How do you wean part time?

DD always has a bottle of water, or if desperately busy I put a few drops of juice in it to try get her out from under my feet.
But she's very insistant when she wants boob. She'll wrap herself around my legs, throwing herself around & screaming at me til she gets what she wants.

I don't really don't mind much, except that at the moment I'm working 5 - 6 hours a day cooking, 7 days a week, in my own kitchen, with her under my feet. I can't be stopping every 20 minutes for 3 second drinks.

I'm buggered, I'm behind on my house work, my lawn needs mowing (seriously, 2 months worth of mowing!) I've almost caught up on my washing & folding again, after spending most of yesterday in my room just folding!

But trying to catch up on the house, my work is slacking. Didn't do enough yesterday, forgetting that there are about 8 hard working men & 2 - 3 women to feed, all on their feet, flat out all day.

So I'm wanting to get DD down to maybe 2 feeds a day. Would love none over night too! But at 18 months, how do you refuse without them getting confused? Knowing she can have it this time, but not that time? Without the tantrums?!

I guess I'll just wait til mum gets here & ask for help. Hoping thats only a few more days. Least she can take DD out of the house for me. I'm considering weaning completely, but not sure I want to yet. Especially when she's so dependant on it...

Can you teach her that apron=no booby
And get a gate for the kitchen and put her over it if she is clinging to you while you're cooking - making sure that there are lots of interesting things on her side of the gate.

house is open plan. I don't think gates would be big enough to block off the lounge, but a good idea. Our oven & stove are gas, so I am trying to teach them all that if they are on, no kids in the kitchen. She'll get that later :lol:

I just need to organise myself better. Kids are home today, so use them as much as possible, then mum should be here Wednesday. Right through the school hols too, I'll be needing that.

Only 3 - 4 weeks of this to go til work gets quiet for a month or 2, I'll manage. I think I'm better off waiting til I'm not so busy to do it. I think I have more time to sit every so often than deal with days of screaming!

*sigh*

Good luck!

This is a tricky one. It's probably less about the breastmilk and more about the time with you. A quick breastfeed allows her to reconnect with you and for her to have some time with mummy. One of the disadvantages from working at home is that little ones think that if you are there you should be spending all your time focusing on them!

I have found with my boys that 5 minutes with them can buy me an hour or more of time to get things done. So one idea might be to allow her one or two breastfeeds during the time that you are working but no more. Talk to her about how she can only have how ever many you agree on, and then you need to do your cooking. Perhaps even give her a card for each feed at the start of the day. She can swap each card for a feed but when they are gone there is no more until your work is done.

Otherwise, if you don't want to feed at all, perhaps you could relate it to where you are. When mummy is in the kitchen then you drink from a cup (or bottle etc), and there is no breastfeeding. At other times when mummy isn't in the kitchen it's ok. Or as mentioned above, the apron - when it's on no feeds. Or anything else such as when it's daylight etc, depending on how much feed free time you want.

It sounds like you really need some support and a housework fairy to come and help you too. If you find a housework fairy please let me know, I need one too :) Hopefully your mum will be a big help and allow you to relax for a bit.

I now have set times when i am ok to feed DD, and when she asks i will say "you can have a feed after your bath when you have your jammies on". she still asks, but it is easier to put it off (for me at this stage) if i can give her a time rather than jst say no, no until i give in (and then don't enjoy feeding her anyway).

we do after breakfast, after lunch (if we are home and she might sleep after), before bed.

:) Thanks. I really don't want to wean her, but I am struggling with her being so dependent on me. Especially now that its just me. No dad or nan to hand her to for a few minutes.

While mum's here I want to get out & meet people. But I don't know if DD can be without me at sleep times... I do know though, that mum has a heck of alot of patience & will pace for hours if need be.

I might start trying to say no during the day. Looking forward to being attacked all night :lol:

Would she appreciate being worn on your back while you're working? Maybe just having you close and seeing what's going on would help?

I've actually never been game to try wearing her on my back before... might give it a go.

or would she sit in her highchair and "help" - where help probably involves making a cake with sultanas and flour and water but it can be fun!

I don't have an actual high chair. Just a little seat on a chair. Not high enough for the bench. Thought about getting a proper one, but not sure there's much point at her age :dunno:

are you enabled with sling/carrier? it's worth a try at any rate

A day? Sorry, but with my DS it took a full week to wean him. Thats why, while I'm thinking of it I'm worried about it. I'm on my own with 4 kids & work. I wish it was that simple... & she's not keen on milk, & I'm not keen on weaning her onto juice.

Clover all of mine have taken longer to wean than a day and I think this option would cause a lot of strew when you are already very busy and stressed. I love the option of wearing her and your mum helping distract her for you.

Dd3 feeds very often through the day. But those days I am at work she doesnt miss me at all...

I second the idea of wearing her on your back. I helped out in the kitchens for a charity lunch the other day with DS in my patapum on my back. DS fell asleep for most of it. If she is not used to being on your back it might take a while for her to go for long periods but it might buy you an hour here and there??

Well I tried it out last night (DD2 pulled her off the lounge by the feet, onto her head :rolleyes: Right at dinner time). It was awkward, but she liked it.
I only have a ring sling, but it worked. Well enough to get dinner done anyway. Not so great on the back & shoulder, but was good to have free hands :)