Question for extended BFers about child initiated weaning or any moms who dropped to BFing just 1 or 2 times a day

Dd is 18 months and up until a few days ago has nursed about 5-6 times a day. Now she will nurse when she first wakes up and refuses it all day until bed time (she still relies on nursing to fall asleep). I've been giving her extra whole milk to make up for it.

I'm ok with her weaning. But I don't know if she's really fully ready to completely wean since she still nurses to sleep (bad habit, I know, but its been working for us). Does anyone know if she continues just nursing once or twice a day, will my milk dry up? Or will there still be milk for her when she wants it if she wants to go back to nursing during the day? I know supply is based on demand and so I'm afraid she's not taking enough milk to make my body keep producing it.

Message edited 4/12/2014 8:46:42 PM.

Re: Question for extended BFers about child initiated weaning or any moms who dropped to BFing just 1 or 2 times a day

I bf until dd was 8 months with morning and night feeds. I am a ftwm so I pumped at work. I would have to space out my pump sessions and eventually I was only pumping once at work and my supply did suffer. When I decided to stop my supply was low and it just dried up. Dd would still do nights until it was just for comfort. Then she was ok to self soothe to sleep. But I missed it more than her

Re: Question for extended BFers about child initiated weaning or any moms who dropped to BFing just 1 or 2 times a day

I BFd until DD was 25months and I got pregnant w/#2. Once she turned 1, we were down to 3 sessions/ day. Morning, nap, & bedtime. Then, around 18 months I cut out the nap session and we were down to just morning and night. Once this was established, I cut out the morning session. And finally the bedtime session at 25 months. My DD was never a big cows milk drinker. But by that age, they really don't need a lot of milk as long as they are good eaters.

ETA: there was always some milk for her for the time we were nursing. I cut it so gradually that I never felt engorged. Also, by that point, I didn't have a huge supply anymore anyway, just enough for what she wanted

Message edited 4/13/2014 9:34:29 AM.

Question for extended BFers about child initiated weaning or any moms who dropped to BFing just 1 or 2 times a day

As you said, it works on supply and demand. So whenever she demands theilk, it will be there. I allowed both my boys to self-wean. My first weaned at 15 months and just gradually dropped a feeding every few weeks or so. For the last few weeks before he fully weaned, he was only nurse at bedtime. My second weaned about a month after he turned 2. His weaning process was really different. For the last maybe 2 months or so, he would only nurse once or twice every few days. There was always milk there when he wanted it.

Question for extended BFers about child initiated weaning or any moms who dropped to BFing just 1 or 2 times a day

Ok good to know that there can still be milk there when she wants it. I really think she is self weaning. During the day when I offer she shakes her head No, and pushes away, like 'I'm a big girl, I don't need that'. But then at bed time when she's sleepy she pokes my boobs and says 'bubbas' so I know she definitely still wants to nurse at night

Re: Question for extended BFers about child initiated weaning or any moms who dropped to BFing just 1 or 2 times a day

I stopped pumping with DS1 at 12 months. My supply was really low at that point, but DS was happy to nurse every morning and occasionally at night. He totally dropped the nighttime session by 13 months and then decided to wean at 15 months. I stopped pumping at work with DS2 around 12 months, but continued to nurse DS2 in the morning and at night. He probably dropped the nighttime session by 14 or 15 months. He continued to nurse in the morning until he weaned at 19.5 months.

Re: Question for extended BFers about child initiated weaning or any moms who dropped to BFing just 1 or 2 times a day

My DS started self weaning around 12 months and I gave up everything but am/pm nursing at that time (stopped pumping as well). He continued to nurse am/pm for another month or two but I did basically dry up at that point. He would suck and suck but I don't think he was getting much.

Question for extended BFers about child initiated weaning or any moms who dropped to BFing just 1 or 2 times a day

I had no issues nursing twice a day. It wasn't until DD dropped to once a day, and only a few minutes before passing out at night, and I got AF for the first time that my supply really dried up on me. It was like a perfect storm I think but after several days of that when DD wanted to nurse more she wasn't a happy camper. That's when I ended up weaning completely but I was okay with it at that point.