How to wean 2 yo DD off breast

[WinkyWinkola]

She's relentless especially at night. She'll only feed from one side too.

I'm pg and due in October. I don't think I can face tandem feeding. I tried it with DD and DS (now 4) when she was born and I couldn't bear it.

So, how do I begin to discourage DD and in time for October? She goes bonkers at night if she doesn't get bf.

Any tips, please?

I'll be keen to hear any answers too! am going through similar situation (although not pg)
is she just 2 or an older 2? mine was two in January so not been able to 'reason' with her much!

Both my dc were around 2.8 when I stopped breastfeeding. I gave them each about a week's notice that we were going to stop, then just refused. It was surprisingly untraumatic, and ds LOVED his mummy milk. I think he cried a couple of times but got over it pretty fast.

They were both down to one feed a day by then though, and weren't feeding at night, so a bit different to your situation.

I would night wean to start off with and then see how it goes from there.

Have linked to this article about a billion times before but it's great dr jay gordon

I have done this with my 25mth old.

He now has a feed first thing (could be 6am or 8am).

If he wakes any other time I say no, it's nighttime, it's time to go to sleep (this is after the night weaning process).

We don't co-sleep but the article deals with both.

Well, that is an extremely useful article, Haven'tSlept. Thank you very much.

Hope it works for you - our first night doing it was full-on tantrum mode but after maybe 3/4hr (me holding DS, going backwards and forwards between his bed and the landing, singing, stroking, you name it...) he went to sleep with no feed.

It was about 15 minutes next night and then v. minor rage (!) after that - but the first 2 nights were hard.

We have to re-do a shortened version if DS has been ill and re-fed in the night or if we have been away;

We didn't have to wean off feeding to sleep though - Ds has reflux and has never fed to sleep but has a dummy.

OK.

Ds2 did not stop until he was almost 3. However, here are some things I did during the last year (I gave up when pregnant too).

Distraction distraction distraction - if you want to reduce rather than give up initially, get out of the house if there are key times that she feeds. DS2 was a co-sleeper and constant feeder during the nightand I never ever thought he would stop. However, he started staying at the in laws from around 2.5, and didn't bat an eyelid for a feed so I knew he could. The end came just over a year ago. He went to stay with in laws for 3 nights and I just didn't feed him on return. We had talked about it before hand - how he was getting ig etc. Bit older than your dd though.

If you want to go cold turkey, which is efffectively what we did, I can say that it was much easier than expected. ds2 was a real feeding addict even at almost 3 but he ws not too upset by it ll.. I am goign to see if I startec a thread abotu it :~)

oh gosh
herre is my \I have stopped feeding ds2 thread
here

Ooo reading with interest. I feel your pain. DS is 18 months and feeds at least twice a night - but for about 20 mins each time, swallowing like crazy.. I am also pregnant, knackered, and don't fancy tandem feeding.

Good to know its only a couple of nights of pain.

haven't slept - was your ds feeding for a long time at night rather than just suckling for comfort?? did you just cut all night feeds straight away or do it in stages as suggested??

Ds was having about a five minute feed (both sides) and then asking to go back to bed (DS1 used to fall asleep with us, DS2 can't).

He was fully awake when he finished but it was definitely comfort though, he needed that contact with me and then he was happy to go off back to bed.

DS1 (bf a year) DID used to bf to sleep but I also had to cut that out because I left him for a few weekends, so we did a bit of night weaning with him around 9 mths.

20 minutes is a LONG time!

I didn't really do the whole strict programme but I started off being quite strict about the early night wakings (ie midnights) and fairly lax about a second waking or anything after 4am.

I still sometimes do feed him at 5.30 because he will go back to bed and sleep longer then, rather than being up for the day at 6.30 isywim.