About Me

My photo
I am a stay at home mom who finds little snippets of time to craft and create.

Blog Archive

Powered by Blogger.

Search This Blog

Monday, August 17, 2009

Weaning has begun



well, I decided that the month prior to my first born turning one I would start to wean him. That time has come and I am having mixed feelings. Don't get me wrong I am really excited to get a certain part of my anatomy back to normal, I am just worried for Ben. He REALLY loves to nurse. It is comfort for him, and I know it will be so hard to take his "lovey" away (a lovey is like a teddy bear or blanket that they use at nap time or when they need comfort). I am supposed to introduce a new one, but am having difficulty choosing one of those too. He will probably be carrying around for quite a while, so I have to choose something acceptable to be seen in public.

Yesterday was the official starting day. I have a weekly schedule where I slowly take away each feeding. He now only has a feeding when he wakes, and then he can't nurse again till after noon. He was really whiny and clingy. He didn't sleep well during his first nap. Then when he could nurse he was so wound up from not having it, he didn't want his second nap.

So this morning I gave him extra cereal for breakfast and another helping for a snack right before his nap, so he is really full. Hopefully he will want to sleep better. We shall see.

What have you all tried with weaning?
What lovey's have your children had?
any tips on the whole process?

7 comments:

Lynette said...

I got really lucky. I stopped breastfeeding cold turkey. Hailey did great. She is really attached to her doll, but that wouldn't really work with a boy...good luck!

Oh and props for breastfeeding for so long! I could not have done it.

{Steve and Amanda} said...

Totally, props to you on nursing this long. You're such a good mom. I may start weaning after 6 months, but we'll see.

I hear blankies are good loveys. Best of luck!

Life as a Greenstreet said...

Well, I have no actual NURSING advice since I pumped breastmilk and bottle fed BUT, when I took that away Andrew picked up his silk blanket (silkie on one side, bumpy on the other) and hasn't put it down since....and he's 2 1/2. Good luck!

Johnston Journal said...

Don't followw what I did! I started to but really didn't follow through, so now almost 17 monhts, we are finally done. Well, sort of. He still tries, but I don't let him. But now I'm super engorged and have mastitis, depsite having slowed to only one feeding a day.It stinks.

Michelle C said...

Okay, so I just wrote a novel and it won't let me post it because it's too long, so I'll just send it to you in a message on facebook!!

Erin said...

I haven't done it yet either. I'm waiting until the official 1st birthday and then I'm going to try to cut one feeding a week if it goes well and wean straight to milk in a sippy or regular cup since she's never been a bottle/formula fan. She's down to 3-4 times naturally on her own right now. I've heard to start by cutting the feeding you and/or they are least interested in... so usually the first one in the morning and the last one at night are the last to go. Keep them distracted when they would normally nurse by playing or getting out of the house and substitute a bottle/snack for that time. Make sure they still get plenty of snuggle time too. I've also heard to take away pacificers at this point or they will get attached to that instead. For a lovie I'd recommend something not too big and that you can replace easily if you have to... and it can be washed! Part of me is so ready to wean and part of me is so sad. Charlotte really loves to nurse too... we'll see how hard it is soon!

Kori said...

With Spencer I weaned very slowly, like 1 feeding every 2 weeks and he was done at one year old. He did well with it so it was easy for me. As long as he had milk in his belly he didn't care. He also started sleeping through the night at that point. Unfortunately he got hooked on the pacifier and still needs it to sleep (pick your battles). It was nice that John could put him to sleep and help more. Good luck and good job on doing it for a year!!