Weaning My Son Who Is 15 Months Old

Hi A.,

I thought my son was going to be upset too, but he wasn't. My son always nursed himself to sleep. I don't think you have spoiled your son by giving him love and attention. Those first three months are rough! Here is my weaning story that I have shared with other moms:

I weaned my son when he turned 15 months. When I first decided it was time to start weaning my son (he was 13 months), I was nursing first thing when he woke in the morning, before his morning nap, when he woke from his nap, before he took his afternoon nap and when he woke up from his nap, and then when he went to bed. I also (admittedly) nursed him in the middle of the night when he would wake up to get him back to sleep. So 7-8 times a day. I decided to eliminate the nursings that would bother him the least first and that was when he woke up from his nap. I would offer him something to drink to distract him and give him a chance to wake himself up. He was usually cranky as soon as he woke up so that was one reason he loved to nurse then. He would be a little fussy but no crying or screaming.

The next nursing I gave up was the afternoon nap, it was a little easier because he actually started only napping once a day at this time anyway. Then I cut out the first morning nursing. He really loved this one so again I used distraction. He usually liked to watch Sesame Street at the time, so we would cuddle on the couch together and watch the show. I would get him a little snack, a cereal bar or cereal, and a drink and he would be happy until breakfast.

With each nursing I cut out I probably waited two weeks or more to cut out the next one. I thought this would be best for avoiding engorgement and also for him, so it wasn't too much at one time. I also wasn't completely ready to wean him yet emotionally.

When I finally decided it was really time to get down to business, I knew I had to cut out the middle of the night nursing. This one was really benefical to me because it was an easy way to get him back to sleep, unless that didn't work, which started to become the case. All I did was when he would wake up, I would scoop him up and give him his pacifier and rock with him in his room, sing, or whatever to get him back to sleep. Once I was able to get him to sleep WITHOUT nursing him even one night, I didn't backtrack! I think you have to be consistent and once you cut it out, you can't go back or you're sending mixed messages.

After that was done, I cut out the napping nursing. We would go into his room when he was sleepy, change diaper, brush teeth, read some stories, maybe some quiet playtime, and then I would close the blinds and we would rock in his chair. Some music playing and singing, something soothing.
Two weeks later came the nighttime nursing cut out. And I did the same routine we would do for the nap, although he takes a bath at night. I didn't have any trouble with him crying.

Good luck!

I, too, am trying to wean my 15 month old. He co-sleeps so I was terrified of night weaning. It breaks my heart to hear him cry knowing all he wants is comfort (and bobbie) from Momma. So cry it out was never an option. A couple weeks after his first birthday I finally reached the end of my sleepless rope. He would nurse just about all night (or at least try to) if he could. As of yesterday, 3 months into the process, I officially deemed him night weaned. I had to start sleeping in the guest room and let my husband take over night duties. Without boobie as an option, he learned he could sleep without it. He had the comfort of his Daddy during the night so he never really cried too much. The first week he was pretty restless but not near as bad as I had imagined. A couple times I slept with him just to test him, but he always went back to his old ways. My husband had to go out of town last week for several days and I was REALLY worried about it. The first night my son tried to nurse, but he wasn't very persistent and after about 5 minutes of fussing and crying he snuggled up to me and went to sleep. This happened about 4 or 5 times that night. The next night it happened about 2 or 3 times and by the third night when he woke up he just snuggled in close to me and went back to sleep. I was overjoyed and very proud of him and myself for not giving in that first night!! As far as day weaning goes...no luck yet!! But that's ok for now because at least I'm getting some sleep at night! Good luck and I hope you find something that works for you and your son. Oh, by the way, he's not spoiled...he's loved!

I nursed my daughter til she was 2. I was worried too like you are about weaning. I started night weaning first. I still nursed to sleep, but when she woke up in middle of the night, I would just hold her and rock her back to sleep. It was very hard the first couple of nights, but she caught on eventually. I then cut out the day time nursing one at a time. The nursing to sleep was the hardest and last thing to go. I also spoke to her about it a couple of days before I started and kept reminding her through the process about how she was too big to nurse. The whole process took about 2 weeks. Just hang in there and know that it will get better.

I nursed my youngest child for about a yr. I am a working mom and when it came time for me to go back to work I got her used to bottles and sippy cups. We started with all breast milk and then slowly started mixing breat milk and whole milk and then eventually she started drinking just whole milk. This might work for you it may not. you can give it a try.

P.S my opinion you can't spoil babies.

