Seriously, is it possible that toddlers night wean of their own accord?

[GeckoLovingHornedThing]

pleeeease tell me they do
gecko still feeds all night
and demand feeds in the day
she is 2.7

tis TrinityRhino btw

[GeckoLovingHornedThing]

anyone?

[hercules1]

not a chance in hell!!!

You have to be strong and do it cold turkey. Wear long inaccessible clothes, tell her before hand and then be firm. WIll take 2-3 nights and then no more.

[GeckoLovingHornedThing]

I knew I was doomed
I'm made a canoe for my own back let alone a rod

[hercules1]

I mean should be no more upset.

[hercules1]

Yep

[GeckoLovingHornedThing]

cant do that hercules

[hercules1]

Yes, you can. Honestly, tis so worth it. I've done it twice.

[GeckoLovingHornedThing]

no chance in hell that i can do that
and would be worse to confuse her by trying to and then giving in

[hercules1]

If I ever have any more kids I'm going to gina ford them! (never having anymore btw so can say this)

[Notquitegrownup]

Hello Trinity! I have read on MN that they do, but my experience was different.

My ds1 needed help at approx 24 mo, in the shape of me sending in dh, to soothe him back to sleep between bedtime and 1pm for a while - only a few nights. He then woke once a night for a feed, which he dropped himself at 2.9, and then slept through everafter. We stopped feeding altogether at 3.

We tried the same with ds2 but he has a fabulously strong will, and fed furiously from 1am until 6am until we banned him from my room and me from his at all at night. It only took a few nights again, and then we went back to co-sleeping, and fed until 3.5 during the days.

Best of luck.

[GeckoLovingHornedThing]

oh god noooooo

right I need some made up sucess stories about voluntary night weaning

[hercules1]

You have to really want to give up and then stick to it. At this age they are old enough to know they are no longer allowed it at night, and yes will be upset but honestly they get over it.

[GeckoLovingHornedThing]

thanks notquitegrownup

that sounds nicer

[hercules1]

Well, of course with dd3 it was all sooo different. I told her there would be no more mummy yummies tonight and she said "okay, mummy, I love you".

SHe went to sleep and didnt wake up ever again in the night.

I have only 2 children....

[Notquitegrownup]

But she is speaking now, which makes it easier. We told ds2 that mummy needs to sleep (it actually started when I was really ill for a couple of days) and that he could have a drink in the morning, but that now it was sleep time. It took 3 nights or so, but it was easier because there was a good reason. And when reason failed dh had a song to sing to him - same one every night. When we went back to co-sleeping, I found I could use it too - it had become a replacement for bfing. (Can't remember what it was, but it was a really Bizarre choice of song!)

[Tatties]

Well my ds is 4, I am letting him self-wean (not with out the odd word of 'encouragement' from me though) and it does slow down of its own accord. But it is a very very gradual process. At 2.7 my ds probably fed a couple of times through the night and it is only from very recently that I would say he hardly ever does.

[goingnowherefast]

If you want to night wean you could try this:
www.drjaygordon.com/development/ap/sleep.asp
Gentler than cold turkey!

[PuzzleRocks]

DD1 has just done so at 2.2. Only 4 months ago she was still waking 2 or 3 times and demanding milk.

[HaventSleptForAYear]

No chance! Use goingnowhere's link - I've done it.

[TheBreastmilksOnMe]

Could you tell her that there is no milk there at night (boobies are empty) but there will be some after she has slept in the morning?

[ShowOfHands]

DD's doing it gradually. It does happen.

I couldn't actively wean her. I couldn't. No way. I couldn't take away such an important thing like that and make it a battle ground.

I understand. It would have broken me. At the same time the constant touching and twiddling and sheer being needed all the time was making me unhappy. It's a toughie.

[HaventSleptForAYear]

You can night-wean without weaning totally. (see above link)

[StealthPolarBear]

Since about 2 DS has slept through the night unless he's ill, when he wants feeding. Now he's ill a lot, but when he's not, I get a full night's sleep

[sweetkitty]

I have bookmarked Dr Jay for reading later, DD3 is coming up to a year old and I would like to start night weaning her without stopping BFing altogether.

I am utterly shattered she was up fussing more than 7-8 times last night. I love sleeping with her but I think well rested Mummy would benefit everyone more.

[idontbelieveit]

dd2 night weaned at about 2 years old (she's now just 3). She stopped feeding to sleep around 18 months. She did it of her own accord which is just as well cos i couldn't have gone cold turkey! She still has the occassional feed now but about once a week.