Weaning - easier sooner rather than 2 at or 3?

[MarioHuds9873]

I'm still breastfeeding my 13 month old. I like that it settles him and we get some nice cuddles but I don't want to continue too much longer, I don't think I have it in me anymore. I think if I stopped now, it wouldn't be too hard. But I'm afraid if I wait until 18 months/2 it will be really hard to wean, was that your experience?

Weaned my boy completely at 20 months and he did not complain at all. However, I did it very very gradually- was just doing morning and bedtime feeds from around 13 months I think, then cut the length of them by 30 seconds/a minute week by week

Weaned my son at 3. Perfect age for me. He was alright with it even now he still asks for it 😅 just with a smile on his face and not that bothered about not getting it

I have just weaned my 20 month old and I weaned my eldest at just over 2 years. I just reduced the number of feeds and explained to them that they had ‘nearly drunk all the milk’. My DD asked to nurse this morning, I just said sorry it’s ’all gone’ and she was fine with it.

Think a lot of it depends on how many feeds they are still having though. She had come down to 2 feeds, then the last few weeks she naturally only asked for 1, and had a couple of days on and off where she didn’t nurse at all.

Think as long as you do it slowly and gently it will be fine whatever age. At least when they are older you can talk to them a bit more about it!

Weaned gradually and easily at 18 months because I was pregnant again and it was getting painful for me. It was just one feed in the night by then and she wasn't all that bothered. It did disrupt sleep though because she still woke at night but it was harder to get her back to sleep without the breast.

I weaned at 15 months, I was only breastfeeding at night by then and I managed to swap the breastfeed for a bottle of cows milk which she dropped by 2. I did miss it though! I used to get in to her cot with her 😂

Depends how often you’re feeding and how big a part of your/his life it is.
Mime was having 2 BFs a day from nine months, which was no big deal to do. Dropped to one BF a day by 18mo. Again, not a problem to do and it was the first thing when we woke up so meant longer in bed! By 2.5 years she’d dropped to a few times per week, finally stopped at 3.5 years.

I don’t think she really noticed as it failed off so gradually.

Theres pros and cons to any age you choose to weaning OP, the question is whats best for you 😊? Are you feeling done now? Do you want to keep going to 2? Do what feels right to you!

My anecdotal story is i weaned at around 18 month as I was pregnant with serious aversion. Was only on night time feeds at this point and the hardest to go was the first feed to sleep. I went cold turkey and it took about 3 sad nights for that to become the new normal (still feed back to sleep for night time wake ups). Then after a week or so of cuddles to sleep at the start if the night I stopped feeding for wake ups with absolutely no resistance. I was honestly shocked with how easy the whole process was, I had been dreading it for a long time but they are resilient and adaptable little creatures

My first naturally weaned at 3.5 and that was no effort at all. I had put boundaries in place about when I would feed in the toddler years though so it was only bedtime by then.

I weaned my second at 2.5 because I was fed up of it. It was a bit of effort but not too bad. I think it would have been harder at age 1, especially for my second who had me at home more.

Thanks all. I feel very guilty to want to stop and I also like the connection and the morning breastfeed cuddles especially. I'll feel very sad to stop. My DS also has a dairy allergy and I feel like at least this way he is getting some quality milk and nutrients, because I can't give him cow's milk.

It's affecting my marriage though, my hormones are all over the places and it's adding to my "to do list". DH isn't pulling his weight and I think this way I can legitimately leave him with a cup of veggie milk so I can get on with things.

Hmm breastfeeding and stopping breastfeeding is deeply emotional and intuitive, decisions around it can impact our mental health.

If you don't really want to to stop then don't, and do not stop because your husband isn't pulling his weight - you will resent him and beat yourself up if you don't think it's in you or your child's best interests.

If you've personally come to the end of the road with it, then that's totally different story.

Find another way to make your husband pull his weight. If your child's eating solids now there shouldn't be any real barrier to leaving him alone in the day.

And I'm sorry to break it to you but giving up breastfeeding is not a quick fix on the hormone front sadly!

I weaned at just over 2.5 years both times and it was fairly straightforward as their understanding us pretty good at that age.

So it’s fine to stop whenever you want to but don’t worry Thats if you leave it later it will be too difficult

Ah just seen your update. Why isn’t your “D”H pulling his weight?