I started weaing my son at 12 months.
It took me about a month to fully wean him because i wanted to do it slowly.
I started by only letting him nurse 1 time during the day and then i would nurse him to sleep and that would be it. I did that for a week. Then the next week i didnt nurse him at all during the day. I kept him very busy that week so he wouldnt think about it. The first 1-2 days he would pull at my shirt but i would tell him it was all gone lol and distract him with something else. I used to nurse him to sleep so what i did on the 3rd week was i would nurse him with a little light on and keep him awake. Once he started getting really sleepy i would stop nursing and rock him to sleep. The first 1-3 days he got upset and would cry for about 15 minutes but then would lay down and let me rock him to sleep. I did this for a week. Then the 4th week i would not give it to him at all and i would rock him to sleep. For comfort i let him sleep with his sippy cup, i put water in it. Hope this helped. Oh and as soon as i stopped nursing he started sleeping 10-12 hours straight at night!

I wouldn't say its spoiling your son to allow him to nurse this long, but if you're ready then you're ready.
I don't what would help, good advice already.

I nursed both my children until they weaned themselves. I realize everyone can't do that, but I don't regret it for a minute. Now all I, and they, have is good memories. No crying. LOL

If I was going to wean a 15 month old, though, I would start by eliminating the feeding they are less attached to, first. Also, go slowly. Weaning is a process. Allow them time to get used to missing that one feeding, then eliminate another. Daytime feedings are usually easier to eliminate, because you can offer them a snack or drink instead, or you can try distracting them, even take them outside to play if need be. I personally could never do "cry it out," so at night, I would try rocking him back to sleep, or comforting him in some other way. After, all 15 months is still pretty much a baby.

My "babies" are 11 and 22 now. LOL

A.

You may want to try to work with the night nursing first. If you can get him to sleep through the night, that would be ideal, but for the nursing to sleep, move that up. Play, nurse, read, bed....nurse, play, read, bed, so that he doesn't associate the nursing and sleeping. I started with the easiest feeding. If that is afternoons for you, replace it with a sippy cup, and never offer to nurse for that feeding. When he seems good with that (4 days or so), continue to the next. Don't leave the hardest till last though. The morning was the hardest for me, but not for him, so we did that one last. If he still wakes up at night, it is okay to do a sippy cup, and not nurse...you may need to warm it up though. Good luck!

I breastfed my twins until they were 15 months old. We, too, thought it was going to be hard, especially the morning feeding because they seemed so ravenous. It was so much smoother than we thought. We just simply gave them a meal instead of a session (except for bedtime, of course). The bedtime feeding was the second to last to go, and they dropped it without any problem. Really, all you need to do is just stop. Your son will probably adjust better than you'd think, like ours did. Good luck!

All of the comments here are great. I just want to add, my 14-month-old son screamed for the boob before bed and during the night as well when I tried to start weaning. Or so I thought. Turns out he just wanted the milk! The very FIRST time I substituted a sippy cup, he took a few sips and conked out. I used milk in the sippy for about a week, then started putting water in it (better for his teeth to not have milk after brushing) and have had ZERO complaints from him. He also stopped waking at night (mostly). Good luck!

First I want to say congrats on nursing your son til he is 15 months. I know that it seams like it, but you are NOT spoiling him. Nursing your son creates a bond between you and your son that will last forever. I thought I wanted to stop nursing when I felt it was convient for me, but I found that letting him lead the way was easier for all of us (including my hubby). Since you already know when it is going to be more difficult so make sure that you are ready, by preparing your self mentaly. The less you are stressed about it, the less he will be too. Take it one feeding and one day at a time.

First-you can not spoil a baby by giving them love and comfort!

I just finished weaning my 20 month old and we did it gradually. I would start with the nursing during the day. Keep busy, stay out and about if need be and offer lots to drink in the sippy cup. It took us about 3 weeks before she stopped asking to nurse. I didn't really nurse mine to sleep so I'm not sure how to stop that but you could offer a cup of warm milk and snuggle with him before bed. He won't accept that magically and it will take time for him to accept a new night routine.

I stopped breastfeeding my first baby at 21 months. I didn't spend a lot of time weaning her. We were going to Hawaii and I wanted to be done w/it fast or before we left. It was hard on her first the first night, then after that it got easier. I was able to tell her it was "all gone". She slept w/me also and I would feed her to go to sleep and during the night too, if she woke up. I thought it was going to be a lot harder and worse on her, but she did great. My 2nd I stopped at 9 months b/c I was pregnant and I stopped making the milk. She did better on soy milk, so it was easier on her. My 3rd I stopped at 12 months and she switched to cows milk in a bottle easy too. I plan on feeding my 4th at least to a year too. My problem is once I stopped breastfeeding and/or took the bottle away, they won't drink milk in a sippy cup or regular cup, so I have to sneak milk in different ways for them.
Good Luck! =)