When to wean

[Max's Mom]

the thought of weaning my baby makes me sad. He's 9 months old and I don't plan on weaning him anytime soon but he is my first and so the thought of I'm weaning and "not needing" me anymore makes me sad. He already is extremely distracted while nursing and is always interested in other things so I worry he will wean himself once I allow him which wouldn't be until at least a year. But my question is, I know it's a very controversial subject, but being a first time mom I would like to know different peoples opinions on what the right age to wean is. I don't believe there is any right or wrong answer I just like to hear different opinions.

[Heather1583]

My first two sons weaned at 12 and 14 months, both times I was pregnant with another baby so my milk supply dropped and that moved it along. With my daughter, she is my last baby and I have no intent to wean her until she wants to do it. Now, some of my friends I feel are slaves to breastfeeding, nursing on demand to a 4 yo...while I have no prob nursing a child up to that age I would be putting some limits on it. That is the only thing that I am strict about, I try not to nurse to sleep, so that my Dh can put her to bed easier, I offer her a cup during the day. As of now (shes 13 mo) she nurses in the early morning upon waking, and then after each meal, and sometimes a little before bed. I too will miss it if she weans, but imo babies won't self wean unless you help them along with it. I offer her a cup, but if she wants to nurse I don't turn her down. My sons were more active, loved cows milk and were pretty easy to wean, but dd doesn't love cows milk like they do, (unless its chocolate or in a big brothers' cup that she finds somewhere). There are days now that I want to wean, lol. She drives me crazy with pinching and her nursing gymnastics! But I am not ready to let go of my last baby.

[MommyTephanie]

I weaned my daughter at 1 yr- she was a great nurser but I slowly dropped a feeding every few weeks and replaced it with a sippy if she needed. I personally could not keep nursing much past that- I would not want a child much older than that to still nurse as then they're able to demand it and I wouldn't be comfortable anymore. I see it as its for babies- any older than 1 year and they should be on table food and whole milk. Those are the recommendations, right?

I have no problem when others nurse longer but I do think that by 2 it is then simply an emotional attachment. It's good to be attached, obviously, but I replaced that attachment with more cuddles and snuggles. My son is now 9 mos so we will see how it goes with #2.

[mommy24babes]

Originally Posted by MommyTephanie I weaned my daughter at 1 yr- she was a great nurser but I slowly dropped a feeding every few weeks and replaced it with a sippy if she needed. I personally could not keep nursing much past that- I would not want a child much older than that to still nurse as then they're able to demand it and I wouldn't be comfortable anymore. I see it as its for babies- any older than 1 year and they should be on table food and whole milk. Those are the recommendations, right? I have no problem when others nurse longer but I do think that by 2 it is then simply an emotional attachment. It's good to be attached, obviously, but I replaced that attachment with more cuddles and snuggles. My son is now 9 mos so we will see how it goes with #2.

In the second year (12-23 months), 448 mL of breastmilk provides:
29% of energy requirements
43% of protein requirements
36% of calcium requirements
75% of vitamin A requirements
76% of folate requirements
94% of vitamin B12 requirements
60% of vitamin C requirements
– Dewey 2001

[Alaga]

I weaned DD just before 18 months. I had the same kind of experience as a PP; I was pregnant and could tell my supply was dwindling. She was down to one feeding, just before bed. One night she started nursing, then popped off and gave me a weird look and that was that. I think we were both ready, so it wasn't hard at all.

I don't know what'll happen with DS, but he is much more interested on food, even at 8 months, than DD was. I won't push weaning; I'm hoping it'll be a natural process as he eats more and more solids. We'll see!!

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[Heather1583]

Originally Posted by MommyTephanie I weaned my daughter at 1 yr- she was a great nurser but I slowly dropped a feeding every few weeks and replaced it with a sippy if she needed. I personally could not keep nursing much past that- I would not want a child much older than that to still nurse as then they're able to demand it and I wouldn't be comfortable anymore. I see it as its for babies- any older than 1 year and they should be on table food and whole milk. Those are the recommendations, right? I have no problem when others nurse longer but I do think that by 2 it is then simply an emotional attachment. It's good to be attached, obviously, but I replaced that attachment with more cuddles and snuggles. My son is now 9 mos so we will see how it goes with #2.

WHO actually recommends at least 2 years. Children are actually naturally inclined to nurse longer than most of us do it now. That said, though I know these facts I'm still up in the air about child led weaning for me.

[Spunkify]

The right age is whenever mom and baby (or toddler or preschool) feel it's the right time.

[mommy24babes]

Originally Posted by September The right age is whenever mom and baby (or toddler or preschool) feel it's the right time.

This.

That said I nursed all of mine until about a month past their 4 th birthday. I found nursing during the toddler years invaluable.

[Teexie]

At first I thought I would want to wean at 2 years, but now I'm planning to let DD lead the way

Originally Posted by MommyTephanie I weaned my daughter at 1 yr- she was a great nurser but I slowly dropped a feeding every few weeks and replaced it with a sippy if she needed. I personally could not keep nursing much past that- I would not want a child much older than that to still nurse as then they're able to demand it and I wouldn't be comfortable anymore. I see it as its for babies- any older than 1 year and they should be on table food and whole milk. Those are the recommendations, right? I have no problem when others nurse longer but I do think that by 2 it is then simply an emotional attachment. It's good to be attached, obviously, but I replaced that attachment with more cuddles and snuggles. My son is now 9 mos so we will see how it goes with #2.

No. The WHO recommendation is at least two years and as long after as you and baby wish. The AAP recommendation is at least one year and as long after as you wish. Neither recommend a cut off age as your post implies. And your information about breast milk being "simply an emotional attachment" is false as well. There continue to be many many health benefits to nursing well into the toddler years.

[megs715]

I weaned my DD at 25 months this past August. She had nursed exclusively (BM bottles while I was at work after 6 months) until 11 months when she started to eat table food as well. She decreased her nursing sessions to 2 or three a day by the time she was 2. I work 4 days every other week and don't normally see my kids those days as I'm gone 16 hours or so, so I had kept pumping at work until she was 2 to make sure my supply stayed up, but at 2 I was done pumping. After about a month those 4 days had done my supply in pretty much, so I just didn't nurse when I got home from work that last day. She didn't seem to notice, and took a bottle instead. Night weaning was a whole other story!