From Baby To Big Kid: Weaning {Link Up}

Hey Wifessionals readers! I’m so excited to be guest posting for Kaitlyn today! My name is Stayc, I’m a wife and mother, I love creating/trying to be crafty, and I normally blog over at Lacy & Crew.

My husband and I have been married for 6 years and we have one handsome little boy who is 15 months old. I very recently (2 weeks ago) weaned my little guy from nursing, so today I’m going to share advice with you on weaning your child.

Nursing your babe can be a very tender and sensitive subject for many mamas. Every baby, mother, journey and situation is different – some babies self-wean, some mothers choose baby-led weaning over time, and some mothers choose when they want to wean, whenever it may be…and some mothers don’t even get to choose. Whatever your circumstance, I strongly believe we shouldn’t judge other women for when they decide to wean. This is a very personal decision and I really believe in supporting and uplifting one another. 

With that said, weaning has not come easily for my little Oliver and I. I think I’d probably be nursing him until he was in college if I had not decided to wean – we both have loved it. My initial goal was always to nurse him as long as possible; first to 3 months, then 6 months until we hit a year. I have absolutely loved the time I have had nursing my son! In general, weaning is no easy process: it does not happen “overnight” for most women, and there are (sometimes crazy) hormones, potential mastitis or infections, and emotional surges that potentially can happen. Thankfully I have a wonderful support system and my husband was there (Tillamook Mudslide Ice Cream in hand) offering me moral support. Because this was so new to me, and I did not feel ready to wean him for quite some time, I do what I almost always do when I need parenting advice: I turn to my mom and friends that are parents that have “been there, done that”.  I compiled a Top 10 list of some ideas & tools for weaning your child from nursing. Some of these suggestions are from my own personal experience, and many from the suggestions of my friends (it takes a village, right?!) while Oliver was weaning. I hope you will find them helpful!

{1} SLOWLY and gradually cut back on nursing times. You can do this over the course of a few days, few weeks, or a few months. We chose to gradually wean over the course of a couple of months. For a few months, I was a walking sippy cup for Oliver – any time he wanted milk, I was there and ready. Where we used to be nursing at least 3 times a day, we slowly transitioned to twice a day (morning & night), and then just in the mornings (because that is when I was most full). {2} Look for other ways to bond with your child. This was a struggle for me, because nursing was the one thing I knew I could always do to calm Oliver down, and that not even my husband could do. During the last times of nursing Oliver, I completely tossed my phone to embrace and enjoy those quiet moments nursing my baby. Any activity that helps you feel bonded and connected with your baby. For Oliver and I, we like to sing & read stories together… and when he will let me I just snuggle him. If needed, you can offer a soothie or stuffed animal for comfort as well (or pacifier). {3} When your milk begins to dry up, put cabbage in your bra! It sounds crazy, but I’ve dealt with mastitis before (not fun) and it can help you avoid infections while your supply dwindles.{4} Offer more regular foods. Rather than nursing first and then feeding solid foods after, reverse the order. Offer a variety of foods and then nurse. {5} Offer drinks in different cup styles. You may offer the other drink before you nurse. {6} Take things one feeding at a time. Allow time for yourself, your body, and your baby to adjust. It will take time, some babies may only need a few days and others may need a few weeks.{7} Peppermint oil reduces milk supply. I did not every need this, but if you are weaning and needing to reduce your supply rather quickly peppermint oil can aid in the process. {8} Call it (milk) something other than milk. This one was HUGE for us. Anytime the word ‘milk’ was mentioned my son would have a meltdown signing 'milk, please' if he couldn’t have it – and any other kind of milk is just not the same to him. One of my friends referred to it as moo-moo juice, but any term that might sound appealing to your little one should work great! {9} Pump your milk and offer it in a bottle/sippy/cup depending on their age. While this option eliminates nursing your child, it allows you to still offer them breast milk and transition them to a different way of receiving it. If your baby drinks formula, you can slowly add in formula and increase the amount over time while decreasing the breast milk amount. You can do the same for regular milk and breast milk. He/she may not like the flavor in the beginning because it will not be what they are used to, but you can slowly increase the amounts a week at a time allowing them to adjust. {10} Reward yourself.I don’t care if you nursed for a week, or 2 ½ years! You should be proud of yourself for doing your best. I suggest a reward for you because I felt devastated that I had to wean my son. I felt guilty and so sad about it. I came up with something that I could reward myself with, set some goals (the final date he would be weaned by) and made it happen. If I did not have a reward set on my horizons, I would not have something else to look forward to and enjoy.  A great example is a weekend getaway! Whether it is a girls trip, or just a needed getaway with your partner in crime… that is an awesome reward! Go shopping, get a pedicure and massage… do something for you, mama! I hope that some of these ideas will be useful for you while weaning. Thank you Kaitlyn for hosting this series – I am excited to read and learn more as my baby graduates into toddlerhood. Please feel free to come by and say hello at Lacy & Crew!
If you have a story or post about weaning, we'd love for you to link up below!