I need advice on weaning my daughter from nursing.?

I don't really have any good words of wisdom on the weaning, unfortunately. As a Nursing student doing her OB rotation, I can tell you everything you want to know about latching on, lol, but not the other end of the spectrum. I just wanted to say don't let anyone make you feel bad. Nursing didn't work out for me - no matter how hard I tried I never got any milk in. I was brow-beaten for NOT breastfeeding, even though i physically was unable to. Not BFing made me a horrible mother somehow and my daughter would never turn out well. She's 2.5 now, bilingual, and you'd never know she was a preemie now! So, albeit I had the opposite situation, I totally know how you feel. It's tough when everyone is telling you what you should do. I went to school with a girl who breastfed her daughter until she was 2, and another woman I know breastfed her TWIN boys until they were THREE. After that she pumped for 6 months and donated all the milk to a milk-bank. Amazing women, I couldn't have done it. I'd have given up when my daughter got teeth, LOL. It's not like you are not feeding your child an otherwise balanced diet. As long as she is eating and drinking well otherwise, growing well, etc, then what you do with your breasts is really not anyone's business! I hope someone here has some helpful hints on the transition, but definitely don't let anyone make you feel bad.

First of all I don't think you're a bad mom or sick and anyway who does think that is misinformed. I nursed my son until he was about 27 months and I don't regret a day of nursing. I would make sure you really want to stop nursing for the right reason or it is going to be very hard. I tried to wean my son cold turkey when he was about 18 months and would tear up every time I thought it was the last time nursing. What worked for me was gentle child led weaning. You're already on your way since you're down to before sleep only. I started giving my son milk with his story time (nursing too) and then started being unavailable to put him to bed sometimes (hubby or mil). My son seemed to realize quickly they couldn't provide nursing and it didn't seem to bother him. Slowly he started drinking milk instead of nursing until it was only every few days and then it was done. My milk dried up and I let him try a few times. When he wasn't getting anything I'd ask him if he wanted milk and he'd run to the kitchen. He still asks for it occasionally but I just tell him the milks all gone and he takes it well. I would just make sure to offer lots of cuddles while you wean as that it what it's more about now is the comfort/closeness they get from it. I would really look for a laleche league in your area for support. You really have done an amazing thing for your daughter and I can't believe anyone would give you crap about it, especially your doctor. I will admit I actually judge people who don't (without good reason) breastfeed given all the benefits. If you decide you don't want to wean yet you could start teaching your daughter some "nursing manners" to avoid those hands up your shirt and unsolicited opinions on your extended nursing. I never felt comfortable nursing in public and my son learned quickly it wasn't nice to expose mommy in the grocery store. Then just tell anyone who asks you're "in the process of weaning". It took me nearly a year so you can be "in the process" for as long as you want. A lot of my friends and family had assumed I was done as my son learned nursing only happened in his room just before bed. Of course if asked I'd spout off the benefits anyone who'd listen lol. Whatever you decide just make the decision based on what is best for you and your daughter and congrats on giving her such a good start in life.

Zbaby, why is cow's milk (especially the processed hormone, steroid laiden conventional stuff found in a conventional grocery store) intended for the cow's calf better then the milk L-train's body makes specifically for her child? My daughter is also 2.5 and we are still happily nursing. I'm five or six weeks pregnant and am reluctantly planning on weaning during the pregnancy. (I've informed her that this will happen so that my milk can change and get ready for her new baby brother or sister since her new sibling can only have milk for her first few months, while she eats big girl food in addition to Mommy Milk.) For the most part, she's already starting to nurse less. (When she nurses in the morning after she first gets up, and after her nap, it's usually less than a half hour, when it used to be 45-60 minutes. Today, it was longer, but she only nursed in the morning yesterday, as she was at he grandparents' all day.) When we do start weaning, it will be with the morning nursing and the after nap ones. Already, on Sundays before Sunday school and church and the Tuesday mornings we go to MOPS we don't usually nurse to save time. Occasionally, when he could take the afternoon off, or work at home (more or less, doing what he could do while she was napping), I would go out for lunch. I would leave when she was napping (so she could nurse to sleep) and she would then skip the after nap nursing. So when we do start weaning, as I said, we'll start with those two. (When she got up this morning, I was still in bed. After she came over and hugged me, as she was asleep when she came home last night, she immediately asked for Mommy Milk. She did nurse longer, but I think it was partially out of comfort and that she missed me. She nursed for about 45 minutes.) The La Leche League an the Kellymom sites are good. Also try Breastfeeding.com come and http://www.mothering.com/discussions. There is a Breastfedding section and a Breastfeeding Beyond Infancy board under that. Sidenote: My mother, who breastfed my sister and me in the 70s when bottle feeding was more popular thinks I should have weaned my daughter over a year ago. I don't mention much that I'm still nursing her. My MIL, who does not even do much natural foods, thinks it's fine, as that is what I want to do. Really ironic and amusing, I think. I have no qualms with telling people I'm breastfeeding my two-year-old. If they don't like it, that's their problem.

I actually knew someone that nursed her son until he was probably three. In my own opinion I don't think it's that good of an idea. Because the older they are, the harder it is to break them from that. It's a habbit for your daughter, and it's just something she's used to and apparently likes to do before bedtime. That's her routine. But you need to break her from it. Warm her up some milk in a sipcup, or try to get her asleep some other way. Read her a story, give her a warm bath, etc. And explain it to her, even though she might not understand. Just sharing my opinion, hope you have luck. :)