Erm, how do you stop BF...?

[nomoreminibreaks]

DS is 22 months old and I feel like its probably time to stop BF. I only feed him at bedtime and this has been the case for at least 6 months.

I hoped he'd want to stop by himself but he's not showing any signs. When I ask him if he wants some milk he used to say no but always fed when I laid down with him. Now if I try to take him to bed without feeding he gets really upset. I've been feeding him on one side only in an effort to reduce it but he still wants to 'swap sides' and sometimes cries if I say no.

Should I try giving him cow's milk before bed? He doesn't really drink milk from a cup apart from at nursery (2 days a week).

We've just started TTC and I know it's possible while BF (my periods came back after 3 months) but will it reduce chances of conceiving if I'm still BF?

Thanks!

No advice...just bumping your question up the list!

Re TTC, once your periods are back I don't think BF should affect things, not in my experience anyway. I got pregnant twice while breastfeeding (so sadly my only top tip for encouraging self-weaning is getting to the second trimester of pregnancy...).

I never gave DS1 cow's milk or other BF substitute once he weaned, just had a bedtime routine that didn't involve a drink. We had daddy do bedtime at least once a week even before weaning when I went to band practice after work, so he was used to a boob-free version - maybe that's something to try before you stop entirely.

As I said, I weaned in pregnancy so I had the advantage of a tanking milk supply, so I went with the "you are such a big boy you have drunk up all the milk" line and he seemed to go with it.

God I would love to wean DD2- she's 27 months. She just won't stop and I can't deal with the hysterics so give in.

Thanks very much for the bump and the advice!

Anyone else out there with advice? Did anyone experience pain after stopping?