At what age did your babes self wean?

[sausagecake]

I understand that they usually wean between 2-4 years but what age did your self wean? I have tried to wean without my success and wandered if I should wait for dd to self wean. She is 18 months.

[sausagecake]

sorry for the typo's. lol

[SamJamsmum]

Just after his fourth birthday.

[SamJamsmum]

Ooops. Didn't mean to kill this thread. Anyone else?

[waitingtobloom]

15 months - genuinely - not just strike. I was upset but glad he had done it himself and there was no fuss!

xxx

[terramum]

DS turned 4 in July and had pretty much weaned by then. He has the very occasional suckle some mornings if we are having a lie-in...but I think that's just for comfort or curiosity's sake...

[Tangle]

DD is 18 months and still going strong - I can't imagine trying to wean her atm as I think it would make her very distressed, so I guess I might be able to answer in a couple of years!

[aurorec]

Mine self-weaned at 14 months.
She was down to only 2 feeds by then, morning and night- she started refusing the morning feed, then a week later the night feed and that was that.

[PortAndDemon]

DS at just over three (well, gradually between about 2.10 and 3.2). I was pregnant, though.

[bythepowerofgreyskull]

I thought they had self weaned at 11 months but I didn't know anything about bf strikes then..

[geekgirl]

dd1 at 3.5 yrs, dd2 at 14 months but that was due to a nursing strike rather than normal self-weaning, and ds at nearly 3.
After the age of 2 dd1 and ds were only bf at bedtime or when poorly IIRC.

[zebedee1]

Am watching this thread with interest sausagecake as am wondering when my BF addict 17 month old might eventually give up!

Just out of interest how did you try to wean, did you go cold turkey or try to reduce feeds? Am thinking of trying....

[SharpMolarBear]

DS is 18 months ands I doubt I'll ever need to know this but how do you know the difference?

[geekgirl]

How do you know the difference between self-weaning and nursing strikes? Self-weaning is a very gradual process, whereas nursing strikes happen really suddenly - dd2 was still breastfeeding a lot during the day and didn't really drink much else (she has SN and was still a proper baby at 14 months), and then she got such a heavy cold she just couldn't manage and was obviously totally put off
She got quite dehydrated and it was touch & go as to whether she'd have to go on a drip. It was horrible and I felt so sad about it.

With self-weaning you just get to the point where breastfeeding is such a small part of your child's life that they eventually just forget about it.

[SharpMolarBear]

That must have been stressful
YEs, i see, strikes are all feeds suddenly stop, weaning happens very gradually
TBH I can't see either happening right at the moment but you never know

[idontbelieveit]

My dd is 28 months and her last bf was on wednesday. She's been down to a couple of feeds per week for the last 4 or 5 weeks. She may or may not have self weaned as i type, but today she had an afternoon nap at home without a bf for the first time so she's taken a step closer. (If we're out she takes a nap in the pushchair without bothering with a feed, she's done this for about 8 months).

She stopped feeding to sleep at night around the time she turned 2. I didn't try to make her, she just wanted to get into her cot and have a story instead. It's been very gradual and I'm very happy it's been on her terms. Her little sister is due to arrive in feb so I have no idea what will happen with the feeding then.
I'm happy either way to be honest.

[idontbelieveit]

she was still having at least 3 feeds per day at 18 months, probably more like 4 or 5!

[mawbroon]

My ds will be 3 on Tuesday.

No sign whatsoever of giving up.

He feeds morning/bedtime and as many times through the day as he can get away with.

He would feed all night as well too if I let him.