I’m a little ashamed that I haven’t written this post sooner, as an OT, I have shared lots of baby and toddler milestone tutorials, including How to Wean from a Bottle. But, I haven’t addressed stopping breastfeeding, and how to get it done safely and appropriately, even though I have done it three times with my children that were exclusively breast-fed. My oldest, NEVER took a bottle, which was really stressful, and my third would only do if he had to.
Of course, I’m fully aware that this can be a bit of a controversial topic, which is probably why its taken me this long to write it. So, let me say, right now, very clearly, that this post IS NOT about when a mother should stop nursing, although I will share some general info on the topic. This post is about How to stop breastfeeding when a mother and child are ready. Women have many different reasons for wanting to wean at various ages. I completely welcome constructive and helpful comments, but let’s be supportive of each other’s very personal decisions.
When to Stop Breastfeeding
I know I’m leading with the when, even though I just said it is a personal decision, and it is. But, I know many of you aren’t sure when you want to wean, so let me give you some objective information. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends nursing for one year, and most American doctors would support that. At one year, a baby’s nutritional needs change and they no longer *physically* need breast milk, not that it couldn’t still be beneficial. The World Health Organization and UNICEF recommend until 2 years of age.
This conflicting advice leaves some moms unsure of what to do. I will tell you this, around 15 months of age, children enter a new cognitive phase and begin to make strong associations or attachments. Nursing to this point could make it more difficult to wean with some of the strategies I’ll discuss here, but certainly not impossible. I don’t say that to persuade you towards weaning earlier, but want you to be aware of all the information. While I also fully support mothers that decide to nurse longer, I will caution you to be aware of those feedings affecting consumption at meals. Some toddlers can handle having “nursings” throughout the day as they please and still sit down to eat their meals, but others fill up on milk and subsequently don’t transition to eating more food. That can be a slippery slope, as I’ve seen many times. If toddlers don’t get the practice and exposure to eating foods, sometimes they can become very picky eaters throughout childhood. If you continue to nurse, I would encourage you to treat meals as a priority as well and be aware of how recently they have nursed.
For a variety of reasons, I did decide to wean my own children around one year old. They were 14, 12, and 13 months, respectively. It was a gentle process that was not traumatic for my children in any way. I did not transition them to a bottle, because at those ages, they didn’t require one. And, if you are weaning over 12 months, I would recommend phasing out those feedings totally and not substituting with formula or milk in bottle or sippy cup at those times.
If you are weaning before 12 months old, you will need to replace with formula in a bottle or possibly a sippy cup. Check out my complete how-to guide for getting a nursing baby to take a bottle.
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How to Stop Breastfeeding
So how to do you actually start to end breastfeeding? Well, it is a transition, so there may be a little bit of dancing back and forth on this as you make sure both you and your baby are comfortable. If your baby is 8 months old or older, I would first recommend getting them onto a loose schedule, if they aren’t already. I’m not really concerned with specific times, but intervals or around routines. For instance, with my third, I always nursed him when he woke up from his naps, the time changed but that routine didn’t. That allowed me to plan our meals in a structured way as well, which gave him exposure to foods and helped him develop an appetite for food, too. (You’ll find links for sample schedules at the end of this section)
Once your baby or toddler is nursing at regular intervals and not on demand, you will choose one of those times to take away. This should be the easiest time of day, usually one of the nursings in the middle of the day. Typically bedtime and morning feeds are more difficult to phase out.
The first few days that you take away those feedings you will want to change the routine a little bit and have food and a drink in a cup ready to go. For instance, when I was taking away those after nap nursings. I would go into his room, pull open the blinds right away and start talking to him real silly to get him distracted. I’d pick him up playfully and take him downstairs (he typically nursed in his dim lit room quietly before going downstairs). All the while, I’d be saying, “It’s time for snack! I have your drink, too!” There were a few times where he whined and pointed to the chair he normally nursed in. I would try once more to distract him and if that didn’t work, then I’d nurse him. That is part of the transition. If another adult were here, I would have them get him out of his crib as well, which helped change things up.
