Those who weaned part time.

I'm wanting to wean DD. I'm just over it. I'm not getting a break from her, because I can't leave her with anyone else, because she won't sleep without boob. Then she wakes 3 or more times a night to feed as well.
Over the next few months I have things coming up & I need to have fully weaned her by then. Mainly for the week I'm planning to leave the kids with their dad & his family after christmas.

We are on day 3 with no day time boob. I just got her down for her sleep today. Harder after we spent the last 3 days out & about, so we were in the car & had kids to distract her.

I want to just start with daytime weaning for now. I'm hoping that'll kick start the night weaning. But more just because I don't have the energy to deal with it over night just yet.

So is it hard? Getting them to understand that they're allowed it at one time of day, but not another? Am I making it harder by allowing her to have it overnight, but not for her day sleep?

Did anyone find it helped them to wean a little quicker & easier? Or that they started to drop the occasional feed over night? I'm hoping if she can learn to fall asleep without it through the day, she'll break the habit IYKWM? Then maybe start to sleep better over night? Or just maybe drop some night feeds.


I'm just worried that all I'm doing is making it harder for me by trying to part time wean. That it'll take longer & be harder because we're still feeding through the night. That she won't understand why its ok sometimes & not others.

I'm over thinking :lol:

it's pretty normal that young children learn to go without during the day. At this age it's much easier to explain it to them. "Remember, we don't have boobie now until bedtime - you are a big girl" My kids claim that they have been told "Just a minute for their whole lives!" But they are pretty good about it! this is not to mean your little one will be cheerful about it, but try to see the possible tantrums as just that - it wouldn't matter what you said "no" to, they could chuck a tantrum. but gentle discipline starts somewhere! she'll be fine.

When I was pregnant I night time weaned DD as it was just getting too much. It took her a few nights but she got used to it and then stopped waking to have it so I guess it's the same just different time. Only time I feed her overnight is if she is sick. And sometimes she wants it so much in the day I tell her after lunch or when Dad gets home or before bed and she's pretty good at understanding that although not always happy with it! Hope I've made sense she is currently jumping on me while I feed DS!

:) clover what you have described sounds like normal weaning to me. With all mine we dropped the day feeds first, then the morning one and lastly the nighttime. Kids are pretty good at understanding different stuff especially if you explain it's part of growing and getting bigger!

DD nightweaned when i was pregnant too, she initiated it when she had a fever and needed fluids and i couldn't provide enough, but i continued offering only water and not feeding at night when she probably would have come back to the breast.

Just having the nights to myself gave me enough relief/me time to be able to continue with day feeds.

More recently, i decided that i wanted to stop the morning feed. the first day was tough, but having a few busy days in a row helped and then dd stopped asking for it. Again, just not feeling i had to do feeds i wasn't happy with made the other feeds enjoyable and ok for me. DD has been sick and has been having more feeds for the past week or so, but i am ready to cut back down again to just the 1 or 2 a day.

Breastfeeding has to work for both of you, and it is ok to set boundaries if you need a break or have had enough.

DD doesn't have a day sleep unless she has a bf, or is in the car so you might have sleep issues if your little one is used to feeding to sleep. Actually, on nights when i just can't (or can't stand to) feed DD, i give her cows milk in a bottle.

I am offering cows milk in a bottle & she wanders around with it, but its not enough to replace boob.

I'm rocking/walking her for her day sleep. The past 3 days were sport days & we were out all day, so she was busy & by the time she was ready to come to me for sleep, it was easy to just rock her. So today was the first real challenging day, being at home, but it only took about half an hour, so not too bad. And she was asleep by 1pm! I think I remember DS dropping his day sleeps when I weaned him at around the same age.

I might rock her to sleep at night too, then only feed her when she wakes through the night. See how that goes... I do feel guilty, but I've been pregnant or breast feeding continuously for over 5 years now. I'm just getting tired of it & want to try get some freedom back. Eventually I can work here & there without stressing about who she's with. Mum has the tolerance, but I wouldn't expect anyone else to put up with a baby screaming for boob IYKWIM.

She's asleep! 9.30 she was out. Thats earlier than most nights :)
It was hard :( She was really upset, but she'll be having it overnight. Can't believe I did both sleeps with no feeds!

Hope I can keep strong. Here's to tomorrow...