How to Wean 2 Year Old?

Find a le leche league group/meeting nearby, they have a TON of weaning and other books on their website too. Drop one feeding every couple weeks or let them self-wean, it's healthier all around that way.

We can help you to make weaning comfortable and not traumatic for you or your son.
VirtualBreastfeedingHelp.com

Cold Turkey. Just stop giving it to him, or tell him you have boo-boo's on them and he can't have them. I'm sure he will have a fit for a few days, but then he should start sleeping through those times and hopefully sleep through the night. Wouldn't that be wonderful???
Cold turkey is the fastest way for them to get over it.
I have to do the same thing, but with the pacifier. I'm NOT looking forward to it. My daughter uses it ALOT! She is 2 years old (28 months)as well.
Good luck to you!

I know that sometimes this can be difficult. Breastfeeding is more than a way of receiving nutrition, it is also a way of bonding and nurturing. I think the difficult part for both children and moms to let go of is the bonding aspect of breastfeeding. As a mom, when our baby cries out at night, we want to hold them and soothe them; to make everything ok.

If I were you, I would talk with him, during waking hours, and let him know that he is a big boy now and that because you know that he is big that you will not be breastfeeding at night anymore. Reassure him and give him lots of love so he does not feel that he is being rejected. If you do it this way, he knows that he is big and he will understand. It helps to give him some responsibilities and reaffirm that he is big. "Thank you for helping me set the table. You are such a big boy. It is fun to be big."

After you have your talk and tell him that you will not be nursing again, do not nurse again. He will cry at first because he likes to breastfeed. Do not go in his room. You could always have daddy go into his room to remind him, in a kind voice, that he is big and that you guys will not be doing this anymore.

He will probably be upset for a couple of days. Keep reaffirming that he is big and it is good to be big. Give him hugs and kisses during the day. Soon your milk will be gone and the habit will be broken.

Good Luck.

I am curriently helping my daughter sleep through the night. She has continued to wake at 4AM for a nursing everynight (she is almost 16 months). So, I have been going in when she wakes, pick her up with her stuffed animal or blanket and rock her/sing quietly/rub her back. She cries for about 30 seconds to a minute and then calms down and then I put her pacifier back in her mouth. I rock/sing/rub for a little bit until she seems very relaxed and then lay her back in the crib, where she usually starts crying again, so I continue singing/rubbing her back/have her music box on until she calms down again while in the crib. Then I continue until she is almost asleep and then leave. We have done this for several nights now and she is extending the time until she wakes up. Last night, I heard her at 5 and then she quieted herself down until 5:30, when I went in and did the sequence. I feel that these nights where I am taking the time to comfort her (it takes longer than just nursing her) will help her gently to be able to sleep through the night.

Hi, J.. There are really only 2 ways to do it, a gentle approach that can take some time or cold turkey! It is such a personal choice, but because he is 2, already drinking milk, it is definitely an emotional event for him as opposed to necessity. If you go cold turkey, I would encourage you not to start another bad habit to replace this one. For example, don't give him milk in the middle of the night. When he asks for it, just go in and say, no honey, you don't need it. Here, hug your teddy bear (or some other kind of lovey). He is certainly going to cry and be upset, but he'll get over it. Now, the slow process would be to simply just limit the amount of milk he gets. So, if he nurses for 5 minutes, then the next time you do it, do it for 4 minutes. Do that for a few days. Then reduce to 3 minutes for a few days, etc. This can take a long time, requires a lot of thinking (and who can think in the middle of the night clearly).

When I did my daughter at 5 months, we did it cold turkey and it was tough for a few days but she managed. If you choose that route, please make sure that your husband is on board and helps support you because just as it is emotional for your son, it is emotional for you.

Good luck!

Its not so unusual. He only breastfeeds twice a day... he will probably self-wean. This is called: "Extended breastfeeding" (you can look it up online) and many child experts support it. But I know, it is tiring.

Both my kids self-weaned... my daughter around 2.5 years old and my son at about 1 year old.

You can try and just not nurse him, unless he asks. Or keep him distracted. If he asks say, for example: "One minute, Mommy is busy..." and then don't sit down and stay "busy" and keep standing up... then the child "forgets" and gets distracted with other things, with your help.

Also: talk to him about it, in a comforting way... explain that "one day" he will stop, or on his own.. .and he is a big boy. Or, give him a replacement... a sippy of water maybe.

Each child will self-wean in their own way... or not, or some do cold turkey. But be prepared for them to adjust to it.

My friends, actually put band-aids on their nipples and explained "mommy has a boo-boo..." or "Mommy's milk doesn't work..." My friends said this worked for them.

These are things that many other Moms have done to "wean."

Mostly, go according to you and your child. For me, I mostly talked to my daughter about it... and then one day she just stopped cold turkey on her own... and she told me "I don't drink (from you) anymore, I'm a big girl..." and that was it. I did miss it and I had to adjust too. But she self weaned. My son, well he just hated breastfeeding gradually and preferred a bottle, because its easier. But yes, both my kids were drinking cow's milk and other things from regular cups by then.

each child is different. If it does not bother you, you can try to just let him self-wean.
I know each Mom is different. So do what you think is best.

All the best,
Susan