“If you haven’t weaned your child by 18 months, it’s very difficult to do so until about 36 months,” says Ruth Lawrence, MD, a professor of pediatrics and obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Rochester School of Medicine.

Oh no. Nobody mentioned this to me before.

A month from now my second daughter Mikaela would be turning two– which means I would have to wean her completely. I didn’t really worry much about this before, mainly because the thought of having to wean her from breastfeeding saddens me. I am a very “touchy” person, and so is Mika…so aside from that fact that breastmilk has a lot of benefits for our babies, this is really  why breastfeeding works so well for us– We both love the cuddle time.

*sigh* …I can’t believe I would have to stop really soon. I know I can actually choose to extend our nursing days, but I also feel I have to stop so I can “replenish” myself with nutrients if I am to have another baby sometime in the not-so-near yet not-so-far future.

With Alyanna, weaning was very easy. She was one year and four months old when I weaned her completely. The week that I decided to mix-feed her was the same week that I found out I was pregnant. All I did was stop giving her my breasts (we are all women here, right? ) and then she gave up without putting up much of a fight. Maybe because she was less than 18 months at that time? Could it be that the above statement by Dr. Lawrence is true? If it is, then should I expect that weaning Mika this time around would be much much harder? *argh* I dread to even imagine it…Even now, it seems that Mika is more attached to me. It is like she knows that I am planning on doing something that is not to her liking. Ever since the holidays, “Mommy!Carry me please!” or “Mommy, drink milk from your b—s please.” is what I’d hear from her all the time. Oh, Mika. Don’t you know this would make things all the more difficult for both of us??

I am expecting that my weaning process would be very much different from what I experienced with Alyanna, but I will probably try these:

1. Take it slow. Drop one feeding at a time, and replace it with formula or a meal…I’ve already started doing this. I only have three feeding times left.

2. Avoid our favorite nursing places and positions…this would be hard, since our favorite nursing positions are my favorite positions…period.

3. Distract her. I would have to cut our cuddle time in bed short, and move it someplace else, some place she won’t associate with breastfeeding.

4. Cuddle her some more…in different “settings”

5. Ignore her cries.

6. Keep ourselves busy-er…hopefully she’ll think there are more fun things to do after all.

7. Keep her full and satisfied with real food…this shouldn’t be so hard to do. She’s much like her mom.

That’s all I can think of for now. I know there’s not much of a plan here, but we’ll see.  I’ll be trying them soon, and I shall let you know which work/s best. I am open to suggestions.

My last resort:

Apply olive oil that has been “infused” with garlic on your nipples as you breastfeed. Our babies (and us, and I’m sure our husbands too—the downside) will hate the odor from the garlic.

I’ve heard of someone who applied coldrub instead…I think anything with a strong scent/smell would do? Again, this would be my last resort. I don’t like the downside of this.