Weaning HALP

[kensie5226]

I have a week to wean my 14month old so that we can start fertility treatment again at the end of January. She nurses morning and evening. Any advice on aggressive weaning?

[vvvvvfee]

how you approach it depends on your LO's personality and how attached she is to nursing. but i do think trying to go totally cold-turkey is a mistake both because it can be traumatic for your LO and because you risk getting clogged ducts/mastitis.

i would first focus on the session she is least attached to. then either a) shorten the session by a few minutes each day until it disappears, b) try to distract her to avoid the session completely, c) only nurse for a very short period of time (the time it takes you to swing twinkle twinkle little star, for instance), hoping that she'll eventually lose interest in that nursing session, or d) offer a substitute food or beverage- maybe a cup of warm milk with honey mixed in.

then move on to the more preferred nursing session. for the bedtime session, definitely get your SO involved if you were previously nursing to sleep. use one or more of the tactics described above, with the goal of your SO being the primary bedtime point-person going forward.

[kensie5226]

vvvvvfee, ideally we'd do it on her schedule, but we want a second and in order to start IF treatment I need be BF free for a month. We want to start ASAP. She only nurses twice a day and it's really more about schedule than anything. Last night we did cheerios and milk during book time and MH put her to bed. This morning we did milk and blueberries and let her watch a Mickey. She's cried a bit, but so far I think it's going ok.

Truthfully we've done everything pretty much cold turkey since transition hasn't worked well. We went cold turkey in the crib/unswaddling, weaning from bottles, to 1 nap. I think she's more attached in the morning and I may stick with that one while we're home over the holiday, but after that I plan to make sure I'm out of bed and dressed before she wakes up.

[vvvvvfee]

kensie5226, i missed where you said you're trying to do this in only 1 week! sounds like you have a handle on it, though. i'd cut down the length of the morning session each day, and then be out of the area when she wakes up, like you said.

you might want to take lecithin supplements for a couple of weeks (up to 4 capsules per day or 1 tbsp of granules per day) as insurance against blocked ducts/mastitis.

[kensie5226]

vvvvvfee, great thanks! That's helpful.

[emmyg65]

My guy has always done well with cold turkey changes. The morning session was easy to cut out by just started our day by going downstairs and having breakfast instead of nursing. At bedtime, we give a cup of warm milk (and brush teeth after).

[seamonster]

I'd go cold turkey in your case. Maybe the first day or two offer only if things are a nightmare. Morning you might be able to distract by serving breakfast right away and evening do a cup of warm milk and brush teeth.

[yummeecookee]

kensie5226- hope this is going well for you!

[kensie5226]

Thanks everyone. She's totally fine. She asked twice and cried for like 5min the first two times I refused. Now if she asks I give food/milk and she's totally fine it.

[sunfrogger88]

❤️❤️

[kensie5226]

Oh, btw....this is a weird crowdsourcing thing, but we 100 oz of frozen left. I had planned on giving it to her in sippies over the winter, but homegirl will not drink it. I'd love to give it to someone who could use it, so if you know of anyone.......

[yummeecookee]

Dec 27, 2016 12:27:26 GMT -5 kensie5226 said:

Oh, btw....this is a weird crowdsourcing thing, but we 100 oz of frozen left. I had planned on giving it to her in sippies over the winter, but homegirl will not drink it. I'd love to give it to someone who could use it, so if you know of anyone.......

I dont know of anyone personally, but you could try the hm4hb FB page. I have donated milk that way before.

[sunfrogger88]

kensie5226 I am in the same boat. Girlfriend won't drink milk anymore if it's not from the tap. So I plan to put out a call on HM4HB in my state.