Suggestions for weaning my 2 year old

[Reet]

Thankyou girls!! I will write back tomorrow once I'm on my laptop, takes me forever on my phone! But the one thing I have decided is to take it slow and put some 'rules' in place... I might try and get the nightweaning sorted while Dh is here to sleep with her for the next week, then atleast I can enjoy the feeds we have during the day for a while longer one question, how do I say no boobie at night wen I am putting her to sleep by feeding her at night?! Is it confusing for them?? Shld I just say boobies are sleeping wen she wakes up for it?? Thanks x

[HotI]

Rather than say 'no' i liked to say 'you can have a drink in the morning when the sun gets up' (or whenever you decide) but i can give you a cuddle now' - but give a specific time when you will be available to feed.

[onthefly]

yes, make it a positive statement about when it's ok. She'll probably get upset and cry, but you're still there for her to comfort her in other ways. I really don't think it's confusing at allk, it's just that if they want something they'll push for it regardless

[~phyrephly~]

one question, how do I say no boobie at night wen I am putting her to sleep by feeding her at night?! Is it confusing for them?? Shld I just say boobies are sleeping wen she wakes up for it?? Thanks x

That took a while for me to master DP put DS down by singing. He did it for 5 nights and then I tried. The first time I did it, it took 2 hours I sang to him, gently stroked his legs and arms. He asked for boobies and I told him they were sleeping and would wake when the sun came up. DUring the night if he asks I remind him, "remember, boobies are sleeping, you can have some when they wake up when the sun gets up". He has gotten used to going to sleep without boobies. I stopped feeding him to sleep in the bedroom and started giving him his last feed in the lounge room after his shower so he didnt associate bed with boob.

ELizabeth Pantley and Dr Jay Gordon have some lovely gentle weaning advice for co sleepers

[Mildez]

I went cold turkey 10days ago with my DD. There have been moments which have been very difficult for both of us but as a whole experience it hasn't been to bad. I've gone cold turkey with all 3 of mine after attempts to reduce or wean have not worked. My eldest was 2.5yrs and my two younger girls 22-23months. I weaned my middle DD as I wasn't falling pregnant after a year of trying and with DD3 I have been sick of it for a while now. I didn't set out to wean her its just after 2 days of her not BF due to been really busy and my work I thought we are 2days in so I will keep going. I basically just woke up thought my boobs were filling and decided now is the time.

What has helped for me is for the last few months I have been working alot of evenings so DH is use to putting DD to sleep and she has learnt to go to sleep with Dad without boobies. I always fed her to sleep so this really helped at night. The worst was at the 10am feed and when she was distressed for what ever reason boobie suddenly wasn't there. For the first week unless we were not home she would cry on and off for about 2hrs which was aweful so she would eventually crash from exhaustion hours after she normally would have had her day sleep. Overnight she would ask for it and I would tell her boobies are sore. As I haven't been BF much overnight for sometime now (once or twice maximum) we didn't struggle with that part.

Although you said your going to do it slowly just thought I would add its a horrible feeling when your boobs get full and sore. So doing it over a few months would hopefully reduce the likely hood of that. Its been 10days for me and although they are comfortable now if I oush on my boob milk will come squirting out like a garden hose.

From a fertility point of view I went cold turkey about CD2 or 3 and noticed already (Ive just O'd) a massive increase in CM and my libido is much higher. I am also suddenly covered in pimples. So just in a short time I feel more fertile then I did whilst BF although my cycle returned well over a year ago now and has been fairly regular since. I expected to see changes more slowly then I have. For me it was basically instant.