AIBU to think that night weaning is inevitably going to be hell for a while?

[Justkeepchasingpigeons]

I am about to night wean my toddler (19 months) and am just feeling pretty anxious about it.
He is completely day weaned already - I know I probably did that in the wrong order but it was easier for us. He has day weaned with almost no problem at all and eats well.
We are only really still feeding once overnight. He asks for a feed in the morning, and can still get upset about it being refused, but generally can be distracted by breakfast.
We are at the point where the last feed just has to be dropped. I literally can’t reduce it further.
I’m just dreading the 1am scream-fest which I’m sure is inevitable.
I don’t know if I’m looking for stories of hope and reassurance or just to feel more prepared really.

YANBU - night weaning is likely to be pretty awful
YABU - night weaning can be fine and toddler might be ready

I wouldn’t catastrophise it really. We did similar to you. Switch day feeds to a cup of milk and cut night feeds last. Honestly, I don’t remember it being difficult. There was a bit of grumbling for a couple days, but no hours of screaming, not much lost sleep. We did bed share though so I was always there, just not feeding him, and he went back to sleep. I went away on holiday without him like a week later. It was fine. Do take care of yourself though. The only difficult part of it was that I ended up with a breast abscess, even though I stopped very slowly. It was still an adjustment for my body.

We did it by getting DP to offer a drink of water so DS was away from me. There was a bit of protest the first night, he had a fairly calm drink the next night and then I think he didn't wake up the next night. We co-slept too so that made it easier IMO.

At 19 months your DS shouldn't need the nutrition from breastmilk, so don't feel bad about giving up. You will still have plenty of cuddles and closeness.

We also offered water. Took two nights, complaints the first night, drank water the second, didn't bother waking for the third! It won't necessarily be a scream fest. Good luck!

It will probably take about 3 nights. That's do able! Just don't give in and prewarn the neighbours. Also talk about it lots in front of them for about a week, tell everyone you meet about it jna positive way and then be really matter of fact about it during the night.

Same. When they knew they wouldn’t get any breast and only water they stopped waking.

Thank you for all your replies!
Like lots of you, I plan to offer him water instead and just lots of cuddles. We don’t co-sleep so I’ll have to be up with him but that’s the choice we made.
We’ve been reading toddler books about it for the last couple of weeks so he does seem to know it’s coming and he really loves the books.
Unfortunately, he doesn’t really settle well for DP in the night (despite settling perfectly fine at bedtime and nap time) so I think it’ll be mainly on me.