Any tips for preventing early weaning?

834 Views 5 Replies 6 Participants Last post by caitsaunt, Aug 29, 2009

mamamoon89

Discussion Starter · Aug 28, 2009

I'm nursing my 9 month old daughter and it's going pretty well now, but I'm worried about her weaning early. I would like for her to nurse until she's at least two...but I've heard of baby's weaning themselves at a younger age than that even when the mom is encouraging nursing. I'm especially worried since my daughter is starting daycare in a few weeks...and once she turns one she will be in the one-year old room at day care, where other kids will be eating regular meals (she only eats a little bit of solids right now).
Does anyone know what things I can do that will encourage her to keep nursing now and throughout her toddler years?

Save

1 - 6 of 6 Posts

chocolatefish

· #2 · Aug 28, 2009

Keep nursing at night! It's a hard one, but I think it helps. One of my justifications for not nightweaning DS has been to keep him from weaning early.

Save

Marnica

· #3 · Aug 29, 2009

DS stopped waking up for feedings at night when he was about 7 months old...still does on occasion when he is sick and I am happy to oblige. he is 16 month old now...has been in daycare since he was 3 months old. He nurses 2-3times/day. I offer more but this seems to be what he wants right now. I also hope he keeps going until at least 2. I would just keep offering whenever you are together. I also still pump for daycare so he still gets the BM

Save

isabchi

· #4 · Aug 29, 2009

Continue to nursing on demand, co-sleeping and night time nursing, continue pumping and offer the breast milk in a sippy cup when she going to the daycare, try to offer more solids during the daycare hours and more nurse more when you're going to be together

Save

tankgirl73

· #5 · Aug 29, 2009

Nurse before offering solids rather than the other way around.

Keep the solids baby-led, don't try to follow any particular 'schedule' of feeding solids. Eg, many 'schedules' will say 1-2Tbsp/day at so many months old, increase by a teaspoon per day, etc etc. These schedules are designed with the goal of being fully weaned by 12 months. Therefore following the schedule, rather than letting baby self-feed and self-determine their ratio of solids to BM, will artificially accellerate the natural weaning process.

An article I wrote on baby-led solids: http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/03/13/...t-7-baby-food/

Save

caitsaunt

· #6 · Aug 29, 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by chocolatefish

Keep nursing at night! It's a hard one, but I think it helps. One of my justifications for not nightweaning DS has been to keep him from weaning early.

Ditto! I cosleep and let him nurse on demand all night if he wants - not that I complain if he does sleep long stretches some nights.

I mostly make sure to offer often - not just when they ask but throughout the day just in case. Older babies and toddlers get so busy playing that it's easy to let the nursing sessions slide by if they don't ask... so offer in case they've gotten distracted.

See less See more

Save

1 - 6 of 6 Posts

This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.

Top Contributors this Month