Once I eliminated that first feeding, I would wait 3-7 days before I took away another feeding, depending on how slow I wanted that to go. Then, I would follow the same procedure. I would do that all the way until I was left with morning and night time nursings. Morning was always easier to get rid of, so I would make sure I had breakfast completely ready, so he could eat right away.
Personally, I always decided to leave the bedtime nursing for another month or so, but you don’t need to do that. That was more for me, weaning each of my children was a very emotional time, and I knew I needed to not rush it. Keeping that bedtime feeding gave me time to really take in those last days of our special connection. After about a month or so, I would make sure they had a really good dinner (serve a favorite food) or a late snack and then I would let Dad do the bedtime routine. In all cases, my kids just let my husband put them to bed, as if they had never been nursed, while I sobbed in another room. My children were fine, and I knew, for me, for us, it was time.
To sum up what we’ve just talked about, and fill in some blanks, when you’re ready to wean, you’ll want to:
- Take away one feeding at a time
- Eliminate the easiest feedings first
- Offer a meal instead of nursing. All kids should eat every 2.5 – 3 hours, count from the start of one meal to the start of the next
- Give a cup at each meal, and place either breast milk or cow’s milk in the cup. I prefer a straw cup (see how to teach your baby to drink from a straw). From an OT and mom friendly perspective, I love these cups in particular: Playtex Sipsters, Munchkin Flex Straw, and Advent Straw Cup
- The first time you give cow’s milk, mix it with a 25-50% blend of breast milk. This will help them adjust digestively and to the taste. After a day or two of successful consumption, you can continue to add less and less breast milk until it is straight cow’s milk or toddler formula, if you choose.
- Prior to weaning, give your baby water at each meal, which will help them get used to having a drink. Have water available throughout the day in a cup that they have access to once you start serving milk with their meals. Some babies will want to have both at a meal, which is fine for a short transition period.
If you are looking for more specifics on feeding schedules, click on the ages you need: 6-7 months, 8-10 months, and 11 months plus for samples. These, too, are just a guideline, but should give you some direction. Adapt them as needed.
Troubleshooting Common Breast Weaning Roadblocks
Although stopping breastfeeding can be as easy as I just made it sound, sometime parents hit some roadblocks. I’m going to run through some common ones to help you troubleshoot. With all of the suggestions below, know that it’s important to stay consistent and keep trying. All of my boys ended up loving cow’s milk, but it took a month or so before they were drinking it really well, usually by the time they were completely weaned from the breast. Keep in mind that once a baby turns 1, they only require 16 ounces of a milk source.
- Refuses a cup of any type:
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- Try and try again – every day, at every meal, put the milk in the cup and don’t pressure them. Offer it and even demonstrate, but don’t force. You can experiment with serving cold and warm if you like. If your toddler spits it out, that’s okay, it’s all part of the process.
- Try pumped milk – if you are willing and able, pump and offer that milk in the cup. It will seem foreign and some will likely be wasted, but some babies do better with the familiar taste.
- Focus on 2-3 different types of cups – cycle through a few different kinds of cups, maybe some with bright colors or a silly character on it.
- Water in a cup during the day – always have the water in a cup throughout the day. Give it to them in the car, in the bath, outside, wherever.
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- Nursing to sleep:
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- Change up the routine (as described in the previous section)
- Transitional object – if your child doesn’t already have a special object like a stuffed animal or blanket, start encouraging one. Give it to them every time you are nursing, put it in their arms when you lie them down. Every time.
- Well-fed – I don’t want you to overly worry about this, so many parents do naturally, but it will give you peace of mind in knowing that their tummy is full. Serve a later dinner that is a favorite or a bedtime snack, where you can give milk in a cup. Knowing their well-fed will help you feel better if they protest a little and they will be less likely to request nursing.
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- Crying:
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- Distract – while I urge you to not push your baby too fast, some will protest a little. This is when you’ll want to change gears and do something really exciting. I remember with my oldest, I always used to feed him on the couch in the middle of the day and I’d rearrange the pillows to support my arm. In the process of weaning, I started to do that just to straighten up and he saw me and thought it was time to nurse. He didn’t cry, but I quickly grabbed him and stood up, saying, “Oh my goodness, did you just hear that car go by?” We went over to the window to have a look and he forgot about it in a second.
