I am being SUCH a wuss about weaning

[phdlife]

dd is 32m - I've done my dash and I am so ready to have my boobs back (only had about 6m gap between her and ds, so it's been nearly 5 years all up!) She feeds at naptime and a few times in the early morning (4:15, 5:15, 6) and I am so ready for all that to stop. Just for kicks, I'd even like to go back to sleeping with dh rather than dd.

The trouble is, dd looooooooves them. She talks to them. She rummages around in there any time she needs comfort and when she is going off to sleep. She kisses them if she can. She lays her cheek on them like little pillows when she finishes an early-morning feed. She tells complete strangers how much she loves mummy milk (hello, checkout lady!) and on the few occasions where I've thought about resisting, she's sobbed and sobbed like her little heart was breaking.

And she is just cutting those last two molars, so if she doesn't get that help getting back to sleep, she's fidgety/squealy for at least an hour before she gives up and wails heartbrokenly again. It's that I can't face. Tired as I am the pain of stopping her (it took two go's, each lasting over a week, to stop the 1am feed) still seems unbearable.

Considering I've got to your point at 10 months, congratulations on BFing for so long!!

Just spoke to my HV about getting my boy on to formula and she said cold turkey is the only way really. And even at 10 months she was preparing me for wakeful nights for at least a week, and probably tantrums at nap time (he feeds for sleep/naps and 2-3 times at night). Obv your LO is much older and more aware... perhaps can be talked to about it? Big girls don't need boobies, they drink out of big girl's cups! I don't know, no experience there.

But...

I wish you all the luck in the world, in your quest to get your boobs back!

DD is one next week and we're just starting to do the last stage of weaning to lose the two BFs a day she has.
In the morning she doesn't actually drink much, it seems more the 'snuggle' aspect she likes, so I have just started to introduce a bottle. Tonight I am going to attempt to replace the evening feed with a bottle too.

As she has all four front teeth and tends to accidentally bite when overtired I think it will be for the best.

I was going to hold out with BF longer but DD seems to 'break away' during the two feeds she has now, so she is obviously not as interested in mummy milk as she was.

Well done to you though for keeping going as long as you have. I don't think I could!

I wondered how I would EVER comfort her if I stopped but we only do mornings now and if she is grouchy in the day and cuddle doesn't cut it I just take her for a walk in the pram. It depends how badly you actually want to stop...maybe your not ready? It is never going to be easy but surely will get harder the longer time goes on. When I decided to stop night feeds (and felt confident LO was eating enough in the day) I just kept reminding myself of the bigger picture although I know it's hard when your sleep deprived and just want things to be easy.

I am not sure if Jo Frost AKA Super Nanny is liked or loathed on Mumsnet but I did see her help a Mum with a 4 year old stop over 3 days completely.

Good luck and if you really want to stop I am sure you will find the strength within you to do it!

Have you had any weekends away from her in those 32 months?

No, greeneone, weekends away just not really on our agenda.

I've started making sure she doesn't fall asleep on the boob at naptime. It has more than doubled the 'getting-to-sleep' time and her yelling disturbs poor ds, but I figured that was a slow start I could live with.

I also got a really good daylight look in her mouth and could see very distinct bright red rings on the gums where her last two molars are cutting through so I reckon that's a lot of it. (that and her pigheaded determined nature!) When that settles I reckon I'll be able to knock it properly on the head.