Expert: Joanna Liberty - 12/23/2011

Question
Hi There,

My son is 18 months old, for the most part he is off the breast except when I come home from work and then at night (he sleeps with me).  I'm ready to stop breastfeeding completely but he has a fit and I give in.  I was wondering if I work to get rid of my milk supply, how long before supply dries up, and once dried up will baby naturally stop wanting the breast?

Thanks for your help

Answer
Congratulations on breastfeeding for 18 months! That is a great accomplishment.

There are several different ways to wean and different reasons you might want to wean. It sounds like you have already cut back on nursing, and that's a good way to ease in to weaning.

Your son will not naturally stop wanting your milk if you make an effort to deplete your milk supply. However, there are others ways that you can work on weaning that will help him to naturally stop wanting milk.

Some mothers find that distraction can be a good tactic when you're working toward weaning - for example, when he asks for milk you tell him that he can have it in an hour and he may not ask again if he doesn't get milk right away. Some mothers also have success by telling the child that mom is out of milk. Other mothers may just work on not giving in to the fits - the hardest for me was the night weaning, and after three nights of him throwing a fit and me not giving in, he stopped asking.

When you are weaning, you will want to remember to spend close comfort time with your child sans milk. Part of what our children gain from breastfeeding is the comfort of being in mother's arms, so make sure you're maintaining that - you can read to your child with him in your lap, snuggle or cuddle at other times.

You might be interested in these books - you might be able to find them in your local library or a local La Leche League group may know where you can find a copy:
- How Weaning Happens by Diane Bengson
- Mothering Your Nursing Toddler by Norma Jane Bumgarner (talks about natural weaning)
- Maggie's Weaning by Mary Joan Deutschbein (child's eye view of weaning)