cold turkey or gradual weaning?

[warmnfuzzyndry]

i want to wean soon-ish and am debating how to approach it. any tips? my ds is 2yo at the end of Dec.

[bumminbeachbabe]

Originally Posted by warmnfuzzyndry i want to wean soon-ish and am debating how to approach it. any tips? my ds is 2yo at the end of Dec.

With both of my boys they weaned shortly after I stopped offering. I'd nurse if they asked, but they eventually got too busy to ask.

[cdeweese]

We dropped one feeding at a time. Started with the one he was least attach to (for us, mid morning) then moved on from there. About two weeks into it we dropped his bedtime feed and he was fine with a sippy of water instead.

[Pixi6s]

We started dropping sessions rather quickly and only hung onto the before bedtime nurse for a month-ish. I would always give if asked, but he really didn't ask (it actually made me sad).

We hadn't nursed for a week and one day he randomly asked "mama milk?". Since we had stopped for a week and he didn't insist I sort of didn't ignored it. :-/ I should have said something I was just so shocked (i was sure i wouldn't have any milk as well). I was very low on milk at the end. I worked full time since 4 months.

He weaned at 18 months.

[HeatherlovesCDs]

I start with "don't offer, don't refuse." Meaning, I no longer offered nursing, but I didn't refuse if they asked. But, then when I was really ready, I did it all at once, cold turkey. Personally, I just wanted to get it over with and not drag it out. BUT, none of my children have been very attached to nursing by the time I did it. I was mostly dry by that time because my supply drops quickly when my babies start to go longer between nursing. Also, with one, my husband and I went on a 6 day vacation to celebrate our 10 year anniversary. So, I wasn't even there. They didn't have any issues with it (which is what I expected or I wouldn't have done it like that). They (it was twins) asked a couple times when I got home and I just distracted them. It was easy. My second set of twins asked a few times after I stopped, but there was never any major crying or anything from me not giving it to them.

So, for me, cold turkey has been easy. I'm not sure how well I would hold out if it wasn't.

ETA - My first didn't really care either. I am hoping this last baby does. It always made me a little sad that they didn't care if they didn't nurse. It was a catch 22 because the weaning was easy, but I wished they cared more.

[knodceo]

My daughter was cold turkey at 22 months. I told her they were broken and put band aids on them. It took two days. And when she asked I said they were broken.

My son is 19 months and I am ready. I am no longer offering. Only when he asks...middle of he night is bad because we co-sleep. I will have to start wearing hubby's undershirts soon.

[MommaLEB]

Gradual. I can't imagine cold turkey being anything short of a nightmare for everyone. I say try don't offer, don't refuse, but I know that didn't work for us. Start by eliminating the least convenient (overnight) or easiest sessions and go from there. If you haven't already, I have to say, overnight is the hardest to eliminate.

[SurprisinglyCrunchy]

I think it would be hard to go cold turkey unless you're down to 1-2 nursing sessions a day. DD weaned very gradually. Sometimes she would drop a session and sometimes I would drop one. She was down to 1 time a day (2 times a day on the weekend) and I went out of town for the weekend. When I got back, she half-heartedly asked to nurse and I just redirected her. She asked again a week later and I did the same. Then it was over. So, I did a combination of both.

[luvsviola]

We weaned gradually til we were just doing bedtime feedings for about a month. I was working full time, and dropped my morning pump first, then a few weeks later my 4:00 pump. The last to go was the lunch pump. Then after about a month, I was just done and went cold turkey for the bedtime feed. I made DH put her to bed for a couple nights.

[sandy_dandy]

You'll be more comfortable if you don't go cold turkey. I was pumping at work for my DS until 1 year. I dropped one session at a time & was done in 2 weeks with pumping. Offered him a cup during the day on the weekends and kept nursing once in the morning & once before bed daily.

Around 18 months, I cut the morning nursing. By 19 months, I offered a cup of milk at bedtime & then a little later switched to a cup of water.