Hello IMs!
I have a 1y2m old daughter. Due to several reasons I have decided I want to stop breastfeeding. Since I study and work full time I only breastfeed her at night (we sleep together so sometimes she wakes up at night to feed). During the day she goes to kindy and she eats a lot so that's not a problem. My heart breaks at the thought of taking the breast from her, I don't think she's gonna take it well since she is very clingy and the first thing she does as soon as she sees me is get on the boob. She also falls asleep on the boob so I dont know how will I get her to sleep after I wean her. It helps her to calm down when she gets scared so Im also worried about that. I have been thinking about this for a long time, but Im feeling pressured right now since my family and me are on a holiday in another country and my sister and me are gonna go to to another city for 3 days by ourselves (my Baby will stay at the hotel with my parents) so it seems like the perfect time for taking pills to stop the production (Dosinex) and not have her constantly feeding. Its a good oportunity since once we get back Home I wont have a way to stop her from feeding during the time the pill needs to do the effect. The thing is, I dont know if she's gonna feel terrible when I come back to her and I no longer produce milk, I don't want her to feel bad or not wanted. But at the same time I dont think I'll ever do it at home with her every day asking for it and literally getting to my boob by herself. I guess Im just asking for advice on how to wean a toddler and your experience. Please no judging, its already difficult to make the decision.
2 Replies
Will she take a bottle? Or drink out of a sippy cup.
Your child will learn to be soothed/comforted in other ways. Just like us adults comfort feeding/eating when not hungry is a good habit to break, think of her reaching for that chocolate bar as an adult to soothe herself rather than learning to cope with her emotions and feel them.
I'm sure she will be miffed but if you've been away for 3 days without her she will be just fine and learn to cuddle etc. instead.
Its a new phase in her development where she learns new more advanced coping mechanisms for things.
Buy her a sippy cup to have milk from and make a huge fuss of how big she is for drinking like a big girl. Still give her lots of cuddles so she feels that connection but without being on the breast. If she tries just say no your a big girl now theirs no milk left and you have your cup. You just have to be firm with her and direct her to the new cup.