Night weaning--when?

[@llli*maddieb]

Meg, that's an interesting point about nighttime nursing and supply. I guess I hadn't thought about it because a)we're at 9 months so I think of my supply as pretty established and b)I do still pump during the day (and have good pump output) plus nurse 4 or 5 times during the day. You're right, though, that in general night-weaning is probably not good for supply if you want to make it to a year--which I absolutely do, and beyond. I don't think my pediatrician knows that much about breastfeeding (though she nursed her own kids, I think) but I like her in general.

yes and while it sounds as if YOUR milk production ability may be of a level where there is no concern, every mom has a different level of milk production capacity based on many things. This is another reason why one size fits all advice often does not work when talking about breastfeeding.

Its interesting that so much advice that basically revolves around very early child development (weaning, night weaning, starting solids, getting kids into their own beds, etc,) seems to revolve around the idea that the older the child, the more they will object-so night weaning a 9 month old is thus 'harder' then night-weaning a 20 month old basically because the 20 month old is capable of verbally objecting with words. I suspect the average 9 month old would object just as hard if not harder, but are more helpless about getting their needs understood.

I also suggest that good pediatricians who you can fully trust in a crises of your child being truly ill or hurt is worth their weight in gold. I know many moms who stick wiht pediatricians who disagree over parenting issues but who they are happy with and confident in otherwise.

[@llli*mommal]

night weaning a 9 month old is thus 'harder' then night-weaning a 20 month old basically because the 20 month old is capable of verbally objecting with words. I suspect the average 9 month old would object just as hard if not harder, but are more helpless about getting their needs understood.

This has been my experience. I made some half-hearted attempts to reduce my second daughter's nighttime dependence on me, and found that night-weaning a younger baby from nursing and co-sleeping was impossible because she couldn't understand why I wouldn't comfort and feed her in the only way she'd ever known. But night-weaning a toddler from those things was relatively easy, because toddlers understand the concept of "later".

She told me about one of her patients, a 20 month old, whose mother is just now attempting night weaning and the toddler becomes so upset when Mommy doesn't come to feed him that he cries until he vomits.

I hate when pediatricians do this. One anecdote is a scare story, not data.

She is also encouraging me to start more solids--he gets 1-2 solid meals a day right now and she's encouraged me to start 3 solid meals a day. She seems to think most of his nutrition should be from solid food by about a year. I don't agree with that. I think she also thinks I'm planning on weaning around a year, and I'm not. I plan to nurse until 18 months-2 years at this point, and after that we'll see. So I'm not in a huge hurry to get him onto more solids unless there's a good reason to do so nutritionally. He only has 2 teeth at this point and the amount of solids he eats is tiny so I don't see how he's going to get half of his nutrition from them by a year, unless a lot changes in the next few months.

It sounds like you're not interested in pushing solids or trying to wean right now, and you're totally right on that score. My pediatrician would tell you that until the first birthday, breastmilk (or formula) meet all of a baby's nutritional needs and should make up the majority of the baby's diet, and that until the first birthday the primary role of solid food should be to provide baby with the opportunity to experiment with taste, texture, and motor skills.

[@llli*joe.s.mom]

I hate when pediatricians do this. One anecdote is a scare story, not data.

And there's no reason to believe that that particular 20 month old would have been "easier" to night-wean earlier. Anyway, this is just the opposite of my experience. Nightweaning Joe at 9 months, or even 18 months, would have been EXTREMELY difficult. But by 20-24 months, he was actively night weaning, sleeping better, and asking for less milkies at night. This from a child who was a TERRIBLE sleeper for most of his life until that point. So.

[@llli*wfflegrl]

Thank you for reminding us that BF primarily through year 1 should be the majority of the baby's diet, because even though my DD loves her solids (we are doing BLF), since I've completed teaching summer school, she's been attached to my boobs almost all day (or at least it feels that way!). I somehow felt like it was OK if we were out but I didn't have access to solids and didn't pack any because it was too hot, or we were out of money, or whatever the reason, that BM was all she ate all day - now I don't have to feel guilty!

[@llli*aprilsmagic]

Something to bear in mind is just because your doctor nursed her kids does not mean it went the same way for her as you want your experience to be. I have known plenty of BFing moms who aren't interested in nursing more than X months, who don't want to nurse at night (even though it usually harms supply to night wean), and are cool with pumping and bottles. So always take breastfeeding advice and parenting advice with a grain of salt, as you are very probably having a different experience than most mothers.

I nightweaned all my babies, or let them nightwean themselves I should say, after 12 months, and one was 23 months. None were more difficult than the other

[@llli*joe.s.mom]

Wise words in general, Susan.

[@llli*mtmama]

Very true Susan.

[@llli*esthervegan]

and I feel so sad for that distressed toddler who cried himself sick when he needed his momma.
I did not night wean. my children continued to nurse to sleep and nurse overnight until weaning occurred.