I just wanted to share that for the past 15.5 months, I have breastfed my daughter day and night, demand feeding whenever she wanted or needed it.
A week ago tomorrow, we stopped the night feeding due to many reasons. Mainly, it was becoming too tiring for me to continue and it was making it all feel very demanding so I felt we needed some change and I knew my daughter was waking 2-3hrly at the same times every night consistently because she knew if she woke, she would get 'booby'. We have also started ttc #2 and I need my rest.
I felt that it can't be a good thing when DD wakes for 'booby' and with a big sigh sometimes I would lift up my top and put her on. I didn't want that negativity around DD.

The last few weeks I've been slowly trying to get DD to night wean herself by not letting her have as much easy access during the night, ie sleeping with my back turned to her more, when she wakes patting her more often and waiting a bit more before giving it to her etc... gentle methods to do it gradually over time.....

Finally last Monday night we decided, as a family, that it was time for no more 'booby' after DD's last feed of a nighttime until 6am. She had her last feed at 7pm at bedtime and had no more until 6am the next day. I felt sad. Sad, because I've not known anything else for the last 15.5mths of DD's life but to night feed. But I also felt a bit liberated because it meant I could have a bit of 'me' back to myself during the night if that made sense. It's all gone quite well, DD has cried a bit when waking but she's always had us with her comforting her and holding her and she co-sleeps with us anyway so she is always very close snuggling into us. So while she may feel angry or upset that I am not giving her 'booby', she isn't feeling scared because she's not alone. She knows we are there for her.

The reason I am writing this thread is because I wanted to share how proud I feel of myself for giving DD so much in terms of comfort during the night, breastfeeding around the clock, and any mum who has done the same, for so long, knows how tiring and exhausting it is at times. To be woken 2-3hrly for months on end..... I feel we have done this gently for DD and "gradually with love" as Pinky says.

DD has her first feed of the day at 6am every morning and it's a nice long one. I enjoy it more now because she hasn't been feeding on me all night long like before therefore I look forward to that 6am feed now I say to her "you can have some booby now if you like?" and she says "booby" and excitedly jumps on!!! So cute.
I thought DD would feel upset with me in the mornings but she doesn't. She's happy with it all!

I am so glad I fed DD through the night for as long as I could and I feel glad that we're night weaning her at a time that felt right for all of us.
I know that just because we are night weaning DD, doesn't necessarily mean she will sleep ALL night long, and that's okay if she doesn't also. We know she still may need to wake for cuddles, security and to know we are there for her. But at least she will no longer need 'booby' therefore that pressure is off me iykwim? It's a good feeling. I am really enjoying our day feeds even more than ever now as I know that I will get a break during the night time. I absolutely love breastfeeding my daughter and look forward to many more day feeds over the course of many more months I hope!!

I do feel nervous though about questions like - What happens when she starts teething again? Do we go back to square one again? And, what about when she's sick? But i'll cross that road when I come to it....

Thanks for reading