How did you night wean toddler off the boob?

[strawberrycheesecake1989]

My LO is 16 months, wakes every 1-2 hours for boob, we cosleep. He’s not having a regression as it’s been like this since birth I’m hoping that if I night wean him off the boob then he might start sleeping longer stretches at night, and also be a bit more interested in his food during the day. Thanks in advance! X

Decide on the period during which you will it feed him, eg 12-5.

Wear a sports bra he can't get into and a full covering top.

Do not give in no matter what. Cuddle him to soothe instead.

Do not give in.

Good luck!

I don't have the answer but I'm in the exact same position - 16 months, co-sleeping, breastfeeding, multiple wake-ups. It's a relief to know I'm not the only one!

*not feed him

Do you have a partner who can go in instead? The way we tackled it was DH going in every time with water.

After a few nights he just stopped asking for milk and started sleeping through.

Same here too, DD is 17 months but a fantastic eater so I'm certain it's not hunger but comfort. I keep hoping it will just get better on its own but Christ I miss my sleep!

And just to add, before I started sending DH in, I would go in and try to sooth him without breastfeeding. No chance, he knew I was holding out in his and was very determined to get what he wanted.

DS is one and I will feed him at 7pm, 11pm and then that’s it until at least 5am.

If I know he’s not well, I might do an earlier feed.

DH settles him if he wakes in between those hours. It’s taken us a few nights but last couple of nights, he’s slept 11.30-7.30.

Thanks for your advice guys ! I recently bought a gentle sleep book which has a method for gentle night weaning.

Day 1 - feed to sleep bury every time they wake up you have to wait 5 mins before you give them the boob

Day 2 - wait 10 mins

Day 3 - 15

Day 4 - 20

And you to 30 mins. You never exceeded 30 mins.

I tried day 1 last night and it was torture. He was tearing at my bra and became totally inconsolable after 1 minute. I feel like because my boobs are right there it just makes it torture for him. Wondering whether it would be better for only my husband to settle him and hard as that will be.

Also, how many days does it take?

@sqirrelfriends i do yes, but me, ds and husband all sleep in bed together usually. Do you think for the duration of the night weaning I should sleep in another room away from them?

Mine was weirdly satisfied to be told mummy’s boobs were having a rest to make milk for the morning. I gave him water in a sippy cup. I can’t believe he bought it if I’m honest. He even shushed me to keep quiet so as not to wake my tits. 🧐

He was a really good eater though so he wasn’t hungry. I used to give porridge as a late supper along with a breast feed.

Also he was a bit older than yours, about 2 I think.

I put DS in a toddler bed in my room. Less than five minutes crying for the first two or three nights and he slept though from the first night. He was older though, two and a half.

@Fridafever wow well that’s an ideal weaning situation for sure. Yep my ds is too young for that level of communication at this (and even if he could understand I don’t think he’d be a considerate as your son 😂)

DS came back in my bed the following winter and still slept though.

I was honestly pretty surprised he was ok with it! I fed in the day for about another 18 months so they did need lots of rest!

Did you explain it to him lots before the night? I would just go cold turkey, I think 5, 10, 15 is just confusing and extending the pain. Explain to him that mummy needs to sleep and he can have milk when it is morning. Get your husband to sleep with him.

@Fridafever this gives me hope! How old was your LO when they grasped this please?

@kitkatsky

He was just turned two. We used to say night night to my boobs after his bedtime feed and I’d say things like oh there will be plenty of milk in the morning after a nice big rest.

Are you back at work?

@Fridafever amazing, thank you! Dd turns one next week. I love feeding her but the nights waking up every hour are doing me in

It was 2 nights of awfulness and then it was fine. Hang in there.

@strawberrycheesecake1989 I co sleep when my little one wakes up in the night and we still feed over night (she's 20 months). The last few weeks she has noticeably been waking for comfort feeding all of her own accord. She's majorly teething right now (4 on the move) and previously this would have meant she is glued to me. She tends to have a feed then roll herself off and away so she is sleeping not touching me. I'm thinking this might be her ready to need less (probably not now I've typed it 😀). No real pointers just wanted to say you are not alone still night feeding (as sometimes I feel like I'm the only one)

@3WildOnes would I explain that mummy needs sleep and he can have milk in the morning before he goes to bed or would I say that every time he wakes up during the night wanting boob? Also, he’s just turned 16 months I don’t think he would understand much of that. If he reaches for my boobs and I say no he understands that and gets hysterical.

Thanks for confirming what I also thought about the 5. 10, 15 mins delays. It just seems to confuse him.

How many nights generally does it take for the night weaning to be ‘successful’ as it were?

Just trying to prepare myself eeeek.

I think husband sharing a bed with him and doing all the comforting is the way to go I just don’t think I’m going to be able to asleep if I don’t have him in bed with me (my son that is, not my husband )

@Kayjay2018 haha thank you that’s cheered me up! Reassuring to know I’m not the only one ! X

We started with the last feed before morning and talked one at a time. My husband took LO downstairs early when there was a kick off. This made sure we were ready to eat at breakfast time. So much easier to stop the kick off with playtime.

Many years ago a friend stuck plasters over her nipples at night! 😳
This was her GPs advice and it worked apparently. Good luck.