Desperate to wean near 3 year old - please help

[Cocteautriplet]

Dd turns 3 in July and I’m so done with breast feeding her but she seems to want to do it whenever she can get her hands on me … it’s driving me crazy. I’m so touched out and just want my body back now. Also I’m finding feeding her when we are out increasingly uncomfortable… she pulls my top right up and gives everyone a good view 😳. Finally the nipped pain premenstrally is unreal … like latching a new born (badly) again.

I have been trying the don’t offer /don’t refuse method but she doesn’t seem to be waning at all. Sometimes especially at night I just say no but gets so upset she will wake up and not go down again for hours.

I don’t have family to help and DH will not get up in the night to settle her (while other thread) so it’s all on me.

Please can I have a hand hold … I think going cold turkey and having a hellish couple of days /nights is my only option isn’t it?

She’s old enough to understand if you just tell her the milk has run out now that she’s old enough not to need it. You need to be firm.

Could you try nights only at first and be firm with saying no in the daytime when you have more energy?

Regardless you’re going to have to be firm about lifting up your top - at 3 they need to be learning how to behave for social reasons.

Wear a top that she can’t get access from, and just do it. Don’t give in.

I told DD that milk is all done and we can have cuddles instead, she was upset for a few minutes and still asked for a day or two but soon started cuddling me constantly instead of demanding boob constantly!

This stage is really hard, well done for getting this far. This La Leche League page has a section on older children if you scroll down a bit. https://www.laleche.org.uk/thinking-of-weaning/

My two both stopped feeding at just over three. It was a long process and we cut down very slowly. In the day I would try and distract them instead of feed and at night gradually shorten the feeds. It worked really well.

Have a look at the breastfeedingmentor on instagram - she weaned her 3 year old son and has some really good tips :)

Wear a tight sports bra and a tight fitting top. Maybe try nights first. 2-3 nights should do it. Say no booby (or whatever) at bedtime, give lots of cuddles, as it's rough for a couple of days. Then move on to day time once she's settled more at night. Been there did the same. Extra cuddling to reassure her as feeding is just a comfort thing now.

Brilliant advice thank you so much … think I’m going to have to invest in a few body suits or maybe something like this!

Google the dr jay gordon weaning method. It’s worth a try. I used good old fashioned bribery- for a “big boy” present… it worked!!