Breast Feeding discussion

Psykicpup

I bf'd until DD was 9months - dont remember being bitten but I do remember someone coming in the room & making a noise ...she turned her head round quick to see who it was - without letting go! - owwwy owwwy owwweeeee

amani_2

Hi I have 4 children and have breastfed them all. I stopped breastfeeding my other 3 children when they were about 10 months and had no problems. But my youngest almost 2yrs is proving very difficult to wean off.

The reason for weaning her off is I have to start some medication in 6 weeks time that can not be taken whilst breastfeeding. I've tried to hold off the medication for as long as I can but now I really need to start taking it.

If anyone could give me advice or tips I would appreciate it, THANKS.



AMANI XXX

izoomzoom

Well done for BF for so long.

I think you should take that medicine that you are putting off as it will give you the incentive to say no.

I did a similar thing when I weaned DS2 at 16 months (I had cracked nipples and decided enough was enough) and took some kind of painkiller that was not allowed whilst BF and this forced me to be strong when I said no to DS as well as helped with the discomfort I had for a few days.

HTHs

amani_2

She does not feed in the day, and I can sometimes get away with it before she sleeps. The problem is when she gets into our bed in the middle of the night when she wakes, she wants to feed and she can feed all night (it feels like that). If I refuse her she screams the place down and I dont want to wake my other children who have school or my hubby that has to be up at 4.30am for work.

Jo_R_2

Good on you for bf until DD is two - that's great!

I reckon changing the pattern of how and when she bfs is a good way, to break the associations she has. Could you start with maybe when she gets into your bed, could you take her back to her bed and lie with her maybe? Could DH snuggle up with her?

What about maybe giving her some milk in a beaker?

I think that it might take a few nights of crying and comforting so be prepared, but also be gentle and understanding. Could DH maybe go to bed a bit earlier so he's more prepared for disruption during the night? Could you start it on a Friday night or when DH is off?

skylight

I had similar problems with DD3 when I stopped BF her, she started to come into our bed although this was jsut for cuddles and not for feeding. I would let her so as not to let her screaming disturb the other kids or the neighbours. Big mistake.

In the end, when she was 2 and a half I had to do the SuperNanny thing of be returns. We hit over 100 returns in one night and 5 hours. It was horrible. She would flip over her bed (was a cot/junior bed so light), smash her head on the wall (so much that I had to take her to the doctors because of the horrendous brusing). I hated it and all I wanted to do was give her a hug and let her sleep with me. But it had to be done and it was my fault for leaving it for so long. It took a very long 3 weeks. Even after that she would occasionally try it on but now she sleeps very well.

Sorry to be blunt, but as the saying goes, you need to be cruel to be kind sometimes. (And I haven't made the same mistake with DD4!!)

Its not nice feeling this way, but biggest hugs.

amani_2

Ive tried milk in a beaker but she wont have it!!! Hubby works 7 days but does have the odd weekend off. I cant go and lay in her bed with her as her 3yr old brother is in the same room and would disturb him. Ive thought about bringing her downstairs so not to disturb anyone, but is this too much disruption for her? I think so!

skylight

As DD3 shared with DD1 and DD2, we put DD1 and DD2 into out room instead and OH slept on the sofa if needed. Once Emily had settled, I would move the other kids back to their beds - and only because they slept well!

Problem is, if you want this sorted then you both need to wok together with it. Can he take a few days off? Or stop at his mothers for a night or two if he gets too tired? As you have mentioned, moving her will disrupt her and she is learning something new (lets go downstairs and play with Mummy!) rather than learning what you want her to learn.

You cannot reason with a 2 year old.

amani_2

Yes I know what you mean about going downstairs to play with mummy!!! I will ask hubby to have a couple of days off!

BernadetteN

I've breastfed all 4 of our kids for 18 months or more. The youngest is 2 years and 7 months old and the only way I can see her stopping (she only feeds to sleep at night) is to remove the temptation. I'n doing this by going to work in Brussels for 6 weeks, with 10 days absence every 2 weeks. Hopefully, in the first 10 days away my husband will manage to get our daughter to sleep without me and will forget about her boobies when the boobies return. She only does without for a night at a time at the moment, on the nights I work in Calais and it's not long enough for her to go without to get her out of the habit.

It's just as hard as trying to remove a dummy from an older child - just can't give away the boobies to the booby fairy like you can give away a dummy to the dummy fairy!