Breastfeeding

[eloisemc92]

I have a 2 year and 4 month old and I want my body back when i refuse her the breast she screams and clings to me like a limpit how do I stop? I feel so touched out

Which one are you breastfeeding? If the 4 month old, it is very young to just stop breastfeeding cold turkey. I would gradually reduce the feeds replacing each one with expressed/ formula milk.

Both your children are very young, they still need you very much. Two years old is full of jealousy, baby needs their food. At the moment I would just go with the glow. This time shall pass. They won't want you anywhere near you as teenagers. I speak from experience. Just go with the flow for now would be my advice.

She is 2 years 4 months sorry

Have you tried limiting the length of feeds rather than the frequency?

Do you have a local breastfeeding support group? I used to volunteer in a few of them. We would offer advice to women on how to stop breastfeeding, not only how to maintain it. This is what a breastfeeding support group should do, it's well worth popping in. I do remember my struggles of weaning my 2 years old of his dummy (I weaned off the breast at 13 months due to family crisis, that was fairly easy). I finally managed the dummy business on Christmas day morning. I would maybe wait until then. Lots of presents, lots of distractions and lots of chocolates whatever it takes. And a tight dress. Maybe consider reposting under the title How to wean a 2 years old from the breast? Make sure you post in the breastfeeding section. I hope it helps.

I did a combination of reducing the length of feeds (by the end it was about 30 seconds) and delaying tactics, so she'd ask to feed and I'd say 'yes, after I/we do X'. If she remembered after X, then she'd have a feed. If she didn't, we'd go on with our day until the next time she thought of it.

Cold turkey wasn't an option for me because she had a baby sister – she was hardly going to forget about it when she saw me feeding baby a dozen times a day – but actually I like that it gently drifted to an end, and neither she nor I knew that the last feed would be the last.

Thats about the age I weaned my oldest 3 (DC4 still feeding).

They have understanding at this age - you have to work with that. If you don't help them to understand, they feel rejected and can get upset/angry. Work WITH them. I found reading books about it really helped each time - Momma's milk is all gone was a favourite, there are several others. Get a couple. Read one each day without comment for a week. The next week still read it and help them to see how they are like the child in the story. Talk to them about how they will stop soon.

Don't say no. Right now from today start limiting without saying no. Say yes, as soon as we have done....the first couple of times make it a very short delay e.g. as soon as I have stirred this pot, you're just getting them used to the idea of waiting. Next day crank up the wait and keep cranking! Yes, as soon as I have finished making dinner. Yes, as soon as I have put away this laundry, yes after we have been to the playground. Limit time feeding as well. As soon as they start to slow down, unlatch them and distract them with something. Increase snacks and drinks so that they don't feel the urge to feed due to hunger/thirst. Go to places you wouldn't normally feed them rather than staying athome.

How luck! Once you start reducing you vs stop surprisingly quickly as they drop the habit. It's a great age to wean without years of you can do it over a month. It seems long, but it won't be looking back.

Mine were both around 3 when I stopped feeding them, but with both I had to resort to bribery. We started talking about how they were getting so big and grown up now, and wouldn't need breast milk much longer. Then I mentioned that there would be a present for them when they stopped feeding! They got to choose the present (within reason!), and both got a particular Jellycat they wanted.

They were both only having milk at bedtime at this stage. If you can reduce to this, stopping altogether will be easier, as you can replace the milk part of the bedtime routine with something else.

All the best! You done amazingly to feed for so long and it's completely fine to now want to stop.