[lhowlett]

I always thought it would be DS who would end the nursing because I wouldn't want to, but now I don't really want to nurse much anymore. I've always enjoyed nursing and was so excited when his 1st birthday came and I thought, wow, I haven't even though about stopping (as so many moms see 12 months as the cut off), this is great! I only made it to 5 months with my first child as we introduced a bottle too soon.<br>
Anyway, I'm terribly deflated <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/redface.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="Embarrassment"> now, not that I was ever huge to begin with, but, and it's almost physically irriating or annoying to nurse. I totally don't mean that like "my son is irriating or annoying", just the physical sucking feeling I guess just doesn't feel good anymore. He's a big boy now - 16 months - and eats lots of table food and will take a sippy cup. I think I'd be fine with nursing 2-3 times a day during the day, but he keeps getting up in the middle of the night sometimes, and if I don't nurse him he'll just get upset and hit or scream. Is there any nice way to cut off these night feedings? I do feel bad wanting to wean, especially feeling like I'm cutting out the nutrition and cuddle time (although he is a big mama's boy), but I'm kind of just ready / burned out. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/hide.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="hide">:

 

[alegna]

What I hear time and again from moms who want to nightwean is- if they're ready, it will be easy. If they're not, it won't.<br><br>
So try putting him to sleep in other ways and see how it flies. If it doesn't he's not ready- try again in a few months.<br><br>
good luck!<br><br>
-Angel

 

[Thalia the Muse]

When we nightweaned our daughter, it WAS easy. Her daddy went in when she woke (several times a night <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/img/vbsmilies/smilies/dizzy.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="Dizzy"><img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="smile"> and gave her a sippy cup of water and patted her back. She'd go right back out, and after three or four nights she started sleeping through. I think the key was not seeing, hearing, or smelling me, the source of the milk.<br><br>
We kept nursing during the day for almost another year afterward, so night-weaning doesn't have to mean losing your nursing relationship.

 

[gottaknit]

You can nurse him to sleep (if that's what you normally do), and then refuse to nurse until morninng. Maybe start slowly and cut out one night nursing session at a time until he's sleeping through the night, or go cold turkey if that works for you. (We went cold turkey because he was 27 months old and I am pregnant. Your situation is a bit different.) It only took us three nights. He WAS ready.<br><br>
I think you'll find if you nightwean, day nursing will be much more tolerable. If not, you could consider cutting out one or two day sessions, too. But try the night weaning first. Good luck! <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="smile">

 

[SecretlyStern]

Sounds like you're having a little of what they call "nursing anxiety" which is really poorly named, IMO. Lots of tandem moms get it, or pregnant moms nursing older babies and some moms have it all the time--that irritated feeling when your babe is nursing like you almost can't stand to have him on. Cutting out the night nursing might help with this some because we have more trouble dealing with these feelings when we're sleepy. There's some good info on the nursing anxiety in Hillary Flower's book Adventures in Tandem Nursing.<br><br>
Don't hide under the chair <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/wink1.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="wink1"> I think most everyone here understands what you're feeling to some degree or another! I'd echo the thoughts on going slowly and trying it out. If it's a real struggle when you try removing the night nursings you might wait a month and try again. If waiting simply isn't an option for you, you'll know.

 

[Stayathomemommy]

gottaknit what did you do to get your toddler to fall back asleep when they were used to nursing back to sleep. thats my problem i just dont know what to do, he expects me to pick him up and nurse him in bed. if i just pat his back he gets mad. maybe i'll try giving him some water in a sippy cup first?