re: Breastfeeding (the toddler years)

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."

Sorry you're having a tough time with it. I agree with the others who talked about setting boundaries.

I got my period back at 23 months and I know exactly why. My husband and I spent our first night away from our children (both nurse frequently, the almost two year old nursed about 3 times a night), we were gone for 24 hours, I pumped twice, just for a few minutes on each breast. 5 days later, I ovulated (I actually felt ovulation pains for the first time in my life), 14 days later I had my first period. I had heard that spending some time away or quickly weaning can bring back fertility quicker.

Also, nursing at night helps your period away longer.

I know you are frustrated, but quickly weaning, especially if your son isn't ready will be difficult on both of you (both emotionally and physically). Try to drop nursing sessions slowly to reduce your chance of clogged ducts.

Have you read Mothering Your Nursing Toddler? It has some wonderful advice on how to deal with how you are feeling. If you are considering nursing longer (not trying to pressure you into it), then it is worth a read.

Best of luck  .

Oh, I'm currently nursing two children who have past their 2nd birthdays (one just turned 4), I didn't expect to be taking this adventure, it just didn't occur to me). For the most part, I love it but I sometimes feel manipulated by the 2 year old too. It usually happens when I feel like I should be doing other things, but then I realize how real his need is and how he will only be young for a short period of time. I do miss sleep though (he nurses frequently through the night and we haven't had luck gently weaning him at night since we had a death in the family a few months ago).

Hi! I don't post much but was excited when I saw this here! I have nursed all 3 of my kids, my dd till she was 16 months, my ds1 til he was 30 months and am still nursing my 15 month old ds and I'm about 11 weeks pregnant. I got pregnant when ds1 was 10 months and I nursed throughout my pregnancy with ds2 and then tandem nursed the boys for 10 months. I plan on doing the same thing for this pregnancy, I really think tandem nursing helped my older son adjust to the baby.

Nice to see so many mamas nursing their toddlers 

Quoting joelene1986:" Hi! I don't post much but was excited when I saw this here! I have nursed all 3 of my kids, my dd till ... [snip!] ... I really think tandem nursing helped my older son adjust to the baby. Nice to see so many mamas nursing their toddlers "

I agree on tandem nursing smoothing the transition. My older one took to the baby so well I have NO other explanation because he was a total momma's boy.

CONGRATS!

I'm so sad. My daughter, 23 months, may be weaning herself. I am almost 18 weeks pregnant and I know my milk is different (its more bitter than it was beforehand she told me it was yucky) and my supply has decreased, but not completely dried up, but I really don't want her to wean! I love nursing her, she hardly gets sick and if she does it only lasts a day or two because the nursing helps her gy healthy again right away. And I was really hoping to tandem nurse when the new baby gets here to help her transition into being a big sister. I'm so sad. I just want her to keep nursing. Can I do anything to encourage to keep nursing? She hasn't asked for boobies in a few days, not even at bed or nap time.

does anyone have a good lactation cookie recipe?? we've been doing good for almost 14 months but recently went on a trip and my milk supply dropped dramatically...

Quoting jorrie:" does anyone have a good lactation cookie recipe?? we've been doing good for almost 14 months but recently went on a trip and my milk supply dropped dramatically..."

http://www.drmomma.org/2010/08/lactation-cookies-recipe-increasing.html

Quoting Roe23:" Sorry you're having a tough time with it. I agree with the others who talked about setting boundaries. ... [snip!] ... through the night and we haven't had luck gently weaning him at night since we had a death in the family a few months ago)."

Well I have been using the band aid method and for the past two to three weeks (minus two nights where I gave in) he has gone at least 6hrs each night without nursing! I am feeling some cramping and whatnot, so hoping my first period comes soon. In July, I spent 3 nights away from him and only pumped enough for comfort, by the third night, I was only needing to pump once every 24 hours which means my supply went way down, but still I did not get a period. And he upped my supply again as soon as we got back. So even though it isn't best to wean him quickly, doing the cold turkey night weaning has actually gone fairly well and I am finally feeling changes in my body. He still gets mostly unrestricted day nursing and his nurse to bed session as well.

Quoting MommaSav2:" I'm so sad. My daughter, 23 months, may be weaning herself. I am almost 18 weeks pregnant and I know ... [snip!] ... Can I do anything to encourage to keep nursing? She hasn't asked for boobies in a few days, not even at bed or nap time."

Sorry I missed this. The only thing you can do is offer to nurse & she takes it or she doesn't. However, don't assume nursing is over. Many toddlers loose interest short term when the milk is gone but go ahead & pick back up once colostrum starts flowing. She may or may not really be done right now. All you can do is make it available if she shows interest & just see where she is with it.

