2 year old breastfeeding too much

[looseleaf]

That's it really - he's just turned two and I feel him meals with us and include plenty of his favourites like spaghetti bolognaise - and he likes non-dairy milk (he's dairy intolerant) but he still breastfeeds SO much and gets very short of energy/ cranky without it as so reliant on it.

I'm worried about his iron which I'm sure is way too low as it was a few months ago when he had a blood test and nothing has improved it as he hates his iron supplement.

Does anyone else have a toddler like this? I've asked the health visitor to come and help me stop breastfeeding but worried its going to be traumatic for both of us .
Thanks if you've read this far and thanks even more if have any advice. I have a feeling I have to go 'cold turkey'

[BumbleChum]

I feel your pain as I have a 2yo who loves bf. I have recently got tough - gave up bf during the day, and have now given it up at night too (she has one feed at bedtime). Lots of distraction, and in the night it was offering water and patting her back while she shouted at me - she has got over it now and sleeps a lot better.

However, she is a v good eater. Bit worried about your LO's low iron. Has a doctor looked into that at all? I know anaemia is common but there are sometimes underlying issues. I ask, because my eldest, who was a poor eater, (and would have been still a keen bf-er at 2 if I hadn't given up earlier, which I regret) was anaemic, and had low energy - we finally found out aged 4 that he had coeliac disease. He's nearly six now and fighting fit and healthy on his gluten-free diet.

For a long time the useless, arrogant paediatrician seeing him tried to blame the anaemia on his diet - kept asking us if we were vegan etc. It was the complete reverse - the illness (coeliac) was making him both a poor eater and anaemic. We have a lovely, much more clued-up paed now. And, as an FYI, a child does NOT have to be losing weight or 'failing to thrive' to have coeliac - that's an outdated myth.

[looseleaf]

Booboo thank you as this is all so useful and Bumblechum I'm fascinated by your post as oddly enough DD and I can't have even a trace of gluten but I thought DS was ok in that respect (only introduced it a month ago following allergy docs recommendations) as unlike DD he didn't react dramatically. But then I don't either in terms of diarrhoea or pain like her and only in terms of uncontrollable tiredness.
So very interesting and his falls &lack of energy have preempted his starting to include wheat in his diet but I'm glad for your post as I may want to play safe and avoid him having gluten in case plays a part.

The GP didn't look into DS' low iron or what caused it and found it by chance when he was falling constantly (and they wanted to check he didn't have rickets I think it was!) Which he didn't. He still falls almost every time he tried to run far but has had leg problems we've looked into so it's confusing...
I'm cheered tonight as gave DS his first dose of an iron supplement in a while successfully! Thanks for the recommendation earlier in the thread as he drank this one much more easily, mixed into apple juice (normally just has water or occasionally dairy free milk)
Sorry to ramble but delighted for every one of you's support and suggestions so huge thanks for everything

[Poppet45]

Someone way down the thread mentioned Abidec as an iron supplement... it doesnt actually contain any iron. Spatone or Sytron would be more use.

[looseleaf]

Thanks- it was in fact Spatone I managed to get, at Boots

[BumbleChum]

looseleaf - have any of your family been tested for coeliac disease? It runs in families. Have a look at the Coeliac UK website, they have information about diagnosis. It can only be diagnosed if you/your DS is actually eating quite a lot of gluten regularly, so think about having a test before going gluten-free.

It's much better to know if you are coeliac, rather than just avoiding gluten, because for coeliacs even a tiny trace of gluten can be damaging, so you need to know how careful to be. Also, your DS will get additional medical follow-up if diagnosed, plus free prescriptions for gf flour/bread/pasta etc.

Coeliac isn't an allergy, so you don't necessarily see an immediate response to eating gluten, especially if someone is eating it regularly. The internal damage is slow and not always obvious until it's quite advanced.

[Jakeyblueblue]

I've just stopped ds 2.3 bf during the day for similar reasons. Also ttc and nothing happening most likely due to the feeds. It was no where near as bad as I thought it would be. A couple of days of minor protests and that was it. I told him that boobies were for bed time and he seemed to get it quite quickly. Like the others say, distraction and plenty if snacks.
I'm doing night weaning next week so wish me luck!!

[looseleaf]

Just wanted to update, I just stopped cold turkey exactly 24 hours ago, I was worried I wouldn't actually manage it but DS had a really happy first sleepover at my parents and has seemed very cheerful today whilst we've kept him on the go and outdoors so I'm finding that so reassuring. Wondering if I can keep this up successfully now getting home and especially tonight with bedtime. But think important I do or we'll be back to considerable breastfeeding again!

I'm going to have to be so careful too to avoid mastitis and mood swings but quite excited making progress.

And I'm so pro long term breastfeeding still but just think our DS a bit extreme in not balancing it easily with solids so hoping he'll have better energy and growth. He's actually gone from 99th centile for weight to below 19th without me panicking as I just thought he was growing out of his lovely chubby stage but I really want him to turn into a good eater now!