Plasters on nipples for weaning toddler cold turkey

[Kelvinator]

Has anyone done this with their toddler?

Idea meant to be that you go cold turkey with plasters on your nipples, telling your toddler that they hurt so they cant bf. Toddler needs to be familiar with using plasters for own cuts and scrapes.

If you have, how old was the toddler? How much were they bf each day prior to it? And how did they react?

[GalaxyDisaster]

Gosh, that sounds like a sad end to breastfeeding. Thinking mummy's breasts are damaged.

More practically, I can almost guarantee my toddler would attempt to remove the plasters as she has her hand down my top most of the day anyway. Ouch!

You sound fed up though, and I sympathise. My DD2 is a total milk monster and I'm carrying on because it seems more bother to stop. But I'd quite like to in teh next six months or so.

[Kelvinator]

I read a couple of blogs where mums did this with their toddlers aged 22+ and had success.

The toddlers were upset (as expected) for a while but adjusted well. Mums spent a lot of extra time cuddling and playing with them and the toddlers made the connection with their own use of plasters and their mums' plasters so they understood.

Anyone else tried this? Would like the get some more experiences?

[Kelvinator]

galaxy what I have read about it didn't strike me as sad, funnily enough. It seemed like a good strategy to get toddlers to finally give up.

I agree that it most likely be a disaster if the toddler was feeding fairly frequently and relying on feeds for sleep etc. But I think it could be ok for an older toddler who knew what plasters were for and was not relying so much on bf for nutrition, comfort, sleep etc.

[GalaxyDisaster]

If they are over 22, I would hope you could reason with the .

But I do agree that older toddlers might do better. Mine is 18 months and there are obviously a lot of changes in that period.

I know a friend who, with her two year old, started explaining that mummy's breasts would stop having milk soon. She used an event, after a family birthday I think. They talked a lot about how the milk would stop. Then, wehn the time came, she encouraged him to give them a kiss and say goodbye. Not strictly biologically correct, but it did seem to work for her. I don't know anyone who has taken your approach though I'm afraid.

[vix206]

I've just explained to my DS (27 months) that my milk has all gone now. There's been no tears (yet) and he has accepted it well. I must admit that I wouldn't want him to think my breasts were hurt, I think that would upset him needlessly but obviously each to their own

[leedy]

I suggested to DS1 that because he was such a big boy now he had "drunk all the milk" and he seemed pretty happy with that. Admittedly we were down to one feed a day at that point, also I was also nearly four months pregnant and my supply was dropping, so he didn't take much convincing.

[vix206]

Leedy that's my story too. That he did a great job and drank all his milk so now it has all gone. Said with a big when I side I feel very

But he seems happy enough!