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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

stopping breastfeeding at 28 months

19 replies

tomps · 19/02/2004 20:33

Dd is still breastfed to sleep, and very occasionally if she wakes up in the night. I had hoped she?d eventually give up of her own accord ? and probably she would eventually ? but I?ve decided to stop. I want to give her some warning as her understanding is generally good, and the only approach I can think of is that a) she doesn?t need it ; b) it?s only for babies, not for big girls (which is what she often tells me she is !) and c) none of her friends are b/f any more ? My only concern is that of course she has no idea that she?s doing anything different at bedtime from everyone else in the world, and this is what she?s always been used to, so I want to let her down gently. I know she can get to sleep without the breast because she does at nursery or when granny or daddy babysit. But of course she?s never done it for me. Does anyone have any advice for me to not make my little girl feel terribly rejected / how best to prepare her / how to make the process as painless (for both of us !) as possible ? Many thanks in advance ?

OP posts:
mears · 19/02/2004 20:37

If you really want to stop themn distract her by other things such as a drink from a book and a cup of milk or water. Just do not let her have the boob despite her pleas. You will be surprised how quickly she forgets

twiglett · 19/02/2004 21:15

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suzywong · 19/02/2004 21:18

I agree go cold turkey, could you get dp to put her to bed and you g out so it isn't difficuly for you?
Mears is right, thry do foorget quickly ( )

hercules · 19/02/2004 21:36

I breastfed ds until he was older than your dd and told him then that i had medicine that meant i couldnt feed him. If this is no good i would go with the not being there for a couple of nights. if i had to work away dh had no probs getting him to bed.

tomps · 20/02/2004 08:17

Oh dear, this is going to be harder than I'd hoped ! Thanks for the advice so far ... would it be wrong to offer 'rewards' for going without, eg a little prezzie in the morning after no boob at night for a week ? (I still have a few of her xmas presents put away so this not as extravagent as it may sound !)

OP posts:
mears · 20/02/2004 09:49

I don't think it will work like that Tomps. Really, you will be surprised how quickly they move on - it is the mother that feels bad. If you want to stop, you will just have to do it. Ofcourse, you could carry on and let her stop when she decides Why shouldn't she still have the breast to go to sleep if she enjoys it so much

mears · 20/02/2004 09:49

I don't think it will work like that Tomps. Really, you will be surprised how quickly they move on - it is the mother that feels bad. If you want to stop, you will just have to do it. Ofcourse, you could carry on and let her stop when she decides Why shouldn't she still have the breast to go to sleep if she enjoys it so much

Podmog · 20/02/2004 10:04

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Podmog · 20/02/2004 10:05

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Podmog · 20/02/2004 10:05

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Podmog · 20/02/2004 10:06

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tomps · 20/02/2004 16:08

I love the broken booby idea ! She's still very 'attached' though, pardon the pun, and seems to be getting even more so which is partly why I'd like to stop. She seems more interested rather than less, which makes me wonder if she'll ever give up of her own accord !

OP posts:
florenceuk · 20/02/2004 16:46

Tomps I have just stopped feeding DS (2yrs, 2mths) this last week (morning feed, dropped night feed some time ago). I told him that (1) he was a big boy now and mummy's milk was for babies and (2) all my milk was gone! And also made sure I didn't take a bath with him and allow him access to my breasts. He cried the first day (angry frustrated tears), and since then has been surprisingly good. However he did say to me when he heard a baby crying the other day that it was because the baby wanted his mummy's milk, so it is obviously something on his mind! I do feel sorry for him, poor lamb as it was something he was extremely attached to - he would not have self-weaned himself.

twiglett · 20/02/2004 16:48

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Bekki · 20/02/2004 16:59

Try "Its all gone!" (breast milk btw) "You've drunk it all, well done x ! Now we can try a beaker,"
Sounds mad I know but I have heard that it works.

pamina3 · 20/02/2004 17:07

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hercules · 20/02/2004 17:07

I wouldnt recommend it as I tried it and it didnt work and I ended up feeling guilty
In srilanka many women use a bitter tasting ointment thing to smear a bit on their breasts.
i guess depends how desperate you are.

2under2 · 20/02/2004 17:29

twiglett, mine did - dd1 with some gentle persuasion at 3.5 yrs, dd2 abruptly decided she'd had enough at 15 months.

Demented · 20/02/2004 19:09

twiglett, my DS2 self weaned at 16 months, this was after a period of renewed interest in feeding, started to take three feeds a day after being down to one, then quickly he dropped feeds again until he even seemed disinterested in the evening feed. One evening, I was out but due in at feeding time and when I came back DH had put DS2 to bed and he had gone without a murmer. but also as I was happy that it was DS2's decision.

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