- Offer another drink – without making to big of a deal about it, provide a drink instead, “Oh, here’s your water.” Notice, I didn’t ask, I just made a statement.
- Cuddles – give lots of these at other times, so they feel that connection with you still.
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Tips for success
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- Don’t feel rushed, watch for your child’s acceptance and adjustment.
- You may be emotional, this is normal. Make sure you are feeling comfortable with your decision.
- Don’t listen to other people’s opinions.
Did I miss anything? Let me know in the comments, I’ll be happy to answer. And if you’ve been through this before, share your tips, it will be helpful to everyone that stops here.
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Alisha Grogan is a licensed occupational therapist and founder of Your Kid’s Table. She has over 15 years experience with expertise in sensory processing and feeding development in babies, toddlers, and children. Alisha also has 3 boys of her own at home. Learn more about her here.
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Hi there. I really appreciate your article and enjoyed it. My son is currently 11 months old and he got a very nasty cold 3 weeks ago. Ever since, he has started to reject bottles. He knew how to drink from an open cup, but now refuses to drink water or milk from any cup. We have tried sippy cups, straw cups, new bottles, everything! I still nurse him but I know I don’t have enough milk and I have always supplemented with formula and given him bottles his whole life. I also need to go to work and can’t physically be present to nurse him. If I go to work, he doesn’t drink any fluids until I come back. He does however eat plenty of food and fruits and is getting his hydration from that. I am so concerned and don’t know what to do. I was hoping to wean him from
breastfeeding but now that this is happening and he is only taking fluids through breastfeeding I am not sure how to go about weaning and how I can possibly get him to drink cow’s milk. Your help and guidance is much appreciated. THANKS!!!
Hey Sara,
That sounds so tough! Sometimes sickness does that to our kiddos and it can be really frustrating. If he was already taking an open or strawed cup before, that’s great that he knows how to do that. He’s likely looking for extra comfort right now. Does he have a lovey or blanket that he also uses for comfort? It might be helpful to pair that with his cup/bottle feedings for a little bit. The typical nursing sessions to drop would be the ones during the middle of the day. You can offer breastmilk, formula or water at each meal in a cup. Here’s a typical 11 month old schedule to give you an idea.
Best,
Andrea
Hello there thank you so much for this article
I have a 15 month old and im really ready to stop breastfeeding, he has breakfast, sometimes dinner, snacks and tea but yet he’s still coming to me through the day for feeding.
He nurses to sleep and wakes in the night 2/3 times, my partner has been in a few times to try and settle him back down in the night but he just cries and gets even more worked up until he comes to me, really struggling trying to stop 🙁
Hi Alex! Thanks for reaching out! We understand that stopping breastfeeding can be tough. Try eliminating one feeding at a time (usually the feedings in the middle of the day are the easiest). Replacing these feedings with a snack or a meal, paired with regular or breast milk in a cup, will help keep him full. Making sure he has a good dinner will help prevent him from frequently waking in the middle of the night for a feeding. For more examples of a feeding schedule, check out our post here! You may also try switching up your bedtime routine, to help him adapt to going to sleep without nursing.
Best,
Kalyn
I’ve tried all that and it still doesn’t work, he has meals and snacks and still comes over to me for feeding, and he won’t settle for my partner at all, I’m stopping out for the first time on Saturday and my partner is dreading it because he knows he will struggle x
Hi Alex!
It sounds like you have worked on diet a lot already. Maybe your kid has a sleep association with nursing? Meaning, he does not really need to eat during the night but he FEELS like he needs it because that’s how he knows how to go to sleep. I’ve had similar problems and found the gentle sleep training advice at babysleepsite.com really helpful. Basically we started doing a diaper change AFTER nursing at night and made her go to sleep with Papa. She went to sleep 1-2 hours late the first week but with minimal crying, she just held out until she got so sleepy she HAD to sleep and then voila! Sleeping without nursing. After a week or so bedtime got much quicker, and once it was down to 10-15 minutes we started working on the night feeds too – having Papa get up with her instead of me.
