How did your weaning go?

I did self weaning, so there was no fight. I worked with nursing manners & although they took a little time, I think they were faster than most weaning stories I have heard, at least the gentle weaning approaches. My oldest self weaned at a bit past three & my younger one is still nursing at 21 months.

I am a bit confused by your comments on a few things. Firstly, her nursing while sick isn't comfort nursing. It is her body's inherent wisdom that she NEEDED the immune system boost,. Children weaned at a year are sick more often than children nursed until two (or longer). They just are. Once you stop nursing, they stop receiving antibodies from you. Even when you cut back on nursing, she was cut back on the amount of antibodies she was receiving. So it is wise of her to refuse everything but nursing, it was her fastest road to recovery from that virus. the other thing is when you said " I don't' feel that I'll be a better mother for giving in to her" in regards to continuing nursing. Choosing to nurse or not at all & for how long has nothing to do with "good mothering" vs "bad mothering" it is about placing a value on the specific topic. We all places values on various parenting topics, breastfeeding/formula, length of breastfeeding, vaccines, circumcision, bed sharing, CIO, etc...it isn't about who is or isn't a good mother, it is about making the choice that we feel is right for our given situation. I nursed to self weaning because after doing research I felt that the evidence was compelling enough to me, that the benefits to my child outweighed the inconvenience it was to me. It doesn't' make me a "better mother" than another mother, but it IS a better health choice for my kids than choosing to wean earlier. There is no doubt on that.

I am not one to pressure or tell another mother what she should do in regard to weaning, especially a mom who has nursed a year. That is far longer than most women nurse in North American already - so kudos to you on that for sure! I have in fact offered support & info to a few who were weaning around that age, and whose children seemed to be coping well with weaning. So I can give you is my perspective based on what you have said. So if it were ME we were talking about & my child was reacting like you describe, I would think my child was not emotionally ready for weaning & that I needed to set back & have a long hard look at what my motivations are to do it RIGHT now & see if it could be delayed or slowed down in order to make sure that I am meeting the emotional needs of my child while still working toward meeting my own needs. Please do not think that because I nursed to past three that I love nursing. I don't, far from it. Despite my first having a great latch (thank heavens) I struggled with it a lot, for many reasons, working, pumping was hard for me, lots of physical issues like clogged ducts mastisis, etc) and then there is the fact that I tend toward feeling touched out & had the fortune of having my first born be a boobaholic & want to be attached 24/7, so it was tough. I put it in perspective by telling myself that my child was unaware of MY issues. All he was doing was what he was wired to do from birth. He didn't get the memo that today moms have to work at 6 weeks or that I might have things I want to do that don't include being milked 24/7...he was just being a baby, so I worked on patience. I know the AAP recommends nursing to a minimum of a year & you have hit that mark. Just remember than your Dd doesn't even know she had a birthday. She doesn't know that today is different than yesterday on the calendar or that she is a "month older" now, so "it's time" on your time line. She just knows what her instincts are & what brings her happiness & comfort & a feeling of safety & security. Be gentle & loving & patient & try to follow her lead. You CAN do momma led weaning that is flexible to the child's pace. It just takes longer than you might have originally liked, bt it will pay off when she isn't so clingy because she feels you uslippingaway. Cut out one feed & don't do anything else until she is totally okay with missing that one - that may take a week or two for each feed & if she resists, back off & give it a few days & try again. You will feel no more free to be done with nursing if what you ar left with is an insecure baby that still wants to be attached to you 24/7 with or without the boobies involved.

GL & much love! It's a twisty road, this parenting stuff. <3

my daughter is 13 months and is currently weaning, she's down to about 3 or 4 bf in a day, one before her nap, one before bed and one or two overnight, she's not too happy about it, she loves her breastfeeds, what I tried to do was give her solid foods and water more often to keep her more full so she wouldn't use boobs for snacks and that helped, what also has helped is going slowly, cutting out one feed at a time. one problem I've come across is that she now seems really attached to my boobs like they have their own identity, she'll play peek a boo with them and give them kisses, she even talks to them, I guess she knows she won't have them much longer.

i've a pal and her daughter misplaced curiosity whilst she used to be approximately 10 months historic on account that there wasn't a lot milk left and he or she simply did not see the factor. i have starred this question as i would like my son to self wean however whilst i do not wish to breastfeed for for much longer, perhaps a different three-four months (child is eleven months). my mum advised me that my sister stopped breastfeeding on account that she began giving her a bottle so she would pass out or get a while to herself and he or she simply favored the bottle to the breast so that is how she stopped breastfeeding.