<blockquote><b>Quoting justanothamotha:</b>" Sorry I missed this. The only thing you can do is offer to nurse & she takes it or she doesn't. However, ... [snip!] ... not really be done right now. All you can do is make it available if she shows interest & just see where she is with it."</blockquote>



Ok, she had altogether stopped nursing during the day, other than nap time, but I have started offering it during the day when we're having a quiet moment and she usually takes me up on the offer. I mean if she's really weaning then I suppose thats that but I really hope we can keep it going a while longer. She's just so healthy and happy and I really thik it's thanks to the nursing. My son, 6, is sick right now and she started to show some symptoms of coming down with the same thing and so I slept offered her the breast through out night last night and the night before and today she is 100% better. I just think its so good for her I dont want to stop.
My 6 year old is currently drinking a fruit smoothy with breastmilk in it to try and help what he has. Fingers crossed.

I have a question for any of you that have taken vitex while nursing to regulate or induce your periods.
Should I still try to night wean my son, or should the Vitex be enough at regulating my hormones on it's own, even with frequent nursing?
The past few days my son has regressed and has gone from 6hrs with no nursing to wanting to nurse all night again.   it is really discouraging, but after nearly a month of trying to night wean him I am tired of fighting him and have been giving in to him, only to worry if I am sabotaging my efforts to get my period back!

Quoting MommaSav2:" <blockquote><b>Quoting justanothamotha:</b>" Sorry I missed this. The only thing you ... [snip!] ... stop. My 6 year old is currently drinking a fruit smoothy with breastmilk in it to try and help what he has. Fingers crossed."

You don't have to night wean necessarily...how long can you get him to go in the day? While night weaning is usually effective & often decently easy once you get it down - you can just try to go 6 hrs in the day. What you are looking for in trying to induce a return of AF is a gap in feeding. So if you can get a longer spacing in daytime, that is an option as well.

Also - don't worry - holidays, being busy likely would monkey this all around anyway. I would personally just can it until the new year & then try once things are a bit settled back down. You go to parties & other things that overstimulate little ones during this time & it's a tough time to do ANY type of weaning, even just night weaning. It often goes much smoother at calm times & usually this is not a calm time for most families - it is full of LOTS of stimulation.

But ye - I have heard of women having luck with Vitex alone...even without nightweaning, so you can go ahead & start on that now. It certainly won't hurt anything & you can resume night weaning when things seem a bit more conducive to it.

Quoting justanothamotha:" You don't have to night wean necessarily...how long can you get him to go in the day? While night weaning ... [snip!] ... on that now. It certainly won't hurt anything & you can resume night weaning when things seem a bit more conducive to it."

I hope it helps me. I have been taking Vitex 800mg daily since Dec 5th and my son is not night weaned yet. He has gotten a cold, so his day time feeds have decreased due to his nose stuffiness and he is nursing at night just enough to fall asleep and then unlatches because he can't breathe. I hope this is enough to help kick start things. 22 months PP and still have not seen my first AF. I want to be pregnant with baby #3 sooo badly!

Well I got two positive tests today!! Now I am pregnant and nursing a toddler. Part of me hopes he weans during the pregnancy, another part of me would like to try tandem nursing.
My nipples are in so much pain, though and my breasts are feeling full often. Either way, I am happy and excited to see what the future holds for me and the kids.

<blockquote><b>Quoting Ivana, expecting #3!:</b>" Well I got two positive tests today!! Now I am pregnant and nursing a toddler. Part of me hopes he weans ... [snip!] ... and my breasts are feeling full often. Either way, I am happy and excited to see what the future holds for me and the kids."</blockquote>

Congrats. In the beginning of this pregnancy I was hopin my dd would wean because it was so painful and I couldn't imagine nursing two. Now we're exactly 20 weeks in today and she's still going and my feelings have taken a complete 180. Hoping she doesn't quit and I can nurse them both when new baby boy arrives. It's still pretty painful and has started giving me some bad cramps but I just din want to lose these moments with her. Good luck!!

Quoting MommaSav2:" <blockquote><b>Quoting Ivana, expecting #3!:</b>" Well I got two positive tests today!! ... [snip!] ... still pretty painful and has started giving me some bad cramps but I just din want to lose these moments with her. Good luck!!"

thanks! How old is your daughter? my son will be 2yrs 7months when my third baby is born, so he may be close to weaning by then anyway. As long as my doc says it's ok, i will let him lead the weaning process.