Good luck!
Alyssa
Really appreciate this article. My 16 month daughter nurses 6-8 times a day. I don’t know how milk she is getting. She also eats a few ounces of cheese and yogurt. Should I give her cow’s milk as well? Her next pediatrician appointment is not for a couple of months but she did drop from 40-25 percentile between her 12 & 15 month appointment. We think it was because she started daycare and was sick frequently.
I did not have enough milk when she was a baby and had to supplement with 4-8 oz formula. Even though she doesn’t need as much milk as when she was a baby, I don’t know if she is currently getting enough from me. We both enjoy nursing and I would love to keep doing it for as long as she wants.
Hey Angela,
A toddler who is nursing 6-8x a day is typically getting enough milk. It can be helpful to pay attention to how frequently she is swallowing to give you a more full picture of if she’s getting enough milk. Starting daycare can be so tough on toddler’s immune systems. Hang in there! Here’s a feeding routine for older babies/toddlers that might give you some more food ideas!
Best,
Andrea
Great article thank you so much for sharing. I was wondering how long it takes for a toddler to stop asking? I’ve dropped feeds gradually and did our final feed 4 nights ago. We’ve read books and spoken about it a few weeks prior but she still asks nightly. It’s horrible.
Oh I should mention she’s 20 months and very strong willed. She won’t be distracted I just have to wait her out.
My child is 15 months and I’m not ready to stop BF But the daycare educator told me it would be easier for them to get her to nap if I weaned her off. Because right now she’s not napping at daycare at all and comes home exhausted. Your thoughts ?
Thanks
Hi Josie,
Weaning is a really personal choice. If you don’t feel ready to wean yet, then that’s just fine! Lots of toddlers can have a hard time falling asleep at daycare (or at home for that matter!). It may be helpful to encourage her to fall asleep with other comfort objects such as a soft lovey or something that smells like you. If she’s used to falling asleep in other ways, that might be helpful during daycare as well.
Best,
Andrea
Hello,
Thanks for your article! My baby will be 13 months old. She nurses all night long, every time she wakes up. (I bed-share) I don’t necessarily want to start weaning her off completely however I’m at the point of waking up every couple hours. I don’t fall into REM sleep and it’s been months and months so I’ve developed Migraines that I have every single day, which is nerve racking and debilitating.
It’s hard to take away or say no to something she is so used to and seems to need. It feels natural to nurse her, she does drink cows milk but randomly and not regularly a lot of the time she doesn’t want it, she’ll take a couple sips. She mostly wants it during car rides.
I feel like I should wean her off the night time feeds before transitioning her into her crib. I can’t go to her room every couple hours in the middle of the night, I would literally die.
Which I why I started co – sleeping to begin with. But what went from 2-4 night feedings is now sometimes 8-10 comfort feedings.
She eats well.
I just don’t know what to do and feel lost, I wish I could have the best of both worlds but I recognize I really do need my sleep for my health, I have sacrificed it for so long.
I’d like to start weaning night time feeds but it’s hard to change things up or deal with a crying baby when I’m half asleep, it’s also really hard for me to hear her cry and I naturally just want to comfort her by nursing.
Any advice would be great!!
Hey Nikki!
Oh that can be so hard not to get any sleep! I’ve been there too. It sounds like you want to take a really gentle approach to night weaning. Two pieces can help to start night weaning, increasing milk/food intake during the day and then trying to use other comfort techniques slowly during the night. At night, this may look like trying to pat her tummy and let her know that you’re there first before offering her to nurse (it can be hard when you’re exhausted!) Sometimes it will work, sometimes it won’t but you’ll slowly start nursing less and less at night.
Best,
Andrea
Hi Andrea,
I’ve just stumbled upon your website and this article after deep diving into the www to try to find help. So thank you so much!
