Weaning a bfing addict

[kim&savannah]

Yes--my dd is addicted to bfing.  I wanted to wait and wean when we were both ready, and we've dropped down to 2 feedings a day--morning and night, but at this point, I have no idea how to drop the last two and I don't think she will ever be "ready" on her own, especially the morning one.  She just begs for it as soon as she wakes up and won't stop until I feed her (often at 5:30 in the a.m.).  For several reasons, I am pretty much feeling done.  I've taken this really slowly so far--we dropped her 2 daytime feeds over the last month, and I'm ok with continuing slowly, but I'd like to be done by the time she is 15 months, which isn't that far away.

Any suggestions from people who have weaned an older baby who LOVES their bfing?

~Kim

[GraceKellysmom]

:wink:  Looking forward to seeing some answers here. Poor Max is a booby addict and I am with you on the 5:30am feeding. (Although I am still suspecting a growth spurt or something weird based on his food intakes) I want to keep nursing ... I do ... I just want to sleep all night. Although I remember that Grace woke up at night even after she weaned.

Have you tried just not feeding her before bed to see what she does? Just change the schedule around a little, or have your dh put her to bed. I was amazed that Max went to bed fine without me, without nursing or milk or anything. The other thought is you could always substitute a healthy snack or cup of milk before bed as a snack, if you need those extra calories.

[kim&savannah]

Stacy~ We've actually been moving her night routine around so I now feed her before teeth brushing and stories.  And dh has done the last part more lately--its all going well, so that feeding may not be that difficult.  Its the morning one that I just don't know what to do. 

She fusses and cries until I feed her, even when dh gets up with her, unless he takes her out for a walk, and even then she's only happy for about a 1/2 hour. 

So I have to wake up way too early every morning.  Not to mention that my hormones appear to be very out of whack and I've had 4 periods since July 8 when mine returned, so I want to go back on my normal pill so I can be regular again, but have to stop bf first. 

Thanks for the support--hope someone else has some advice.  Savannah loves my breast even more than dh does, and that is saying a lot

~Kim

[annamum]

Sorry that you didn't receive any advice except from Stacy.  I cannot offer you any practical piece of info, I haven't weaned yet.

Theory says, you can ask your dd to wait and have her nursing later, this is a known strategy, to delay. Then, you can offer something in exchange, like Stacy said, something nutritious and yummy. Avoid the place and situation that reminds her of nursing. Taking her for a walk is an excellent idea. Can you entertain her, do other favorite things, like reading her a book or singing a song? Even if for some time she still has her feed in the morning, it still counts that it is delayed, that she is able to forget.

Well, I hope you will make it as smooth for both of yourselves as you possibly can.

Good luck!