Just wondering if anyone has any helpful advice on weaning an older child? My DD is 22months and currently day3 of going cold turkey from BF. I'm really struggling at the moment with her demands for it and I think this week coming will be worse with DH away and her older siblings at school. Does anyone have any helpful hints?
if you are going cold turkey, make sure that you are ok too. dealing with a blockage would not be nice.
try not to sit in your regular feeing position. offer alternatives, 'you can't have a feeed now, but lets blow bubbles or dance silly or have a cold drink of water....
Sending you strength my DS is the same age and I have just dropped his night feeds. It's tiring and draining Although I'm doing something differnet, I tell him "boobies are sleeping" or "boobies are empty" and he takes that usually, sometimes good and sometimes it upsets him.
I can only echo what PP's have said - distract, do heaps in the day, I don't sit down AT ALL as it's just a cue for DS to ask for it, offer something else (drink, food, etc). I remember to be more present for DS when I'm cutting a feed, as it's that closeness he is missing, so I cuddling him more, carry him more, physically play with him more (like swing him, throw him in the air safely of course, tickle, wrestle - I like laying on the floor on my tummy and he crawls all over me, he loves that!), involve him in day to day stuff like cooking (well, show him, talk to him, explain what I'm doing, give him a spoon and a mixing bowl, etc)
Yeah, how are your boobs? Don't mean to be rude lol, I am curious as I always feel engorged after not feeding for 24 hours, even though DS is practically down to 2 feeds in 24 hours. That's one thing I've been really fearful of stopping cold turkey, that I would get blocked ducts or masititis or something.
I've had to go cold turkey will all mine after other attempts didn't work. My first was 2.5 when I weaned her and the 2nd 23months. The engorgement with the 2nd was aweful. DD3 usually has a good feed/comfort cuddle at 10am which coincides with going to sleep so its the one I was worried about and knew I would struggle with the most. Her night feed was only ever a few minutes and she has been going to bed with her Daddy for a few months now so I could study overnight so that made the night easier. I feel a little firmer but not full or engorged at all. It must be because DD has not been getting much for many months now.
So 10am came around with many tears poor baby. Makes me feel so aweful as I want nothing more then to give it to her but its now day 4 and that would be such a waste if I wasn't to follow through with it now we have started. I tell her boobies are sore and they are gone now. She went to her Dad last night and gave him a cuddle and was crying and told him boobies are gone. So so sad for us both. I know now is the right time as I have been over BF for a while now and I start a new job in 2weeks and DD is going to FDC so it will be hard for her carer to get her to sleep without them.
I actually have quite a history with mastitis and so far so good. I've had it 3 times with DD3 but 5 times with DD2 between 2-8months of age and have some scarring because of it which I think has affected my milk supply. Maybe thats why I'm not engorged or the fact DD just hasn't drained them for a while properly and my supply is limited anyway.
Ohh Mildez, I know what you mean re: sticking it through/ It feels heartbreaking, doesn't it? Good on you for staying on track.
I returned to full time work about 6 months ago, DS went into FDC two days a week and is with my mum the other three. All our feeding went from day to night and I was/am exhausted from it, missing my bed (as i sleep with DS due to the feeding) and am well over breastfeeding, as awesome as it was. I kleep reminding myself it is a breastfeeding relationship, so we both have to be ok with it, and more ofetn than not, I wasn't.
Thanks for sharing re: the engorgement (or lack thereof!). Hope it gets smoother from here on in for you both
My DD has been weaned for a week now. We kept telling her she would stop feeding when she turned 2. Everytime she's cried for a feed I've distracted her or given her a cup of water or milk. So far so good. I also tell her she is a very good, big girl now not needing boo boo - as age calls it - and she loves that. She tells me she's not my baby anymore! Waah!
We are now on day 6 basically or there abouts. Its not getting any easier at this time except obviously the longer it goes on the more determined I am to stick with it now we have started. It would be foolish I guess to give up weaning her when I would have to start the process again. I just picked her up from the baby sitters (slowly weaning her in before I start work in 2weeks time) and she was so exhausted she fell asleep in the car coming home and is now asleep so I have avoided the usual tears when she is looking for it this morning.
As for my boobs surprisingly I was in agony yesterday. I expected it to happen sooner but it didn't and today they are easing of a little and are very lumpy. Fortunately the pain is pretty minimal today unless they are bumped.
it can be a hard process, but keep at it if that's what you feel is right. I weaned DS2 just after christmas (so 20 months) and i was ready, he must have been in some way as well as it was very easy for us, we stopped cold turkey as well, although we were down to 2 feeds a day anyway. My boobs were perfectly fine, I didn't suffer any problems whatsoever, which makes me think, maybe there wasn't a lot left anyway. I had the same thing with DS1.
Thanks Jaycee. I've gone cold turkey with all mine as at around the 2years I have simply had enough too. My 2nd daughter got over it within 2days and didn't ask again but not this little girl. I was hoping by now she would give up alittle looking but not yet.
Yes her last BF was Friday a week ago for 30secs at about 8pm. At the time I didn't know it would be her last
DD is still looking for it a few times a day. Its not getting any easier yet which is a shame although she tells me boobies are gone and then says just a slurp or just a sip please mum. At night she is good I just say no they are sore and she will lie in my lap with her pillow and go to sleep. I think it really helped that I was working evenings for the last several months (3pm until 10pm) so DH puts her to sleep around 50% of the time when I am not available so this has really reduced her need for the night time BF. At around the 10am she is still really difficult and it takes me until around 12 to get her to sleep and she is so tired and cranky by then so its a 2hr ordeal with her crying and sooking and asking for a BF. She keeps asking to 'go bed' as when I was BF she would ask me around 10 every morning and would fall asleep whilst feeding.
My boobs are slowly deflating. Still lumpy especially the right one which was her favourite.
That really sucks the 2hr sleep increments. DD suddenly started sleeping better a few months ago which is awesome and now sleeps very well overnight. She does let out a few cries but self settles most of the time.
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Suggestions on weaning an older child?
my DS is the same age and I have just dropped his night feeds. It's tiring and draining
Although I'm doing something differnet, I tell him "boobies are sleeping" or "boobies are empty" and he takes that usually, sometimes good and sometimes it upsets him.
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