My 13month old has a severe CMPA and soy allergy. We started solids and tried formula at 6m however the CMPA approved formula wasn’t hydrolyzed enough so he had a bad reaction that lasted a month so he started to get an eating/food aversion I believe as he associated the pain with eating. He has never taken a bottle so it only took a teaspoon of the formula I managed to get into him to set him off causing lots of blood in his stools and severe stomach pain.
I have been working on trying to get him to eat but he only seems to want puffs/crackers and chips. I can get a lamb cutlet into him and a couple of cheerios if I’m lucky but that’s about it. Anything wet or with a different texture he refuses so can’t get any fruit or weetbix into
Him. I have been offering three meals a day and cooking new things and he just grabs it and throws it off the high chair or starts screaming to get out of the high chair. I have tried feeding outside on the grass, using pouches or those subo bottles and nothing seems to work. He hates the spoon and refuses to let me load anything and put it to his mouth he holds it shut tight.
He is living off breast milk and I’m broke. He is on the move and is waking up about 4times a night to breastfeed. I have dropped his feeds during the day to just before his two naps and again before bed however have been paying for it at night he becomes possessed and won’t settle until he has breastmilk.
After reading the comments I’m going to try to cut out the middle of the day feed and change it to just morning and evening however worried I’ll be up all night and not sure how much more I can take 😞
He is starting daycare next month as I’m going back to work 3days a week and I’m at breaking point trying to get it sorted before I start. Any advice help would be so appreciated
Thanks
Ash x
Hi Ashley! Thanks for reaching out! We know how stressful it can be, hang in there, you’re doing great! Keep practicing and offering different foods, flavors and textures. The more practice he gets, the more comfortable he will become with food. Make sure to use no pressure- don’t force, just place the food in front of him and allow him to touch/feel/play with it. You can even pre-load a spoon and set it in front of him on his tray for him to grab and self-feed. You can also try using sensory bins outside of mealtime to help him get used to different textures! Definitely keep trying some of the other tips mentioned in the article for decreasing your breastfeedings, so that he will be hungry to eat more food. We have a free table food workshop that can offer more help- save your seat here!
Best,
Kalyn
Hi Shaani,
We’re so glad that you’re here! Every child is different. Some kiddos are very attached to nursing and other aren’t quite so much. If you have decided to be done breastfeeding, then it might take distraction/waiting it out for several weeks on your end. It can be a challenging process. Hang in there mama!
Best,
Andrea
I have a 25 month old very attached to breastfeeding. Right before she turned 2 we were down to two feedings a day. Then Grandpa came and stayed with us for 2 weeks and she regressed back to 4-5 feedings a day. I am having a hard time getting her to drop feedings again. She has recently started throwing crying fits when unhappy about something like breastfeeding. I have used a lot of distraction and that does help at times. She is quite smart. I tried Vinegar and she now tells me “Mommy don’t put water on nums nums” Any suggestions on weaning a toddler who clues into everything?
Hey Jeanne!
That sounds frustrating for you! Distraction is your best bet if she’s interested in feeding and you’re not. It’s also ok to put limits on times when you nurse her based on what you’re comfortable with. It would be helpful to drop it down to 3 first, before down to the previous 2. Hang in there! Weaning can take time and can sometimes be a tough process for everyone.
Best,
Andrea
Hi I stopped breastfeeding my son for three days ago only for him to suck it while I was sleeping. please how bad is it?note breast milk is still pumping out.
Hi Chizzy,
Weaning from breastfeeding is really individual for each mom and little one. The process is usually a really gradual process that happens over the course of weeks or sometimes even months! It’s ok for you guys to take the time you need:)
Best,
Andrea
Hi, thank you for this article, my baby girl is 13 months and I feel its time to wean, I love breast feeding and would do it forever if she would forever be a baby, Im struggling, she just isn’t going for it and I have no support from her dad,he said some unkind things about weaning. I really feel this article will help, thank you so much
Hi Kate,
We’re so glad you’re here! Weaning can be an emotional time for both mom and baby. It can also be such a challenge! We hope this is helpful. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions!
