Hello! I am new to the boards. I have a 2 1/2 year old little girl named Scarlett. She has been nursing like a newborn since...well...she was a newborn! I've got the hang of weaning during the day...you say no! But at night is when it is the worst! She nurses 6-8x a night, for at least 15-20 mins. It is SO uncomfortable and I'm at the point where I can't sleep while she nurses anymore b/c it feels so weird now. I've developed back pain from the positions I have to be in, and my husband is kicked out of our bed! Last night was so awful and it made me thinkg "ok thats enough!!" I do everything I've read in books for night weaning, but I think she is a special case. I can't really use my husband b/c he has to wake up at 6am every morning and I don't want to put him through that. Does anyone have any advice? Also, I am going away for 3 nights in about 2 weeks. I was hoping to have her weaned by then, but she is a stubborn little girl!!

I think the 3 nights away is what is going to work for you. Sometimes the only thing that works is cold turkey. Especially since she is at an age to really demand what she wants, you (or whoever will be with her) will have to endure some really big temper tantrums, but that's what it takes. I think she's not hungry, she's just developed that pattern as a habit and it's not good for her sleep. BTW, kudos to you for being able to nurse this long!

2 and a half years!! You just became my hero !!
See if this helps
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/weaning/index.html

Did I read that right, she is nursing 8 times a night?! My son didn't nurse that much when he was a newborn (how are you functioning with so little sleep?)- so I think it is definitely comfort/habit that she is acting on, not hunger. I agree with Kay that you being away is what is going to break the habit, as long as you don't start again when you get back. The bad news is she is 2 1/2 and can be stubborn and demand what she wants, the good news is she is 2 1/2 and should be better able to understand when you explain to her that there will no longer be night feedings (although she won't like it and will almost certainly protest big time) and will be able to catch on pretty quickly that she is not going to get what she wants.

She should have been able to sleep through the night without nursing at a few months of age so it's definitely become a comfort measure. At 2 1/2 it's going to be really tough to break, but you will all sleep better if you do. She needs her sleep and if she's waking that often to nurse, then she's not getting enough sleep. I would definitely go cold turkey. I don't think there really is another way to do it at this point. Also, I don't know how you feel about pacifiers, but that might help ease the transition. She obviously gets comfort from sucking and has become accustomed to that at night. You could try replacing nursing with a pacifier. If she fights it, I would try getting her used to it at naps and working it into bedtime. When she wakes up at night, give her the pacifier and don't pick her up or talk to her. It won't be long (although it'll feel like it!) before she'll realize that nighttime is for sleeping and you're not going to nurse her.

My daughter is only 8 months old but any time I've needed to wean her off of night time feedings I do it gradually. She's slept through the night since she was about 6 weeks old but there have been some stressful times like moving, huge growth spurts, etc. where she regresses a little bit. When she wakes up multiple times a night I take out one feeding every day or two and reduce the amount I let her drink. After a few days I switch from milk to water (since she's got teeth I don't let her have milk after I brush her teeth at night) and then move to the pacifier. It usually takes about a week to get her back to normal.

Since your daughter is feeding 6-8 times a night I'd take out start by reducing the amount she drinks at two feedings and then after a couple days take out those feedings completely. Then reduce and remove the first feeding and make sure she's very full before bed. Then just gradually take out the rest of the feedings. If she doesn't start adjusting easily try offering a bottle with water or a pacifier.

I think going cold turkey is going to be very stressful for your daughter and will result in lots of crying and even less sleep for both of you. Easing her off the night time feedings will take some time but it should make the transition much smoother.

i believe in cold turkey just give her a bottle that feels like the brest {they make bottles like that go to target, wal-mart,etc. you should find a bottle like that} or if the bottle does't cut it then a pacifier might do it. Cold turkey would be the way i will go if i had to wean my 3 year old son off of brest feeding but lucky all of 4 of my kids took to the bottle i almost brest fed all of them but i didn't like the feeling of it. but your not the only one going thru with brest feeding your 2 1/2 year old daughter i saw on you-tube once a mother of 2 kids one was 6 years and the other was 8 years old and she still brest fed her kids cause it's true go on to 8 year old brest feeding. on youtube and watch the video. But i would do cold turkey and she may protest the first couple of nights but after awhile she get it that "mommy isn't go to give me my comfort brest so i'll scream for it and see what's happen but when you don't come she'll get it that mommy isn't playing the brest feeding game". just give her the pacifier when she screams

first off, i think that nursing your daughter for 2.5 yrs is way to long! she should have been off by the time she was a year! thats just weird to be nursing a toddler! shes old enough to be drinking from a sippy cup not your chest, get her to drink out of a cup soon!

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends Breastfeeding for a MINIMUM of two years.

Not everyone thinks it is 'weird' . Besides, Bf-ing relationships are more than just nutrition.

Hi there,
You're doing great - what an accomplishment to have such a great bond with your 2 and a half year old that she wants to be close to you all night long. I have a 21 month old, and often struggle with the weaning decision. My son still nurses when we get home from work, before bedtime, and in the morning. We sleep in the same bed, so he wakes up a few times during the night to nurse as well.
My husband got kicked out of bed so much, we bought a bigger bed
No one can tell you what the right decision to make is, only you and your little one can figure that out. Keep in mind that your baby might want to nurse so much at night to make up for "lost sessions" in the day. I follow the "Don't refuse, don't offer" rule which is helpful for us. I don't offer it up, but let him nurse when he wants it.
Some nights are tough, I agree with you there. But the times when I know it's worth it, it makes me forget all the tough nights.
Good luck - you'll do the right thing. Trust your instincts