Start weaing a difficutl 13 month old

[@llli*rubylee03]

My daughter is 13 months old and I want to start weaning her. She has never taken a bottle and only goes to sleep if I nurse her to sleep. She is eating solid food so we only nurse 3 times a day (2 naps and bedtime) and then she wakes up once or twice during the night. She loves to nurse!
I do not want to wean her completely just start the process and let her guide the rest.
Up to this point, I've been perfectly okay with being away from her only a couple of hours but now the itch for a weekend getaway or late night is becoming stronger.
My daughter is very strong willed, knows what she likes/dislikes, and will put up one heck of a fight!

[@llli*mommy2lilah]

It sounds to me that you've already started weaning her if she's down to three nursings. Why don't you try going out for an evening and see how she does? You don't have to wean to have a night on the town, or even to have a weekend getaway if that's what you want.

[@llli*mommal]

with the PP. One thing about weaning that I think a lot of moms don't expect is that it doesn't necessarily make it any easier to handle a strong-willed toddler. Baby will probably continue to wake at night and will probably also continue to have a strong need for her mommy, whether she is nursed or not. Weaning sometimes means throwing a valuable and convenient mothering tool out the window.

[@llli*joe.s.mom]

It's your choice, of course, but at this age, you might be surprised at how well she does without milk if you take the evening to go out with friends. When you come back, she may want milk again, of course, but it doesn't need to tie you down at this stage.

You can start trying to night wean your baby, but in my experience, you may find it is a little easier when your baby reaches a more independent phase in a couple months. 13 months was a pretty clingy time for Joe, plus there were those molars coming in, etc. I quickly learned that nursing was easier than the alternatives at that age!

[@llli*amysmom]

Personally I wouldn't recommend weaning at this age. One night or weekend away doesn't mean you need to wean. Considering the heavy teething phase you're coming into, you'll appreciate having nursing as an option to calm a sore and cranky toddler.

[@llli*krystine]

I love that I am still nursing my 2.5 yr old because of all the little tantrums/upset times/owies that nursing can cure so quickly.

I have left her for an overnight before and she was OK (she was 22 mos) and definitely nursed when I got back. If this is what you have to help her get to sleep I am concerned about what troubles you might have if you decide to wean before she's ready.

[@llli*djs.mom]

After the year point you can totally go away over night and not worry. You may umcomfortable and need to pump to relive engorgement. Or you may not since you are only doing 3x a day. But women go away for one night or two and come back and have their children pick up right where they left off. And really the nightime issue won't be anything if you aren't there. Babies smell milk. And by 13months they KNOW that the only one who can give it to them is their mother. If you aren't there she won't expect to be able to nurse. I encourage you to go out for the evening. But I would try an evening out before an entire night away. If you have only ever been away for a couple of hours you might start to get really anxious somewhere between 6 and 8 hours away. So go out for the night and see how you feel. And then if you think it'S all gravy then plan a night away.