Best,
Andrea
Hi i just had to search for help here because i am frustrated and angry that i am failing to succefully wean off my son who is 19months now from night feeds. I am so tiredand I just want my freedom. during the day i succefully manage to distract him so he may breastfeed 3times. I am so tired also because everyone keeps reminding me of how he is too old for breastfeeding and it just breaks me because i dont know how to defend myself. I love my son and I would really love him to become independent. my husband is not of so much help because of his inconsistent sleeping schedules. please i need help for night feeds because he cant listen to a no and wont sleep for 2hours or more until i give in.. I am so tired of this routine and i just wish i had weaned him off night feeds before 1year because he would sleep on his fathers chest but i would get worried that he needed the milk and missed the dependancy connection and now here i am all alone embarrassed angered and frustrated😭😭 i wish it was an automatic transition.
Hi Bernice,
Weaning can be such a challenging time, especially at night! Many many moms nurse throughout the 2nd year, so you are not alone. Night time weaning can be a little more challenging at an older age. One suggestion that I have found that works is to offer a cup of milk vs nursing. This makes it less appealing overtime for your little one to wake up. You can check out our post about cup drinking HERE. We have a few other sleep strategies that might be worth looking at. I hope that helps get you started!
Best,
Andrea
Hii dear.. I have same problem.. Pls tell me if u get that solution.
Hi i have a 14 months old daughter and she doesn’t eat any solids. I want to wean her off for so many reasons but she’s not ready for that. She drinks my milk day and night and because of that im bound with her. Tried to stop breastfeeding her during the day bit she cries and cries. Doesn’t like sipy cups at all. Plz help me as i don’t know what else to do
Hi Fiza,
Weaning can be such an emotional time for everyone! Weaning slowly (one feed at a time) is often the easiest on everyone. Distraction is often helpful, even if you are just putting off the feed for a bit. Instead of a sippy cup, you might try either an open cup or a straw cup. You can check out our guide on how to teach straw drinking HERE. I hope that helps!
Best,
Andrea
Hi! I’m glad I found this, we are down to the last feed with my 14 month old daughter, and I’ve started dropping it completely.
My issue is that she refuses to drink cows milk and also doesn’t like cheese! She’s not a fussy eater at all otherwise.
We are stuck with basically yoghurt for dairy. Is this an issue?
Hi Alison,
We’re so glad you’re here! It might be helpful to try to milk pumped breast milk with just a little bit of milk and see if that can help the transition. Then gradually increase the amount of whole milk. Every pediatrician is different! If your daughter still isn’t drinking whole milk, I’d double check with the doctor to make sure she doesn’t want to substitute something else.
Best,
Andrea
Hi there!
I have a 13m who seems to be less and less interested in BF. He sleeps through the night so it is only daytime feeds remaining. At daycare we have transitioned to one (pumped milk) bottle a day but he is indifferent about it.
My question is… What should my pumping schedule be? I want to maintain my supply for morning and evening feedings as long as he needs them but not be engorged and needing to pump all the time.
(As of right now I am pumping once during the day and not pumping anymore after bedtime. I’m worried this will kill my supply too quickly!)
Thank you!
Hey Liz,
Thanks for reaching out! Many moms who have established milk are actually able to just feed during the morning and night without pumping as they start to wean. Pumping once during the day is a great place to start while trying to slowly wean. If you notice he’s getting fussy or doesn’t seem to be getting enough milk while nursing in morning/night, you could increase to another pumping session to keep up supply if you’d like. Hope that helps! It sounds like you’ve got a good plan going 🙂
Best,
Andrea
I can’t tell you how happy I am to have found this! I have 10 month old twins, and while researching it seems like there is two camps, the stop as soon as possible one or the nurse as long as possible one and I wanted to know what the 3rd option looked like! I feel like I can handle it doing it this way! Thank you
Hi Kelli,
We’re so glad you’re here. Weaning can be an emotional experience for both mama and babies and sometimes it’s helpful to do it a bit more slowly! You might also check out our Sample Feeding Schedule for 10 Month Olds for some more ideas.
Best,
Andrea
Thank you. I appreciated your balances and honest experience. Oh the biological and emotional and cultural pulls!
