure others have thought and wondered the same thing, so here you go:

Less than a year - 0%
12-18 mo - 13.64%
18-24 mo. - 13.64%
2-3 yrs. - 36.36%
Over 4 yrs. - 22.73%

Warmly~

Lisa

[MamaLeah]

Oh - and under the poll, you can click on View Results. That way you can see the results without voting.

Also, you should be able to vote for as many as apply, if you have more than one "weanee."

[zenmama]

IMO age of weaning depends a lot on personality and nursing style

My oldest two children weaned at 3 years, 11 months & 5 years, 3 months. I am currently tandem nursing my 5 year old and 2 year old. When my older two weaned I was pregnant with my third or fourth child. I probably set more limits on my older nurslings because of the tandem/pregnant nursing dynamic. I figure that is he is stressed enough that he is asking to nurse in public that what he really needs is to go home and we nurse there.

I nurse my two-year old whenever and wherever we happen to be. She has never used pacifiers, bottles or sippy cups, all of which seem to be contributing factors in early weaning.

[Firemom]

I have only one who has weaned so far

and he weaned at 10 1/2 months. My dd however has not weaned and is 5 years 4 months.

Yes, they are both very different

[emmaline]

my older son "selfweaned' at just under a year in very sad circumstances: two severe asthma attacks which had him so breathless he couldn't attach... he could take an occasional suck from a bottle but I was too ignorant to realise I could use ebm PLUS no staff at the hospital thought for a minute he'd be bf at 11 months!!!!!!!! AND I didn't have the sense to ask for enough help to express when he needed to be in arms for days at a time..... AND exhaustion led to big supply drop
when we tried to get back to bf he wouldn't have a bar of it , ds and I both cried for a week, it was tragic

[elainie]

My twins selfweaned at 4 1/2 years of age, my son was 3 years and 9 months old and did not selfwean (I was pregnant and feeling very sick and irritable) and I am now nursing my 2 year old daughter and I will let her selfwean which will probably be around age 4 ish or so.