Need Weaning Advice for Toddler

Just wanted to say YEA! that there are other tandem nursing moms out here! It has been a good experience for us too. I just tried to keep my older nursling to her 2 times a day (morning and nap), though it didn't always work out that way. And I had a problem with OVER supply -- with all the nursing between the two of them, I was producing tons of milk.
If you do decide to wean, just make sure to hold her more and give her more attention in other ways. She will adjust to a new sibling soon!

Hi S.,
I feel your pain...I also nursed while pregnant. My youngest was on the same schedule as you are before nap and bed time and if they got hurt more for comfort than anything else. What I did was just CONGRATULATE them that they are going to be a BIG SISTER....I would start by skipping the nap one for a week or so then the night time one. We would call it Mommy milk....so if they asked for Mommy Milk I would say Oh I am sorry your a BIG sister now....Mommy milk is all gone (mommy milk is for babies.) Hope this helps...Not sure about Tandeum nursing with a newborn....As bedtime is so hectic.

S.
Since you still have to put your child to bed without nursing you will have to come up with a different routine you can stick with.With my older kids I took them to the store to pick out a special cup to have water in at night that was just theirs. then we would do the bath cuddle and get our special cup of water then it was time for bed. Not an easy task mind you but hang in there. For my current toddler I walk at night with neighbors and put her in the stroller to go to sleep without nursing. A little exercise for me any sleep for the Penelope.Good Luck
J.
mom to 5

I had similar circumstances and my son (2 1/2) had similar anxiety about the whole weaning thing. My mother told me that even though they are small they know that there are about to be changes in their little world! She also suggested using the "Farmer's almanac" I thought it a bit quacky since it is based on lunar signs and stuff, but to be honest I wasn't going to question my mom! I tried it and it worked? I did do one feeding each month so my son had time to adjust to the changes, meaning I dropped the nap feeding and then the nighttime feeding. Like you I read a book and gave a lovvy, (my son has his "Chris moose")he snuggles and puts covers on and they together take their nap. At first I also gave a sippy of water, tepid water and now he does it on his own without the sippy. I realize you are 30 wks. along, I started in the first trimester as I had tender breasts that early. Best of luck to you in your endeavor! I have found that setting the boundary is the hardest for me, not my son! It's hard to not console him with what is so natural! Me. But it is what is best for him and you do have to remind yourself of that, we are the parents and have to help them deal with all these new emotions in a new and productive manner!

I just weaned my 2 year old last weekend on her 2nd birthday. I told her that after she had her b-day party there wouldn't be any milk left. It has been a bit of a hard week, she LOVED to nurse, but like you, I nursed my older child until I was about 6 months pregnant and at this point, I had to be done with nursing. The one thing that helped was instead of me nursing her at night, my husband has been putting her to sleep. The hard one for her to give up has been her first thing in the a.m. When I wake her in the a.m. to get ready to go to work, I give her a sippy cup of milk. It's not the same for her but it is her only option.
It has definetely been harder weaning my daughter then my older child. When I tell her I am out of milk, she say "let's check!" :)
Good luck with it all,
K.

Try giving her a sippy cup and hold her like you are nursing it might just be the bond. Well I know this sounds extreme or alot of people will probably shun the idea on number 4 of 6 I was desperate to wean i gave her a bottle and put her to bed. It worked and in 2 weeks she no longer nedded the bottle. maybe that'll work. It did for me. It is my only child I had to do this with. and my only GIRL Good luck

You should try the book "The No Cry Sleep Solution for Toddlers" by Elizabeth Pantley. I used it to wean my 19 month old from night nursing. It is a great resource!

Have you every thought about tandem nursing? It's when you are nursing an infant and a toddler at the same time? I am actually hoping to do this with our 2nd and 3rd children. There is a book called "Adventures in Tandem Nursing" by Hilary Flower. I have the book but have not read it yet. I have heard it is really good though. Good luck!

there is no need to wean her. She can still nurse those 2 times a day while nursing the baby. There is a also a good chance that when your milk goes back to colostrum she wil not like that taste and wean then. Honestly, unless it is causing you some great discomfort, it seems like she is a little insecure right now with all the changes and doing this is going to be a little traumatic for her. I would also contact your local La Leche League chapter at LLL.org as many mothers there will have advice for you as well as many who have tandem nursed. Good luck!

shameless bribery! worked like a charm w/my 2 year old when i was pregnant w/#2. first we started reading stories before bed & naptime and would nurse afterwards. once that routine was established then I took him to target & we picked out a couple of things he LOVED...i came home & wrapped them up & lined them up on a shelf. I told him that if mommy's "nursies" got to sleep ( this was for overnight weaning) he could have a present in the morning. the first night he cried for a few minutes but held out & got a present in the morning. the next night he asked but i reminded him that if he didn;t nurse he would get a present. He went right back to sleep. night #3 he didn't even wake up! I had bought a weeks worth of little gifts & only needed 3! I know some folks aren't as comfortable with bribery but it worked like a charm for us.

I don't have weaning advice - but my kids are 2 years apart and I tandom nursed for another 2 years. So, I just want you to understand this is an option, if you don't want to wean, you CAN nurse both and it is perfectly fine. The baby nurses first, and then the toddler. Your body will produce whatever you need, so noone gets any less of anything. It actually can help bond together.

Good Luck - and I'm not advocating just helping you understand your options!

I weaned my son around that age when I was preg with #2 also. It's hard when your husband isn't around to run interference. FOr us, the two things that worked best were (1) change of routine and (2) substitution. Whenever possible I would just change up the routine to be sufficiently novel and interesting that my son "forgot" he usually nursed at a particular time. This especiallyhelped us drop the last morning nursing session (I used to pull him into bed with me because I didn't want to get up that early. That had to stop). For sbustituting, is there some food or drink treat that you feel ok about giving your daughter instead of nursing for a while? FOr us it was "chocolate" milk (I quote it because it was milk with a teeny bit of Nesquick in it - barely any at all). He got very excited about chocolate milk and a small sippy cup full would usually make him forget. For bedtime I think the routine change will be the key because you don't want her to have milk after she brushes teeth. I don't really know what else to tell you, but I agree that it is good to wean them before the next baby comes around. It helps the older child distinguish themselves as a "big kid" instead of acting like a baby. That's another thin gyou can do, is try and foster that sense of independence in your daughter and remind her that she is no longer a baby. Good luck!

since you are already 30 weeks it might be too close to the birth to try weaning your 2 yr old...especially if she is feeling insecure about the new baby. i would consider tandem nursing. let your 2 yr old stop when she is ready. always nurse the baby first to make sure he or she gets enough milk. your two year old will probably go off it quite naturally within a few months, and she will not feel pushed out by the baby?
just an idea. good luck!

A two year old doesn't need to breastfeed anymore. The newborn will need it more. She is already a big girl. I think it is time to ask your ped for advice.