Nursing older toddler

If you nursed a toddler (especially an older toddler), when did they stop nursing? Did they intiate it or did you?

My DS was doing well weaning and then we potty trained him. He now thinks he's a newborn and wants to nurse ALL the time. Sometimes it's easy to distract him, but other times he's impossible. Like he'll want to nurse during dinner instead of eating real food!! I don't mind the occasional nursing, but he is constantly trying to lift up my shirt whenever I sit down at home. From what I've read regression is normal when they're working on something else, but he's been potty trained for a month!

Re: Nursing older toddler

My son didn't stop on his own. Right before I weaned him he was nursing only at bedtime. But that's only bc I myself initiated getting rid of the morning session (1st) and then the nap session (did this next). I'm not sure he would have stopped on his own. I nursed him until almost 3. He wouldn't try to lift my shirt or ask for it any other time. I just picked a day and on that day I told him the milk was finished and that I didn't have anymore. I had been alluding to it days before. It was fine. For a couple of nights he asked and I just told him it was finished. It was painless. He was ok with it and it was easy for me bc I really was just done. 6 months later he still occassionally asks for "milkie" but I remind him that he drank it all and that's that. I sometimes think he's trying to be funny when he says it.

When he lifts your shirt just pull it down and walk away from him. Don't say anything. No eye contact. He'll get the message that his behavior doesn't get him the attention he wants. And nurse him until you want - do whatever works for you!

Nursing older toddler

I nursed DD1 and DD2 until about 2 years old. They both decreased the frequency on their own. DD1 was only nursing at night and stopped when I had to be away for a few days. For DD2, I nursed her through most of my pregnancy with DD3, but I wanted her to stop before DD3 was born. So, one day I told her it was empty and offered her milk instead. She wimpered a little and asked a few more times, but was fine with it.

Nursing older toddler

My oldest weaned at 15 months and my second weaned a month after his 2nd birthday. Both times, I was pregnant when they weaned, which may have factored in, since the taste of milk supposedly changes when you are pregnant. My 3rd is now 2y10m and is still nursing. She was doing once or twice a day until a little over a month ago, when my oldest needed to be hospitalized for 3 and a half weeks. I wasn't with her as much, so just because of that, she would go a couple days without nursing. Now, since we're home again, she can still go a day or two without nursing. I don't want to force her to wean, I'd like her to wean herself when she feels ready. But I have been trying to plant the seed by talking her about the fact that one day, she won't drink mommy milk anymore, and whenever she feels like she doesn't want to anymore, that's okay. I also try to determine the reason behind her asking for it each time. Her most common times to ask are after school (I think it's her time to reconnect) and at bedtime, so those times I always allow it. But sometimes, I think she just asks because she is bored, so then I just say "not right now" and try to distract her with something else, or I'll offer her a cup of milk or water or something.

Message edited 3/1/2017 9:04:51 AM.

Nursing older toddler

Thanks everyone.

My DS is 2 years 10 months. I've started talking to him about how when he's 3, there's no more mama milk cause he's not going to wean by himself. At this point, his latch is starting to hurt so I want to stop sooner rather than later.

He likes to nurse all the time. His favorite time is the morning. He also likes to nurse when bored or when he doesn't get what he wants (aka when I tell him no). He seems to be receptive to stopping on his birthday. He said he'll be a big boy then. He told me his dolls can still nurse since they're only 1 and 2. Lol!!

Wish us luck!