re: Breastfeeding (the toddler years)

Ok so I have no idea why the eff my nipples hurt. I got my period so I'm for sure not pregnant. Maybe it's just my period because they do hurt when I'm pmsing. Totally sucky. Anyway, I know it's been discussed a lot but night-weaning? Advice? She'll be 2 on Thursday.

<blockquote><b>Quoting Steph+Alice+Caroline:</b>" Ok so I have no idea why the eff my nipples hurt. I got my period so I'm for sure not pregnant. Maybe ... [snip!] ... when I'm pmsing. Totally sucky. Anyway, I know it's been discussed a lot but night-weaning? Advice? She'll be 2 on Thursday."</blockquote>




If they're nursing to sleep, start telling them they have to nurse one last time before they go to bed and then not again until the morning.
Repeat, repeat, repeat. Get it into their head. Then nurse them in a chair or on the couch, brush teeth, make sure to reinforce that was their last nursing session of the night and after you brush their teeth they cannot nurse again. Then bring them to bed, read a book or two and tell them you'll lay with them and cuddle for a little while.

Don't give in! If they wake up durng the night just soothe them, tell them they can nurse as soon as they wake up in the morning, and once again don't give in.

Good luck!

Quoting Will☮Creedence:" <blockquote><b>Quoting Steph+Alice+Caroline:</b>" Ok so I have no idea why the eff ... [snip!] ... just soothe them, tell them they can nurse as soon as they wake up in the morning, and once again don't give in. Good luck!"

Thank you so much for the advice!

Quoting Steph+Alice+Caroline:" Thank you so much for the advice!"

NP It only took a week or two for me doing that and I thought it would NEVER happen haha

HI ladies! I am currently in the infant breastfeeding thread and I just found this thread! awesome!!!!!!!
I am currently nursing my 14 month old and am about 5 weeks pregnant.

Quoting Kara-lynn:" HI ladies! I am currently in the infant breastfeeding thread and I just found this thread! awesome!!!!!!! I am currently nursing my 14 month old and am about 5 weeks pregnant. "

Congrats momma! Are you planning to tandem nurse?

Quoting Steph+Alice+Caroline:" Ok so I have no idea why the eff my nipples hurt. I got my period so I'm for sure not pregnant. Maybe ... [snip!] ... when I'm pmsing. Totally sucky. Anyway, I know it's been discussed a lot but night-weaning? Advice? She'll be 2 on Thursday."

Depends. if she is resistant - start with shortening nursing during the night...I'd do a count down so they had warning - so let her nurse 2 mins & then count down 30 to 0 & she'll be "alerted" that you are getting close to done. Then keep shortening the sessions. I also taught him what the digital clock said - so I'd say he couldn't have boo boos until it said 5...and then I told him when the sun came up...you get the idea. Then eventually we nursed before bed & then told the boob boos goodnight & see you in the morning (he used to even kiss them goodnight). That was Ds #1 - very similar with Ds#2 but he doesn't kiss the booboos. He is 2 1/2 & still nursing & OCCASIONALLY nurses at night, but mostly stuff like last week when he had a stomach bug or the odd bad dream...not even once a week.

Hey Mamas!! My son is 21 months old and still nursing frequently! My first post partum AF is still nowhere in sight, soo I have decided to night wean my son.My initial goal was 2 years and we are nearly there, so I am happy with how long this has gone, but I am ready for my next baby, my nipples are sore now all the time with his lazy latch and I am not sleeping well at all anymore. I give props to those of you who nurse well beyond two years, I don't think I could do it, I feel like I wanna pull my hair out everytime he wants to nurse and I end up with his butt and feet in my face, it's not cute or fun anymore. I love my son more than life itself, but I am starting to feel like he is taking advantage of me and I know he's only a toddler, but I feel so disrespected by him sometimes! I figure these feeling are telling me it's time to wean.
I am sad because I wanted him to self wean and I had hoped that even if he wasn't weaned by now that my AF would have returned and I would have been pregnant by now and I even was very open to the idea of tandem nursing, but it just ain't happening!! I am the type of woman who needs to be fully weaned to be able to get pregnant, I guess. And I am so ready after a year of TTC.
I will be doing the band aid method to wean him, since I tried it a couple of weeks ago and I got him from 3-4 night nursings down to one night nursing, but with thanksgiving it came undone and I started nursing him nonstop again during the night. but now I will not let him nurse at all except twice a day, one for his nap, one for his to fall asleep at night, and that will be that.

Quoting Ivana*mommy of two*:" Hey Mamas!! My son is 21 months old and still nursing frequently! My first post partum AF is still nowhere ... [snip!] ... will not let him nurse at all except twice a day, one for his nap, one for his to fall asleep at night, and that will be that."

Have you set limits & boundaries with him? Are you familiar with nursing manners? Are you aware that taking a B complex vitamin often brings on a cycle for women who are nursing & TTC?

Here are some links for you to check out:
Lazy latch correction: http://www.lalecheleague.org/nb/nbjulaug01p143.html
breastfeeding manners: http://kellymom.com/ages/older-infant/nursing-manners-2/
TO kick start your cycle you can take Vitex (also goes by chasteberry & safe while nursing) as well as a b-complex to lengthen & support a proper luteal phase.

