Looking for the Best Way to Wean My 15 Month Old from Breastfeeding

I would say, maybe try it one day just with the nap and see how it goes. But really the best thing to do according to what I've read and learned in LLL, is to let him decide when he's ready.

C., I nursed my daughter until she was 18 months. At that time my Ped suggested cold turkey, but let her decide that she was not interested. As silly as it was she told me her secret has always been to use lemon/line juice on the nipple before nursing, so apply it every time she wants to nurse. Lemon/lime juice did not work for her, she just went right through it, but Worchester sauce did. She was mad, but once she got close she wanted nothing else to do with nursing.

I replaced nursing with story time which worked well, and she seemed to love it! Only issue, she is 10 and I have not gotten a break from reading something with her every night that I am home. Call it a tradition if you must.

It seemed helpful to us to have something to replace breastfeeding. If your son is fine with just you sitting with him for awhile before bed, that's even better, because then you don't have to break the routine again later. If he does need something else, here are a couple ideas: My friend fed her daughter yogurt before bed - kind of milky/creamy. I weaned our son 6 months ago or so by using Naked Juice- Green Machine in a sippy cup. He still drinks half a cup before bed. It worked great, because he really likes it and looks forward to it - we first started giving him Green Machine long before that for constipation. Anyway, he sits with me and drinks it, and then we have a prayer/cuddling time before I put him in his crib (he turned 2 years-old a month ago). So, that has worked well for us, but when I potty-train him, I'll have to wean him off that too, probably - I'd rather not have him drink before bed. However, I think he'll be ready by that time.

So, I just thought that our stories may help stir other ideas for you. Blessings!

My daughter is 15 months old and we weaned about three weeks ago. She too was nursing only at nap and bedtime. I started by eliminating the naptime nursing. Instead of nursing I rocked her and sang her favorite song to her. Halfway throuh the song I switched sides like we did when nursing. She seemed to be ok with it. She fussed for about three minutes after I put her down and after that she was fine. I waited four days to try the same thing at bedtime and we didn't have a problem at all. She has been just fine.

I decided to try and wean because she was feeding about 2 minutes per side (if that). It got to the point where it was just part of our routine and not something she needed. I think she was just ready. Hope this helped a little. Good Luck.

Since his routine doesn't involve falling asleep while feeding maybe you could substitute a storybook. You would both still enjoy the closeness of the routine but be phasing out the breast while phasing in a wonderful lifelong love of reading.

Hi C.-
It sounds like you son will be OK as long as he has a full tummy, a pacifier, and you're holding him- I'd try it & see what happens- He should drop off, then you can put him all the way down. S.

It sounds like you may be as attached to the time spent together as he is. I found that reading a few books before bedtime always helped my son wind down and settle in. It also gives me some one-on-one cuddle time, too. I agree with the other moms about changing one at a time. If he cries, you could try a sippy cup during story time. Good luck!

I would get something for them and just bring it home they would drive you crazy if you go get them.

Hi There, I am still nursing my 2.5 yr old daughter and we are doing great! We both are happy but if she fogets, trust me I don't remind her. The thing that worked for me was having Daddy put her to bed. What a relief! She now nurses at naptime if she's with me or if she's sick she'll nurse more. But she will self ween and at times doesn't even remember. You'll do great. She did put up a fight the first 5 days or so with Daddy but nw she mostly grabs his hand for bedtime..yay!

The way that helped me wean my daughter was a sippy cup. Have you started giving your son cow's milk in a cup? I first cut out her nap time feedings and only nursed before bedtime. I would let her have a sippy cup instead.

Then when she was fine with no nursing for the nap time, then I started nursing earlier at first so that she would not associate nursing with bedtime and then cut out the last feeding and would give her a sippy cup again.

My daughter now no longer needs a sippy cup for her naps and she uses one only sometimes for night.

If you do not want to use a sippy cup then I would nurse a whole lot earlier than normal before nap and bed time then cut one nursing out at a time. Hope this helps.

Hi- I just weaned my daughter- C., by the way, who is 27 months old and was eating pretty much just as much as your son. I was extremely resistant and thought it almost impossible to do- I am also 3 months pregnant, and although my OB told me it was fine to continue- I did not want to be feeding two babies from my breasts. Anyway- I planned it so we would start on a busy weekend, with plenty of things to do, and she did cry the first three or four times I refused, but a little less each time and eventually after I refused she would repeat back to me the reason why. I was the most worried about her sleep, because she was nursing to sleep, so as far as that is concerned you have half the battle over with. I have to say- he WILL cry and you WILL feel bad- keep your breasts out of sight- wear a bra for several days, but let him cuddle and drink out of the sippy cup as much as he wants. After a few days, his behavior will improve, and after a week, you will feel relieved and much better!

Hello there,

I just weaned my son 2 months ago. My son had the same feedings left that you guys have. What I did is elimated the nap feeding for one week and then when the week was up I elimated the bedtime feeding and just laid him in bed and you would never know the transition was very easy for him. Hope this works.

I was concerned about laying him down, but by the end of the day, he wants to be laid down. :)

Sippy cup with a nice cuddle and read a book in rocking chair worked for me.good luck