Success stories of stopping breastfeeding

[Ambermolly]

Hi there,
It would be really helpful to hear from people who have weaned an older baby or toddler (over 1 years old) from breastfeeding and how you went about it. In particular, it would be good to hear from mums who managed to do it without too much upset for their baby.

[goalpostmover]

Cold turkey with a 2.5 year old, I got in a habit of feeding him to sleep at night.

Changed to cows milk in a cup and had to have strong will power.

We had 3 or 4 nights of him asking and I had to lay with him until he fell asleep but luckily no tears from either of us!

[TeddyIsaHe]

Did was 2.5 and I was so ready to stop.

I night weaned first. So I would go in and cuddle but not feed. Then I cut the day feeds right back to morning and night, and continued like that for a month or so. This was quite hard because I used to comfort feed Dd to stop tantrums - distraction was key here!

Then I started doing every other morning (Dd would have milk on cereal or for a drink instead). Continued with the night feed. Then dropped the nights.

Eventually we were going 2/3 days between feeds. If Dd asked I would distract her a bit first because it was definitely a habit for her rather than a need if that makes sense.

It was very slow and not even a tiny bit traumatic. A year on Dd likes to give my boobs a squeeze to check if there’s any milk left But there were no tears or drama.

[OverTheRainbow88]

Stopped at 18months. Used to feed to sleep- now I hold his hand while he falls asleep!

Was down to 2 A day, cut that down to one in the morning then phased it out and replaced with breakfast. He still likes to kiss my boobs and is fascinated when my friends feed their younger babies!!

[wendz86]

Both mine were 15 months . I stopped feeding them in day earlier as they went to childcare but for night I spaced out each feed . So if she woke before 3 hours I would just cuddle rather than feed . Then I made these gaps longer . She did cry but I cuddled her lots so didn’t feel too bad .

[BabyMoonPie]

Once DD was eating a reasonable amount of food I started dropping breastfeeds one at a time. I started with the day time ones, then morning and bedtime was last to stop. When I was back at work she had about 6 months of only a bedtime feed before I stopped

[Findahouse21]

By 9 months dd1 didn't feed during the day anymore, she just gradually cut down herself. I fed her to sleep and overnight until 18 months. We did cold turkey but dh would replicate what I did, minus the feeding. So he rocked her in the chair until she was asleep, and rocked and cuddled her back to sleep at every night waking for a week to break the feeding association with me.

Dd2 showed no signs of cutting down day feeds by 9 months so I had to start cutting them down deliberately so that she's ready for nursery by 11 months.

[CarlottaValdez]

I made it only in the special chair - so just at home and upstairs. I was happy to do a couple of feeds a day until he stopped himself which was when he just turned 3.

[LittleMissEngineer]

DS was a little younger (9 months to start with, stopped at 11 months). Swapped one feed at a time (to a beaker or bottle of formula). About one feed a week.

Very straightforward. Very matter of fact. No drama.

[RonaRossi]

We stopped a month ago - ds3 was 3yrs 4months.

I never intended bf for so long and we’d been on one a day only for well over a year (just before bed).

The first night he cried pitifully, it broke my heart. We had a cuddle instead after talking about being a big boy etc and he went to sleep sobbing ‘please mummy, please just one minute’ 🙁.

I steeled myself for the same again...but on night 2 he had a cuddle only with no fuss and has been fine ever since!

[Aquamarine1029]

Cold turkey with a 16 month old and then a 14 month old. Within 2 days everything was fine. Very young children adapt quite quickly.

[Ambermolly]

Thanks so much, this is really helpful. The only stories I've heard from friends and family have involved quite a lot of upset when people have weaned, which I understand might happen when you make a change and your toddler doesnt get the comfort that they are used to, but it's also so good to hear others who have managed to do it without there being so many tears.

My little one isn't wanting that much milk during the day anymore and she's generally eating 3 square meals a day, but she wakes every 2 hours during the night to feed back to sleep. I do accept that that does fall within the realm of normal for a baby and even toddlers, but I would quite like to improve that situation at some point soon...

[SazCat]

I stopped BF my DD at 16 months. We'd already cut down to just morning and bed a few months earlier when she started nursery.

So I cut the morning one first which she wasn't bothered about. First few nights not feeding her to sleep she did cry a lot, but after that no problems - I had to rock her to sleep though instead. Gradually changed that to just holding her, then sat in the room til she fell asleep. Took a good few months but now she's 3 and falls asleep on her own.

Might not be the same for everyone but as soon as I stopped BF her to sleep she started sleeping through! It was amazing ha ha.

[ABabyPanda]

My DS is 3yr 2mo and last night was the first night I put him to bed without breastfeeding. His dad can put him to bed no problem but with me he literally begs “pleasey mummy pleasey” it is actually really sad. Every night I put him to bed I don’t offer and I say no but he cries and I really don’t want him to get too upset.
Last night I was firm and said they needed a rest. I’m pregnant & it’s too much, he told me to leave him alone 🤣 then rolled over and went to sleep after a bit of whinging. No crying though.
Personally I have no idea about self weaning, he is obsessed. The only way to stop for us is a little bit of upset. I don’t want him to feel pushed out when the baby comes and has milk so it needed to happen & I hope he doesn’t ask again!

[firstimemamma]

When ds was just over one I cut down very gradually until we stopped at 16 and a half months. Zero upset for ds although I was quite emotional. The key 2 things for us were - very gradual & when it felt right for us (as opposed to feeling under pressure from others).