amitymamaThe Attachment Parenting Community

leechwife

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But I am starting to get tired of nursing. My ds is 2.5 and just loves to nurse. I won't force him to stop altogether, but sometimes I say, "Not right now. honey." I've been trying "don't offer, don't refuse" but then I always find myself refusing! I'm also getting sore nipples off & on, which is like the LAST thing I need! So there are times where I have been nursing for what feels like hours (and often most of the night) and I just feel like, for my sanity, I have to draw the line. Sometimes he accepts it and goes back to sleep or back to playing. But other times he freaks out. At those times I often give in eventually. This is so confusing for me. Especially since I don't know when he'll decide he's done nursing. I want to do the right thing, but I feel like my needs and his needs are conflicting.

There are many times I do enjoy nursing, and I wouldn't dream of weaning cold turkey. In fact, I can't even bring myself to night wean! I've said I'm going to do it, but I always end up nursing him anyway because it's feels so much easier at the time than hearing him cry, "I want mommiiieee" while my husband tries in vain to soothe him.

Do I just need to get over it, and trust he will wean before i go completely insane? What do thoughtful, loving mothers do when they feel like their nipple is going to fall off and wonder why their child can't just have some sympathy? LOL I'm sorry, that's just my wits-end feeling. I don't want to wean, I just want to find a way to manage his nurse-a-thons in a way that doesn't damage his psyche.

Thanks for any insight you can lend!

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~Chelsea
SAHM to Sebastian (6/4/02)
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The face of a child can say it all,
Especially the mouth part of the face

Kerrilynn62000

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I would recommend reading "Mothering Your Nursing Toddler". It is a great book!!

Cycles returning & pregnancy can make you antsy with bfing sometimes too.

You can try offering alternatives to nursing depending on what he is needing...something to eat, something to drink, cuddles, story, etc.

gotta Teagan just woke up!

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Kerri mom to: Amanda & partner PC, Emma(16), Maddison(14), Jonah(11),Saige & Claire (7, id twin dds) & Teagan (4,ds), fostering four children, grandma to baby boy (Jan, 2008) and caring for horses, dogs, cats & rodents.

leechwife

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I wrote that post on a day where I was feeling stretched thin. On those kinds of days it gets to me. Other days, I am not so bothered. I have read Mothering Your Nursing Toddler (twice actually, LOL) and it always made me feel good, and definitely want to stick with it. I don't want to wean but I think I just need to remind myself to not play the martyr. It seems like so many moms out there either have no trouble weaning, or have no trouble sticking with it. I know I'm not a freak, there have got to be other moms like me who are somewhere in the middle.

Thanks for listening.

Kerrilynn62000

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I certainly have had moments of being in the middle!!! With the twins I HAD to night wean when I was pregnant with Teagan. I was so exhausted I was gaining NO weight. They literally nursed all night long...plus there were two of them!!

I also weaned my 3 year old son just before the twins were born. I couldn't fathom nursing 3. (Ha....I am nursing three now though...twins & Teagan)

I know other moms who are also in the middle some of the time too. I also know moms who's children easily weaned with just the suggestion or they chose to wean on their own before they were 2yrs old.

Each child is different. Each of my own were different in the weaning process. My first easily & uneventfully weaned at 18mos. My twins....well they are a whole other story!!

Hang in There!!