Hi Erica,
Thanks for reaching out! We are so glad you found the post useful!
Best,
Andrea
My daughter is of 20months old and i have started breastfeeding stopping process but she is not ready to accept this change, she is crying continuously from 3 days .She is neither sleeping nor eating properly. She has stopped to take her daily meal. Always looking irritated and fussy. I am very much tensed and not getting solution over this situation. I tried varieties of foods and drinks but it looks like she don’t have interest anymore .I visited doctor as well two times as she is crying very badly and it hurts me lot. I cant stop crying.please help me to get out of this situation. how my baby will get normal naughty like before?We are so much worried for her.
We know how hard this can be. I’d keep trying to make sure you are offering her the breastmilk (if you can) in a bottle or other drinking cup, to help with the transition. We’d also recommend having someone else there be trying to feed her, this can be really helpful in the transition.
Best,
Desiree
😖😓😫my son doesn’t even want to eat…now that i have started the process of stopping him from breastfeeding,he was eating all along untill i stopped some of his feeding time,i am so stressed so sad💔this breaks my heart and i hve no choice because i am about to go to varsity in a month….i am frustrated….i don’t think that i am ready to stop breastfeeding my son(16 months)😥😥😥this depresses me.i sometimes wish that i shouldn’t have breastfed him from the start i should have given him a fomular
Thanks for reaching out and sharing with us. We understand how hard this can be on parents and totally get it. You can try to utilize breast milk in the bottle if you haven’t already to get some of the nutrients in. It can be a transition period, so I’d keep providing the foods that you were previously providing and try to make sure you’re not showing your stress during the mealtimes as well. Model the eating and make it really silly for him.
Best,
Desiree
My son has always been a terrible sleeper – and I have comfort fed him during the night. Hes now 21 months old, and I am pregnant and due to that, my milk supply has considerably dropped like 80% but he is still feeding as if he is getting milk, which he isn’t currently. He has milk 3-4 times during night, once before nighttime sleep and once before daytime sleep.
He doesn’t self settle and has always breastfed to sleep.
I need help, my husband has a sleep condition so won’t be much help at nighttime but I really need some advice on how to progress getting rid of nursing him.
Hey Sarah,
We know how hard this can be! I’d work on trying to find another transitional object that you can start to use to help comfort him so you can start to ease away from the nursing. I’d also be working on the other tips in the article as well!
Best,
Desiree
So I only breastfeed my 10 month ok’d when she wakes up or whenI’m putting her down for a nap or to bed. How do I transition her from that?? She literally will have a meltdown and she is very stubborn and will cry and will not go to sleep unless I nurse her. Which feeding should I start removing? I know they say to not go cold turkey but she hast 4 teeth already and bites and I stop nursing and tell her know and when she calms down I nurse again. However I am at a point where me and my husband want to start trying for another but I can’t imagine nursing while pregnant and would like a break before next baby. She does co-sleep with us and does feed at night. I am overwhelmed on how to start
Hey Karla,
At 10 months make sure you are providing other breast milk or formula during the transition. I’d make sure to feed her close to the bed/nap time, so that you know she is not hungry. You will need to try to change up the routine, so she understands that it is different. And having someone else get her down to start sleeping will be a really helpful step (if able). I’d start with whichever feeding you find might be easier either naps or bedtime.
Hope that helps!
Best,
Desiree
I’m not having much trouble getting my son to not want to breastfeed anymore I’m having trouble with all the milk my breast keep producing any advices? I feel so sick 🤒 it hurts my son was breastfed for 228 months non stop
Hey Esmeralda,
We understand how hard this can be. You can try to make sure to wear tighter sports bras throughout the day. Some people will express just a little to ease the pressure periodically throughout the day, until your body starts to recognize that you are no longer needing it. Some also say to place cabbage leaves in your bra (you can look into this as well). Hope that helps.
Best,
Desiree
My daughter is 20 months and I find it difficult to wean her. So I decided to go slowly with her by taking off day time breastfeeding leaving night time only.but I was told not breastfeeding her day time whiles breastfeeding her in the night will make her run diarrhoea. How true is this?
