@brownski My son cried twice for around an hour each time he woke up the first night I said no to the milk. No issues during the day because I distracted him. 2nd night cried again for about 30 mins. Stopped asking altogether from the next day. I put bandaids on my nipples and said I was hurt which I think helped. Kept hugging him and comforting him in other ways at night. I was surprised how quickly he moved on! I know it’s a scary feeling to wean but you’ll be happier for it in a few days breastfeeding had totally taken over my nights and I was exhausted.
@vl32 I let mine self wean so it was a gradual process over a long period of time and when we were done there was mutual peace and acceptance of the situation, no depression even though I have a history of PPD.
@vl32 I never had any depression or mood issues when my oldest weaned. I was just ready to be done, was so over it, so it was just a relief! She was maybe 2.5 though and was basically just doing a bedtime feed.
@vl32 I weaned suddenly (my kiddo self-weaned), although I kept pumping to taper off slowly. I got hit with the sads, for sure. It only lasted about a week but I was super emotional during that time.
@vl32 I felt freedom when my daughter weaned when I was 18 weeks pregnant with my second lol. Short lived 22 weeks of no breastfeeding!! Weaning my boy when he's a year in 3 weeks
@vl32 I got pregnant 10mo PP and developed a feeding aversion around 4-5 months later. My son naturally day weaned and pretty much only fed if he was hurt or ill so that was fine. Night time was torture though. It was a bit sad going from loving our time breastfeeding to dreading it! But the relief from stopping was miles bigger than the sadness tbh. We did it slowly and had my husband go into comfort him each time he woke. Then we gave it 10-15 minutes and if he didn’t look like he was settling then my husband would bring him to me for a feed. This took less than a week iirc!
I’ll admit though that I was hoping he would tandem feed but he had no interest when his brother was born and the few times he did show interest, he had no idea what to do! Again - I’ll admit there’s been relief at this. As much as I would’ve loved to have the experience, on a practical level it’s been so much easier!
And if anything I feel closer to my first born now too. Just something about being aware how he’s not my only one anymore makes me appreciate and love him so much more. And he’s an incredible big brother.
@vl32 At 12 mos I went down to just 2x day, morning and night. After a couple months went to just night. Then every other night after a couple more months and was completely done by 18 mos. So a 6 month weaning process and didn’t experience any negative effects at all. I think it’s ok as long as you do it slowly
@vl32 I’ve weaned 2 both at around 18 months and I didn’t feel depressed. Maybe a little sad because that phase of our lives was done. But I needed to nip the breastfeeding because they were waking up multiple times a night just to bf and I was happy when we weaned. The start of a new phase and chapter and we were all finally sleeping solidly through the night.
@vl32 I weaned slowly over time, not really on purpose but that’s just how it happened- daytime feeds stopped first, then bedtime, then middle of the night. After I was completely done I got “emotional” and got my period back within 2 weeks. I wouldn’t consider it depression, but definitely a noticeable shift in hormones!
@vl32 When I went from 2 sessions to 1 session a day I was depressed for a month. When I weaned completely 6 months later I was depressed for another month. In the postpartum period when I was producing so much I was crying from how much I loved my baby. I would say if you are sensitive to hormone shifts then it may happen to you. I was grateful for this sub to normalize what I was going through.
@vl32 I don’t know if “depressed” is quite the right word. I liken it to SAYING I’m OCD and BEING OCD. Like saying I have “a little ADD” and having a diagnosis of ADD. Yeah, I’m a little “depressed” that we no longer have this connection, but would I consider seeing a therapist about it? Probably not. More likely I’ll talk about feelings with friends and family. But that said, yeah, it’s a little hard. Harder still this time around because it’s my last baby. He’s about to turn 2, and only nurses 2-3 times daily. We’re about to road trip for his older sister’s spring break, and when we get home I’ll start weaning to some of the frozen stash instead of fresh from the tap. It’s definitely saddening, his sister didn’t like to nurse (LOVED the milk, just not the work), and we ended our BF journey much earlier than I would’ve liked. So the fact that this little man brings me his nursing pillow when it’s time to eat melts my heart and I will miss that so so much. But I’m absolutely look I my forward to not having to be home for bedtime, and remembering my shopping lists when I leave the house, and the next wonderful bonding moments we develop.
@vl32 I didn’t experience depression (or anxiety, which I’m more prone to) after weaning, but my son weaned himself at three at which point I wasn’t producing much so perhaps the hormone withdrawal wasn’t as severe as it could’ve been. I also got pregnant during the process which of course disrupts the process.
breastfeeding had totally taken over my nights and I was exhausted.