To Wean or not to Wean

[kahvi]

I would like some opinions on weaning. My daughter is now 22 months old and is still nursing. We co-sleep and she nurses to sleep, both for naps and for bedtime, and two or three times during the night. I'm the only one who can really put her to bed. I left her with my husband a few nights ago and she screamed for two straight hours at bedtime. Alos, if she had the choice, she'd probably nurse for all of her meals and just eat a few snacks. She's a very picky eater, more than most toddlers (Apples, bananas, yogurt, broccoli, toast, french fries and chicken nuggets pretty much sums it up).

 

I'm torn over whether or not I should wean her. On the one hand, I'd like her father to be able to put her down for sleep and I'd like to be able to get a full night's rest. I'd be lieing if I didn't say that I also feel a lot of pressure from my friends and family. One the other hand, if it's something that she still needs, I don't want to deprive her of it.

 

I just bought the book, "The No-Cry Sleep Solution for Toddler and Pre-schoolers" by Elizabeth Pantley and she has a lot of great ideas. I'm planning on taking two months to wean my daughter very slowly. But part of me wants to let her self-wean. Anyone have any good advice or ideas when it comes to this?

[Ashton]

I would like some opinions on weaning. My daughter is now 22 months old and is still nursing. We co-sleep and she nurses to sleep, both for naps and for bedtime, and two or three times during the night. I'm the only one who can really put her to bed. I left her with my husband a few nights ago and she screamed for two straight hours at bedtime. Alos, if she had the choice, she'd probably nurse for all of her meals and just eat a few snacks. She's a very picky eater, more than most toddlers (Apples, bananas, yogurt, broccoli, toast, french fries and chicken nuggets pretty much sums it up).

 

I'm torn over whether or not I should wean her. On the one hand, I'd like her father to be able to put her down for sleep and I'd like to be able to get a full night's rest. I'd be lieing if I didn't say that I also feel a lot of pressure from my friends and family. One the other hand, if it's something that she still needs, I don't want to deprive her of it.

 

I just bought the book, "The No-Cry Sleep Solution for Toddler and Pre-schoolers" by Elizabeth Pantley and she has a lot of great ideas. I'm planning on taking two months to wean my daughter very slowly. But part of me wants to let her self-wean. Anyone have any good advice or ideas when it comes to this?

Is she trying to grab food? Showing an active interest in food?

 

If she is, she's probably ready to try. So maybe try a mush meal (Blizted homemade food) or some carrot sticks/cucumber sticks, just to see how she gets on.

 

When our son hit the age for weaning, he let us know by grabbing for food and showing a keen interest in it. We started by offering blitzed food and then progressed from there. We got to the point where he would have Blitzed food for breakfast (7-8am) and dinner (5-7pm) and in between he always had what we called play food, so carrot sticks, humous, chopped grapes etc, stuff that he can play with and throw around and really explore the food. Our idea was as long as he got enough for breakfast, tea and carried on with the booby milk, his lunch isn't so important.

 

In my opinion, blitzed food allows your child to experience a wide variety of foods. He used to love Salmon, Asparogus, Carrot and Sweet Potato, just throw anything and everything in, blitz and feed. They'll rarely turn away.

[kahvi]

Is she trying to grab food? Showing an active interest in food?If she is, she's probably ready to try. So maybe try a mush meal (Blizted homemade food) or some carrot sticks/cucumber sticks, just to see how she gets on.When our son hit the age for weaning, he let us know by grabbing for food and showing a keen interest in it. We started by offering blitzed food and then progressed from there. We got to the point where he would have Blitzed food for breakfast (7-8am) and dinner (5-7pm) and in between he always had what we called play food, so carrot sticks, humous, chopped grapes etc, stuff that he can play with and throw around and really explore the food. Our idea was as long as he got enough for breakfast, tea and carried on with the booby milk, his lunch isn't so important.In my opinion, blitzed food allows your child to experience a wide variety of foods. He used to love Salmon, Asparogus, Carrot and Sweet Potato, just throw anything and everything in, blitz and feed. They'll rarely turn away.

I apologize. I was not very clear on what I was asking. I'm mainly concerned about night weaning. She is unable to go to sleep without nursing and I wanted to wean her of that habit. I just am unsure if my doing so is considered cohersive and if it's detrimental in the long run to deprive her of something that she takes great comfort in.I brought up the food issue to emphasize how much she enjoys nursing over food.

[Ashton]

I apologize. I was not very clear on what I was asking. I'm mainly concerned about night weaning. She is unable to go to sleep without nursing and I wanted to wean her of that habit. I just am unsure if my doing so is considered cohersive and if it's detrimental in the long run to deprive her of something that she takes great comfort in.I brought up the food issue to emphasize how much she enjoys nursing over food.

Ahh sorry about that reply.OK, I'm going to assume breast fed, if that's the case the longer she feeds from you the better. You get emotional contact, which is just as important as the milk. If your enjoying the feeding and she is, then in my opinion, follow her lead. She will tell you when she is ready, my son stopped around 18 months, my wife wasn't ready as she loves breastfeeding but you can't force a child.If people are pressuring you, tell them you are doing what is best for my baby and if they are unwilling to support you, then you might want to consider if they are the type of people you want in your life.Can you get your husband to bottle feed the expressed milk at night to help you? What dream feeding? My wife does this and swears by it.Longer on the breast, the better for baby.

[carolinqua]

Following, I have a 2,5 year old and 4 year old that loves the boobs, its unthinkable for them not have the boob. We are well aware of the benefits but Im on the edge of having enough as the lack of sleep is too much. Any ideas of how stop at these ages?