Thanks for reaching out! There are many families that have weaned during the day and only breastfeeding at night without difficulties. I wouldn’t be concerned with what you are hearing. Just make sure that she’s getting enough nutrition during the day. At 20 months, you’d just look at the food that she’s eating.
Best,
Desiree
I need help badly my son is about to be a yr old in a few more weeks I have done most the weaning but he refuses to tale a cup during nap and bed time everytime I try to he forces his self to throw up… I’m so stressed out and he keeps bitting as well and my boobs are sore
Hey Kenzie,
So sorry you are having difficulties. We know how hard this transition cam be! I’d recommend trying a straw cup with him as they can still get the sucking motion and sensory input from that. It can help them be interested in utilizing a cup!
Hope that helps!
Best,
Desiree
My 3ys old still screams while I try to change the environmen.he walks behind me stand besides me wherever I go at home in kitchen in bedroom or wherever at home he comes and says only only one thing -“mumma dudu”.and literally it seems like crying to me as I was busy doing chores.i read that mom should provide comfort and cuddles but he hates cuddles.i tried carrying him pampering him but he screams like that I m guilty.then he sleeps while drinking milk and as I put him on bed he automatically grab breast and start feeding and he likes to sleep like that.nowadays he is trying more to grab my interest and easiest way he find is to breast feed.
We are down to three feeds a day after meals due to doctors orders for my son’s teeth, and he still refuses to drink from a cup at any other time. Our pediatrician has recommended fully weaning to “force” my son to drink. Does this make sense? I’m nervous.
To add: he is 21 months old and was feeding a LOT before. He used to take a little water from a straw cup but started striking a few months ago, which was no big deal when he was nursing many times a day. Now, not so much.
Hi Morgan,
Thanks for reaching out to us! It sounds like it has been really tricky to figure out the best way to get your little one to drink from a cup. You might want to try slowly dropping the feeds while working on cup drinking skills, especially if he doesn’t have any other way to take in fluids. Trying to keep the feeds spread out and on a regular routine might be helpful as well, that way he isn’t expecting to nurse at snack time, etc. Drinking from a straw can be frustrating for toddlers to learn how to do. We have a post dedicated to Teaching a Toddler to Drink From a Straw that might be helpful. An open cup with a little amount of fluid is also another great option to start with. I hope that helps!
Best,
Andrea
Your Kids Table Team
My daughter will be 15 months old and still nurses through the night (we do bed share). I get my husband to put her to sleep which is great but she will still wake up multiple times to nurse. This past week my husband has been staying with her in bed while I slept in a different room. The first wake up or two she will cry for about 5 minutes (while my husband is trying to console her) and then she will go back to sleep but then by the second- third wake up she will just scream! As soon as I come in, she will nurse a few minutes and go back to sleep. It doesn’t seem like she is nursing for the milk, more so for comfort. Please help with a way to get her to wean. I just want to sleep through the night!
Hi Kristy, just wondering if you got a response/solution for this? I’m in the same boat and I just don’t know what to do!
Hey!
For nursing through the night, I’d try to find another transitional item that is comforting for her. It can help to provide them with that item for comfort. Also, having someone else there to provide so she is not looking for the breast can be helpful!
Best,
Desiree
Hi, I will try a different transitional object besides the one she is using now. I’ve read many of the comments that suggest having someone else put her to bed/act as a distraction. Unfortunately I’m
Solo, so it’s just me which may be why this is even more difficult!
My 15 month old (and I) love nursing but I need to wean kind of abruptly due to recurring mastitis. I am home with him all the time and it’s just so sad and hard to say no to him. Any advice for quickly weaning? I’m not sure I have weeks unfortunately…I’ve been trying to just nurse him on the healthy side and pump to release a little on the mastitis side and today I am sick in bed all day with it so at least we are apart. Thanks!
Hey Lauren,
We know how hard this can be. I’d try to change up his routine and provide him with another comforting object. It’s hard when you are both together, we get that. I’d also have someone else put him to bed if possible so that his routine is changed up before the night time feeding as well!
Hope that helps!
Best,
Desiree