Wanting to give up feeding older child

7 replies

CandiceMariePratt · 21/06/2011 12:09

My 4 year old dd is still very much enjoying breastfeeding and would happily spend most of the day and night attached to me. I have had enough of it now and would love to stop. Does anyone have any top tips of how I can do this without causing too much upset?

OP posts:

tallulah · 21/06/2011 12:13

I had to stop BF my 4 yo because I'm having chemo. Explained to her that mummy's medicine is poisonous so can't feed. OK. But still asks every single day :(

Whatever you do she won't be happy.

keithlemonsbackdoors · 21/06/2011 13:46

Firstly - wow, I'm impressed at your patience!

Could you start off by putting a limit on when she feeds i.e. only certain times of day rather than just whenever she fancies it? Then you could gradually drop feeds (if this works I'd love hear about it - my 19 month old is down to 3ish feeds a day but is fiercely defensive of them!). Does she sleep in your bed? I think I'd definitely put a stop to any night feeds if I were you.

Good luck with the chemo Tallulah xx

Original poster

CandiceMariePratt · 21/06/2011 21:12

I have moved her out of my bed but we end up together by the morning. We have been talking about it lots so hopefully I can talk her into stopping soon. I hope all goes well for you Tallulah ( that's my dds name too)

OP posts:

mawbroon · 22/06/2011 10:04

ds1 was like this too. I night weaned him at 3.5yo because I had just had enough and it was stopping me getting pregnant. He was ok with it, but would obviously have preferred to carry on.

I found by 4.5yo he was sleeping much better and then by 4.10yo when he started school, he began to sleep through most nights.

This made me happier about nursing through the day and now he only nurses every couple of days, usually in the morning when he sees ds2 at it.

I kind of forced him into weaning on his 5th birthday but it was a bit of a disaster. We managed 6 weeks, but it became clear that he was struggling a bit so we resumed. He is 5.8yo now and I think he may well stop when his first milk tooth comes out, he has been taking about it a fair bit.

I just wanted you to know that I understand completely. Nothing worse than everyone saying ah but you did 4yrs, just stop now.

hellymelly · 22/06/2011 10:09

I'm still feeding my four year old too.(just turned 4 a few weeks ago).She said she would stop at four but has now shifted that upwards somewhat to 33. Hmm.She only feeds at bedtime and when she wakes in the morning though.I would be happy to stop too,but I don't want to force it. I'm fence sitting and hoping she will decide on her own...
tallulah,wishing you well.

telsa · 29/06/2011 16:36

I am glad to find others in this situation. There can't be many of us. Mine is going strong night and morning at just over 3. I don't know how to stop him, though I do talk about it with him and hope he'll just give it up of his own accord some day....

MissVerinder · 29/06/2011 17:36

Oh, Tallulah, good luck x

DD BF until 29 months. I kind of just sat her down and explained there was no more kiki (I know...) as the babies need it now, and she doesn't because she's a big girl.

Whenever she asked, I magically found something else really interesting to do.

However, I never ever offered her white chocolate buttons or raisins instead.

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