How to stop bfing an 18 month old?

[hoppity]

DD2 (aged 18 months) feeds on demand perhaps 10 times a day and 3 times a night. During the day, it is for comfort, for a quick drink, if she's tired and before sleeps. At night, she wakes up, has a quick sleepy drink, then drops off to sleep immediately.

Feeling conflicted about stopping.

I know we have to stop at some point! Veer from feeling like now is the time (esp because we live in a very hot country and the summer heat + big toddler bfing is driving me MAD) to feeling like my life will only be harder if we stop (ie at night, bfing is the best way to settle her, what will I do if there's no bfing?)

Confused>

Anyn thoughts?

I started a thread like this when ds1 was the same age. I nearly started one the other day asking how to wean a 3yo

I wish I had an answer for you.

We are down to only morning and night though. I encourage drinks of cows milk, did a bit of jay Gordon for the nighttime feeds and distract during the day.

My ds has told me though that he loves my boobs more than he loves me!

I hope someone can give you better advice.

I stopped at 21 months with DD1 and just stopped - sent DH in at night and told her it was all gone. At that age understanding is quite good. It was soooo much easier than I thought.

DD2 is 22 months and I only feed in the mornings.

Maybe try dropping the feeds during the day (and buy a lovely new cup for other times during the day) and see how that goes.

I stopped nighttime breastfeeding DS2 at about 14 months. I had to just go cold turkey on the night time feeds. We had a week of hell with me watching the clock for when it could be 6am and no longer a night feed! And then he slept through. DS3 has been much better and I am still happy to feed him as it's usually just day tiem feeds. We stopped nighttime feeds at about 13 months when he moved into hie own room and stopped waking up. I agree that it's very hard when it's hot and you've got a hot sticky baby snuggled up with you!

Well, it wholly depends on the child. When DS was about this age I fed him morning and evening, and very coccasionally in the night. If he asked at other times in the day I just said "we don't do that now do we, we'll do it at bedtime" and offered him another drink. It worked for him.

DD however.....I stopped at 2.9. Had to stop altogher as she souldn't cut down. 3 months on and she is still asking for it [humm]

So unfortunately no ansers here. The don't offer don't refuse did help DS cut down though

Just a suggestion but is it possible to try to cut down at a weekend or if you have time when DH/partner is around? It might make it easier to break the habit/want of day feeding if DD2 can go with DH/partner to buy a new cup for daytime drinks (maybe with DD1 who could get a new cup too) and is also away from you for a few hours. I would maybe try the daytime feeds first before trying to cut the night feeds. Good luck.

hoppity - I think the qestion to ask is do you want to stop or are you happy with things as they are. You could try distration durning the day/ offering drink or snak instead to encourage gentail weaning.

I fed DD on demand untill 2years then started the don't offer don't refuse route. I'd already been using the distration/offering dink or snak when we where out since she turned 1year, as by that age I felt to selfconsues to feed her in public. We've just weaned altogther at 2.10months but that's more becasue I'm pregant. She still ask's sometimes so a very peristant feeder.

I must addmit I never though we'd feed for this long when we started, and was wondering what I was doing at around 13months when she was walking. But I came to realise it was more to do with how other people felt about me feeding a toddler and not my own insinties. I felt it was totaly natural after all she was still my baby.

Oh and I know what you mean about the night feeds, DD was such a bad sleeper I couldn't have given up earlier then 2 years or it would have been a nightmare during the night.

Good luck

I feel conflicted and not sure whether I need / want to stop yet.

Today, when DD2 came over to me during a long family lunch and proceeded to pull down my top and make it very clear what she wanted for the third time, I did get some raised eyebrows and my DSis who is generally supportive of bfing said, "you have got to wean her!". I know it's not other people's opinions that count here, but, it got me thinking.....

We're on hols in the cold, rainy UK at the mo, so I am happy bfing, but I know that when we go home next week to 35 degree heat, I will be at my wits' end when the heat and sweat come into play. Hot, sweaty toddler, hot sweaty mummy, no cool air, no aircon, dead heat. Artghhhh.

But then again, I can't do any CC method, so if we stop bfing and she continues to wake up at night, how, how, how am I going to get her back to sleep?

Need to give this some more thought.

i am in a similar position, greythorn. DS (pfb) is 21months. over the past 6 months we've cut down to just a night feed which normally sends him off to sleep, haven't a clue how to get him to sleep without it. it wasn't easy to drop the feeds but distraction pretty much fdid the trick. He?ll still ask occasionally but is fine with my 'that's for bedtime' response. i only give it on demand then, but he is very insistent and gets so upset if i try and distract -he's at his most tired then after all.
we also live in a hot country and it is a sweaty business. i am pretty keen to stop now, but can't bear having him distraught or crying himself to sleep.
friends and relatives have told me he'll grow out of it -but i just don't see it happening!!! i thought he'd be weaned by about the 1yr mark, but he has different ideas...

I fed DS until just before his second birthday. I also had those moments of 'I must stop right now - it's driving me mad!'. What worked for me was cutting down a bit if I felt like this. I think by 18 months he was mainly having one feed first thing in the morning, he took to milk in a cup at bedtime because I was feeling ill one evening and DH put him to bed. He was fine with DH explaining it and after a few nights that was that.

However, fast forward a bit, I'm now feeding 18 month old DD, still on demand and at night. Sometimes it's lots, and definitely for naps/sleeps. We have been having a bit of a go at night weaning (before she went and got a snotty cold) and I have at least had some more sleep as DH has been doing some of the night wakings. Hasn't really stopped her waking up tho.

This time round I don't feel as self-concious about feeding an older baby in public, and I know more about the benefits. Also, having a nearly 4yr old in the house, 18 months seems such a baby still. My mum has been more helpful this time by not suggesting I wean every 5 mins...