Had stupidly hoped DS 23mths would self wean by 2yrs ...how do I stop without him screaming the house down?

[devonsmummy]

DS took a few bottles in the 1st few weeks and then point blank refused.. HV advice was why have a mini when he can have a BMW?

So since then he's been BF which was fine until my periods returned last month and now mid-cycle my nipples feel like they are about to drop off they are SO sore.

He currently feeds on waking then if we don't get up and out straight away will come back for another feed after breakfast. He feeds to sleep for daytime nap another in the afternoon and feed before bed - he still wakes 3-5 times a night and will only go back with a feed!

He has a healthy appetite so I'm sure he is mainly comfort feeding.

This morning he was awake at 4 then 5 and fed for half an hour by which time I'd had enough and refused him any more - well you'd have thought he was being murdered with the screaming kicking and crying that followed.

What can I do to make it easier on him (and me!)

[mum2jakeyroo]

I don't think you can. I hoped ds2 would self wean but had to wean him off at 21 months as am expecting. I had a drink to hand in a special cup that he chose all the time and everytime he wanted 'booby' I offered drink and said no. I tried to do it bit by bit but didn't work so in the end just went cold turkey but you need to be consistent. Took about a week. Then the second week he asked occasionally but seemed to understand. Also dp tried to help but this upset him even more - I found it had to be a battle between me and him iyswim.

[VictorianSqualor]

Eek, no advice sorry, just wanted to say that at 23 months I don't think there is any nutritional need for breastmilk in the night, but that, yes IMO, it would be for comfort (I actually think that most of DS2's night wakings are for comfort rather than nutrition but that's all part of nursing isn't it?).

How about a cup? Would he take milk if he saw you express it into a cup? Maybe make a big deal about him getting his own cup?

[devonsmummy]

thanks - wow a week, I think I could handle that - I had visions of it taking months to stop.

Think the hardest bit will be stopping feeding to sleep. Had you managed to stop this before you went cold turkey?

[devonsmummy]

Haven't tried expressing into a cup - I can image it being launched across the room during the night.

He does drink from a cup during the day so don't think the novelty of it would work.

[mum2jakeyroo]

He was still feeding to sleep when I did it but it was making me really unhappy and I was worried it would cause resentment with dc3. If he was upset he wanted it too but I didn't think he needed it. The first two days were hellish - you would have thought I was murdering him but I was just consistent - it wasn't easy but once we got thru the first couple of days I wasnz't going to give up and now 10 weeks on he doesn't ask at all.

[nicewarmslippers]

I had to wean mine for various reasons at 15 months (mostly as was going away for 2 weeks on work and just felt it was a good time for both of us to stop). I tried to wean her and she went biserk and became obbsessed with my boobs. Then someone said-'don't offer and don't refuse'. What a revelation! If she really wanted it I'd give it to her apparently willingly but try and limit it (use any oppurtunity to distract her) and generally I'd try and avoid situations when I knew she'd ask for it (try totally changing bedtime routine eg dad doing it).

[devonsmummy]

Thanks ladies.
Have just had a big cry thinking about stopping feeding, but I know for my sanity (and nipples!)I need to stop.

Think I will give it a go by stopping the night feeds first --- a whole nights sleep now that's gotta be worth a few hours of screaming?

Then I'll have to make sure we have some days out planned ( he doesn't seem fussed to feed if we are busy out and about.

Will give it a try with DH putting him to bed, although Dh is not known for his persistence