Our DD is now 15 months and I am planning of weaning her from breastfeeding. My problem is that I don't know where to start. We are both so attached to each other. Every time I tried I always gave in. She also know what she wants because if she wants breastmilk she will tag at my shirt and pull my bra off. She really know her way. If I pull out she will cry inconsolably. I believe she is not ready yet as well as me. It will break my heart if she cries.
I welcome any Mom's suggestion on how they wean their babies from breastfeeding. I have read a lot from books and other sites but I would love to hear how you did it to your babies. Help me Mommies please :-)
SOS: Weaning from Breastfeeding
4 comments:
I'm trying to remember what I did, it was such a long time ago. LOL I think what I did was I pumped and then gave the milk in a bottle. I told my kids that they're growing up and not a baby anymore. I said toddlers drink milk from the bottle and not mommys'. If your husband is there, you might want to have him give the bottle to your daughter. I know it's going to be hard since you're so attached but you need to stand your ground. Good luck! :)
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http://www.onehomediva.com - Everything Plus the Kitchen Sink
Thanks.
Why are you trying to wean? Is there some problem? Just because it is not common for Western women to nurse very long doesn't mean it is a necessity. In many culturesd it is common to nurse 2 years or more. There is a Biblical reference in the OT about a weaning celebration at 2 years of age. The World Health Organization reccommends nursing at least 2 years. Even the Koran recommends at least 2 years. Anthropologist Kathleen Detweiller studies the weaning ages for many different mammals and concluded that the physiological human age for weaning is between 4 and 7 years!
Weaning actually begins when you first begin to give anything else to the baby-usually solids-and is a process, not an event, that can take from a short to a long time to complete. Your daughter is telling you she is not ready to make this break. In fact, the more you push her, the more strongly she may protest. Trust her, she knows what she needs. In fact, the more secure a child is in the first couple years, the more free they feel to explore their world as they get older. You are giving her a solid base of security to help her as she encounters the world away from you.
That being said, if you are trying to take the lead in weaning, be sure she still knows you are there for her. It often takes more "other mother time" that you spend with her doing things other than nursing so she will not feel she is losing you as well as the nursing relationship. Those of us who have practiced baby-led weaning usually find that nursing patterns vary widely from several times a day to skipping a few days, then nursing a little more for a few days. However, ovarall, the frequency is declining as long as we are not making the child feel we are ignoring them. I forced my first to wean at age 8 months and he is the one with problems even as a 40 year old. Of course, there is no way to know if there is any cause and effect here. My second weaned herself "cold turkey" at 5 PM on Tuesday March 1 at age 11 months (probably secondary to an ear infection which made it painful to suck) and I was devastated. I later learned tricks that might have helped her return to nursing as she still seems to have "oral needs" and chews the erasers off all her pencils. My 3rd was finally able to self wean sometime between 2 1/2 and 3 years of age. It was so gradual that I can't even remember for sure when he nuirsed last. He is the most emotionally stable and self confident of all 3.Hopoe these thoughts gfive you some help.
"older" MOM
Hi bless how are u? well, let me share my experience on this. Nursing and weaning mattie was a no sweat at all because he was fed mix since day one(reason is i'm not making alot of milk)and he needed more fluid to excrete bilirubin from his system fast that the best option according to the doctor is to give him formula as well. He's always used to both(breast/bottle)since then that after seven months i just gave him all bottle, with him not even knowing the difference. He also started biting my nipples, i could have continued the twice a day routine but the biting became unbearable.
Maybe during the day after meals u can give her a cup or cup with straw, any color and size that will make her excited to drink. That's one way to practice. Later on, your breast will be just a common soothing place for her and not a main source of food anymore. When they are full with solid food they tend not look for it until it is time to sleep.
If you really want/need to wean her, repitition is the key. Be consistent and she will eventually adjust. I know how hard it is to deprive her especially when DD is already crying and upset. You too bonded a lot while me on the other hand was mostly away all day for work(went back to work after 7weeks. Good luck and give kisses to DD for me.
vanessa aka banot
Hi Bless, how are you?
I remember mine that during I wean Nicole, I put her to the other room together with my sisters. I know she cried so hard looking for me and her milk. She didn't like the milk in the bottle nor the taste of it, sa sige niyag hilak for a long time, until she gave up and just suck the milk out of the bottle and put her to sleep. I tried not to see her when she is wide awake. Mga one day rajud to, it was a success man pod nuon. When the time nga naka bottle na sya with the formula milk didto nako sige duol niya, it was funny how she would throw her bottle away when she saw me coming in. It was such a hard decision and moved but I couldn't do anything but to stop it cause sooner or even doing it later is still the same process, it is you or us should always be strong maski sakit sa atong part. Since naanad na c Nicole magdede sa bottle, sungogon napod nako sya padedehon sa akoa then masuko na sya lainan napod haha. It was hard and funny experience. Basta lisod gyud ba ya pero kaya raman nato kong kayahon lang pod. Kong tan aw nimo dako an imo babay og enough old napod sya na i-wean then don't hesitate, you will success at your own will and time. C Nicole ato na time kay 9 months pa sya. I know mom's milk is still the best for baby but duh mao ra kwentaha man, depende sa pag galam sa bata pod, then kong smart jud bata she grows smart pod maski wala pata magpadede. Anyway Good luck!
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