Self-weaning from boob at 15 months?

[JumpJockey]

DD has 2-3 feeds a day at the moment, morning and bedtime and then one very short one before her nap most days. Recently she's taken to not really feeding but just grabbing on with her teeth and then sucking for dear life rather than actually suckling properly. I've been getting a real stinging pain in the nipple and the ends going white. It's only been for a week or so, but it's getting really painful for me.

I was wondering if she was giving some kind of indication that she's had enough boob? She still shoves her hand down my top etc but doesn't seem to actually take much milk when she feeds. Trying to take her off to re-latch properly is very hard as she grips on tighter with her teeth and the gaps to try and lever her off are really tiny now that she's got lots of teeth!

Any ideas as to what might be going on? It seems very early for her to be giving up, and she's never taken formula so I'm not sure how to make sure she'd be getting everything she needed nutritionally, if no more BM.

If not sucking properly you can always release the suction with your finger and put her on again. With a child that age you could even talk to them. You do not have to keep breastfeeding if you'd rather not, and at 18 months a good mixed diet does not have to include either bm or formula.

Both my girls weaned at 12 months and then had very little milk as a drink on its own. They had plenty of dairy products - it's hard to avoid them - but never any artificial breastmilk substitute of any kind.
They are 13 and 15 now, both healthy and with perfect teeth.

It's a wee bit early for self weaning but it does happen.

My dd did exactly this when teething though. She would clamp on with her teeth and pull/suck and wouldn't release. It didn't last long and a bit of gel on her gums before feeds helped enormously.

If she is still asking for it then it doesn't really sounds like self weaning (in my vast experience of having all of one child who has self weaned!)

I wouldn't worry about nutrition though, so long as she has a good diet then she doesn't need a substitute.

Ds self weaned at 13 months. He just gradually stopped asking for feeds and refusing if offered until he was feeding every couple of days and then it just turned into a week or more.

Sounds like either teething or a nursing strike or you are pregnant.

But you could offer her some cows milk in a cup if you don't mind her weaning.

If you press your finger into the back of the base of her neck there is a pressure point there which relaxes the jaw - I do this whenever DS does the biting/clamping thing. As mentioned above, teething gel just before feeding helps too.

It might be a phase or it might be her saying she has had enough. I think personally it's probably more likely to be a phase caused by teething. You could always try introducing cow's milk in a cup to see if she would have it - but it's not hugely important at this stage anyway.

CSWS - I certainly don't think I'm pregnant...!

I suppose she's not really asking, but if I offer she gives it a go for a moment then does the chomping. She's already having cow milk with her breakfast and dinner, this is on top of that. Does she really need it? I have no idea

Bertie that sounds all a bit Vulcan death grip! Will investigate, and see if she is teething again. There's a couple popped through at the bottom recently but no pink cheeks yet so maybe this is a kind of precursor to some more.

Thanks all

Mine self weaned at 11 months , my eldeset weaned herself of formula at the same age they were both far more interested in "proper" food and seemed to think that milk was for babies........

I wouldn't worry about her nutrition if she decideds this is the end.

Do you think you might have thrush? I had thrush and it makes feeding very sore, my nipples would also blanch and turn white. It would also explain your DD reluctance to feed as thrush would make her mouth sore too.