18 month old CONSTANTLY demanding boobie

[Peopleplease]

I’m exhausted. My 18 month old isn’t happy - day or night - unless she’s on my boob. She will trail around the house after me wailing until I pick her up and then she’s asking for “boobie momma”.

When I feed her she’ll feed calmly for a while and then start trying to climb up/all over me while still attached. If I pop her off at that point she clamps on with her teeth!

She’s the same at night. We co-sleep and it’s constant.

She’s teething very very slowly and some of this is comfort but I’m exhausted.

She ears really well (except breakfast because she’s been feeding all night) and drinks LOTS of water.

I fed my other DD till she was 2 so I wanted to do the same with DD but
if there was a button I could press to get her to stop today I think I’d do it!!

I would not put up with this. An eighteen month old does not “need” breast milk, so now is the time to say no more.

Time to wean?

It is the comfort she is seeking. Are you intending to continue co-sleeping? Night weaning might help give you some space. Have you thought about limiting when you will feed rather than being available on demand?
It sounds like the frequency is draining you.

You don’t have to BF her to two, just because you did with your other DD.

This is impacting your sleep, your health & your emotional wellbeing. It is also impacting on your time spent doing nice th8ngs with DD & it’s not good for yourvrelationship with her. I really don’t see any small benefit DD might get from extended breastfeeding being worth it.

Wean her off.

The OP said she wanted to feed until two but is struggling, so I'm not sure advice to wean now, or to just not put up with it, is that helpful. The WHO recommend feeding until two or beyond and bf is about much more than just nutritional need.

OP you might find this link helpful:
www.katesurfs.com/2014/06/15/setting-loving-limits-on-a-boob-obsessed-toddler/

My DS is 19 months and sounds very similar to yours. I've found sharing the night sleeping with DH has really helped - my toddler will sleep right through and now when he's with me is only waking once, if at all.

You've done a great job feeding for so long - it's hard work!

I had this with my DS, he hit 18 months and it was like bf a newborn again. I think it was a combination of teething and separation anxiety. If you are ready to stop then def do, it won’t do any harm at all.
I wasn’t ready so started saying no when I needed to, followed by quick distraction with an activity or snack. It’s surprising how quickly they’ll be diverted (although I appreciate all children are different!). Nighttime was the hardest, we stopped co sleeping which helped but I was still feeding 2-3 times a night and often ended up in single bed with him. Any biting or messing = end of feed and distract with something else. Also introduced warm cows milk in the mornings and through the day to help replace feeds.

I agree, clamping on with teeth can’t be tolerated. Is either start being very strict on not clambering and clamping and only feeding at set times or wean cold turkey.

If she spends all day asking for boobie then she’s not playing and interacting as she should be so you would be doing this for her sake not just yours.

Didn’t expect so many replies so fast!

I’m not completely against the idea of weaning her. I would have liked to got to 2 but it’s so tough at the moment I have thought about it.

I actually have no idea how to do it. DD1 just kinda did it naturally, by the time she got to 2 she was just on 1 feed before bed so it wasn’t too hard to drop.

At the moment though, with it being so hot and humid, I wonder if she’s thirsty. She drinks lots and lots of water but I think I’m just her default source of everything.

www.emmapickettbreastfeedingsupport.com/twitter-and-blog/weaning-toddler-bob-and-pre-schooler-billie-how-do-you-stop-breastfeeding-an-older-child

This might help?
That does sound hard work and if you're ready to wean then do it, no guilt needed!
My DS clambers like yours but he's quite easily distracted and it's not all consuming. I couldn't do the biting either! 🙈

I would immediately remove after teeth and a firm 'No', with eye contact. Then not feed for an hour or so.

If she's drinking plenty and having regular wet nappies she won't be dehydrated. Cut down to morning, lunch and evening only, it'll take a few days for her to get used to this. When she's asking for boob, offer water or a snack and a cuddle, but don't feed. She's messing about because she can (testing boundaries etc)

There’s some good stuff about biting on the kellymom website also

I agree that there is no need to wean in this instance, unless of course you are ready to! With my ds we hit this stage and I went along with it for a while as I didn't know what else to do and then I realised it wasn't as hard as I thought to distract him. If your little one is eating and drinking plenty as you say, just distract when you don't want to feed, I personally wouldn't say no, I would just quickly divert to something else. Although at night time there isn't a lot to you can do.
If you think it's teething have you tried anbesol liquid on the gums? Or for a few nights here and there if there are actually teeth emerging I wouldn't be afraid to give Calpol. It can be painful for them!

Sorry though, the biting definitely warrants a firm no and remove from the boob. That's not good!

give her a dummy and put pepper on your nipples?

I’m definitely not putting pepper on my nipples.

fair enough..what about Stop n Gro?..:)

I have the same with my 17 month old, she was biting for a week or two but has now stopped, it was very stressful! I distract her as much as I can during the day and feed at nap time and bedtime but she co sleeps and will wake 2-3 times at night for a top up. I realise with her it will be a slow gradual process unlike her sister who stopped at 5 months.
When she was born she stayed on the breast for 7 hours, I couldn't prise her off!
I have contemplated marmite and would probably try it if she started biting again.
I have tried lots of bottles but she won't take them, so we will wean very slowly and hope to be off by Christmas!

I found the odd bite happened during teething, I yelled, which surprised DD who promptly unlatched, I then stopped feeding, said a firm 'no' - every time there was a hint of a nip coming I would immediately stop feeding, say 'no' and do something else. Quite a few Mums who extend feed I think have to stop if the baby gets a bit bitey! My DD got the hang of not biting luckily.