Weaning 14 month old who LOVES to nurse

[Elisegj]

In a perfect world I would nurse my baby once a day (in the morning) until 18-24 months, but lately she wants to nurse all the time. It's burning me out (I'm home with her so when I say all the time, I really mean it...she asks for it upwards of 15x times a day) and making me resent nursing, and worry about leaving her.

A month ago it felt like it was gradually reducing naturally, we were down to nursing only after wakings (3x a day). Then she got sick (she's better now) and it ramped up again. The older she gets, the bigger the tantrums when I say no.

She's a great with eating solids, drinks milk from a straw-cup, but will not take a bottle under any circumstance. If i offer her milk instead of the boob she swats it away and cries. She pats my chest, tugs at my shirt and says "nur nur" and cries if I don't give in. So far the only thing that works is offering her a small snack (a cracker etc) and that distracts her.

A big issue for me is that I occasionally need to travel for work and I don't want that to be traumatic for her, guilt-ridden for me, and a nightmare for whoever is caring for her.

I guess my question is, has anyone else gone through this? Did you cut them off cold turkey? Is it possible to keep that one feed but cut the others? Help!! I need tips, advice, anything. I'm so lost and frustrated.

[Sophster1978]

My daughter was exactly the same, but she was rubbish at eating solids. In the end I felt ready to finish breast feeding her so I went away for 2 nights. DH thought he'd have a nightmare but she ate far more than she usually would, took a bottle and was absolutely fine. When I got home she had forgotten all about the boob and I've never fed her since. Quite extreme (and very painful...) but I just couldn't see another option.

[Zahrah5]

I had something similar at 1.5 years old, she was also sick. I did nothing about it because I dont know what could be done, i sidnt want any traumas or dramas, it gradually decreased on its own.