Night weaning helps as well & I just covered what we did & how in this thread a few posts back. ;)

And don't worry to say "hats off" to momma who nurse past two (like me) I don't put up with anything you listed here. ;) I set limits and boundaries & we work within them or we don't nurse. You don't have to choose between nursing or sanity - there is a whole wide world of having your set of rules AND nursing into toddlerhood momma! Whatever you decide to do (including weaning) is of course FINE - I am just letting you know it isn't one way or the other - there is lots of middle ground if you still wish to keep nursing.

<blockquote><b>Quoting justanothamotha:</b>" Congrats momma! Are you planning to tandem nurse?"</blockquote>




That is the goal   I have this overwhelming fear that shes going to wean. our goal is AT LEAST two... i will feel like I failed her if we don't make it. She is a very avid nurser though. still nurses several times a day & all night haha

Quoting Kara-lynn:" <blockquote><b>Quoting justanothamotha:</b>" Congrats momma! Are you planning to ... [snip!] ... feel like I failed her if we don't make it. She is a very avid nurser though. still nurses several times a day & all night haha"

Awww. Don't worry momma. If you haven't read "Adventures in Tandem Nursing" I highly recommend it. Great book for nursing while pregnant & after.

Whatever happens - you have to have peace with it, truly. It won't be a failure on your part if she weans before the baby comes, it will be her path. As momma all you can do is be willing & patient & kind in however weaning comes. I can guarantee you, it will never go the way you think it will. I had every intention of tandem nursing. I *did* technically - but not like I thought. When the new baby came my avid avid nurser suddenly asked me to to "turn the momma faucet off' and said my milk was yucky.   He still asked to nurse & tried for another 6 months, but it was NEVER the same & in my heart it felt like he weaned at the birth & very abruptly at that. I was sad. I felt like I ruined it for him. The fact is though - I was just as sad the first time he went to play at a friend's house & took off running the minute we got inside & forgot completely about the "goodbye momma" & kisses.

Turning points in growing up are sooooo so bittersweet, but they come however & whenever they do, often without warning. If she decides to be done with nursing, try not to see it as anything other than how weaning plays out in her story & that is all it is. I don't have a baby book for my boys but I do have journals I keep & jot things down as they come up & I am constantly jotting in there. How interesting it is to be able to be the one who gets to document the stories THEY are writing. I am not the author - just the person blessed enough to be the witness. I am sure it will work out just the way it should momma. It really is nothing to even worry about. The best thing mothering & nursing has taught me is how to trust the process & not need to know the when or why all the time.

Best wishes! A new pregnancy is such a blessing & a fantastic adventure!

Quoting justanothamotha:" Have you set limits & boundaries with him? Are you familiar with nursing manners? Are you aware that ... [snip!] ... - I am just letting you know it isn't one way or the other - there is lots of middle ground if you still wish to keep nursing."

Well I actually bought vitex last night, I am eager for it to ship out. I have tried setting boundaries with him, but he is stubborn and persistent, as well as prone to tantrum. But I will let him have the two most important nursing sessions still, and if vitex helps my cycles return and I am able to conceive, and he still isn't fully weaned by then, well I will be just fine with that!   I really would love to tandem nurse. Using the band aids on my nipples has helped set boundaries, so I will continue with that.   I really do want to let him self wean, but like you said, my sanity seems to be at stake some days! Plus the strong desire to conceive that seems to be only getting stronger with each passing day. Once the vitex comes I will take it one week at a time and see what adjustments I need to make. Thank you for the support!!  

<blockquote><b>Quoting justanothamotha:</b>" Awww. Don't worry momma. If you haven't read "Adventures in Tandem Nursing" I highly recommend it. Great ... [snip!] ... not need to know the when or why all the time. Best wishes! A new pregnancy is such a blessing & a fantastic adventure!"</blockquote>




Thank you <3 your response made me cry lol so sweet! I am currently reading Adventures in Tandem Nursing! I'm glad to hear your experience & feelings, thank you for sharing.
I write to my DD also (and will start writing to new baby soon ) I started when I was pregnant & was planning to just 'document the pregnancy' I love it too much to stop!

Do any of you mamas have older kids that still want to nurse long after you've quit? My daughter turned three and we weaned, but she's almost 4 1/2 and I'll wake up in the middle of the night with her latched on and sleeping. It's been happening since she weaned (and I initiated the weaning because of the slack I was getting from everyone, husband included). I wanted to let her self wean, but didn't because of the pressure. Anyhow! She crawls in bed with me almost every night, in the middle of the night, and either latches on or puts her hands on my boobs, like she's laying claim! Didn't know if this is normal or not.

<blockquote><b>Quoting *sarah*jean*:</b>" Do any of you mamas have older kids that still want to nurse long after you've quit? My daughter turned ... [snip!] ... the night, and either latches on or puts her hands on my boobs, like she's laying claim! Didn't know if this is normal or not. "</blockquote>



That is the sweetest thing I've ever heard. If she used to comfort nurse a lot, she's probably just trying to find comfort again. I know my 22 month-old almost never nurses anymore unless she's sick, hurt, or scared. But after she latches for a fee seconds she just snuggles against my bare breast and holds it to fall asleep every night and every nap time. It makes me feels so close to her.