Still breastfeeding toddler twins...?

[mw211]

I'm still nursing Leo and Chiara who are 19 months. Just morning and night, so I don't have to pump at work, which is great, but am worried about getting too close to two. Anyone else out there who has nursed to this point and then stopped, or nursed longer, who has words of wisdom about timing weaning of twin toddlers?

[BEB2711]

I had to quit nursing my twins when they were a year old (due to medicine I had to take) but with my first I nursed him until 18 months old (only at night). When I decided to stop (I was going on a week long vacation and wanted to wean him before I left) I went into his room, we rocked in the rocking chair, I read him a book, and then when he went to pull up my shirt I said, "No baby. Not tonight." Then I stood up and held him and put him to sleep.

Surprisingly I was the one who had the harder time than he did. He didn't once fuss about it, which kinda made me sad. The same thing with the twins. When I got off the medicine I had to take a week and a half later I tried to nurse them to see if they were interested and they were most definitly NOT. It made me sad.

You might be surprised that your twins won't miss it at all.

[MonkeyTamer]

Like Allison said, I had a much harder time than my boys did. I nursed until 16 months. They still ask every now and then but then say "bye-bye" to my boobs. They never had a fit because I wouldn't nurse them. Good luck! I know how emotional the process can be but I've always felt mothers should nurse as long as everyone involved feels comfortable. I don't really feel there is a defined time you should stop and it actually upset me when friends and family kept telling me I should stop at a year. Do what you feel is best for your babies!

[capper]

I breastfed my twins until they were 27 months. My son would probably have stopped earlier, but his sister kept nursing and watching her always seemed to kick my son back into gear. Mostly I just had to distract them whenever they expressed interest in nursing, such as when they came home from daycare. The hard part was the wee hours of the morning...my kids climb into bed with us between 5 and 7 and they used to try to nurse at that time. We had a few mornings of crying, but eventually they got used to the fact that that wasn't an option any more. I usually sleep naked but at that time I just wore a shirt so they weren't distracted into thinking that my boobs were available to them.

[twowhat?]

My almost 1-year-olds nurse 4x a day (morning, night, and after each nap). I plan on going back to work at some point after they turn 1, so I will probably start trying to wean the daytime feedings slowly. I don't see getting rid of the daytime feedings being a problem at all because it's easy to distract them. BUT - I have NO IDEA how I'd get rid of the morning and bedtime nursing sessions. They cry for me both times, clawing their way out of my husband's arms into mine so that they can nurse. I'm OK with nursing them (even just for comfort) morning and night until they self-wean...but I worry that if I ever had to travel for work I'd have to wean them quickly.

Any tips for weaning the 1st and last nursing sessions in the least painful way?

[momma laurie]

Good for you for breastfeeding that long! I nursed my twins until they were 14 months. That's all I could take! I say nurse them as long as you want!

Momma Laurie
kaylee
nick
ethan & max (12/06)

[karen_p]

With older DS, we nursed till 17 months, morning and night sessions. I weaned him towards the end of my first trimester of the twin pregnancy. I don't think he even noticed. We just changed the morning and evening routine, and I think I went out for a walk a few evenings so I wasn't around.

With the twins, we scaled back to two nursing sessions at 14 months. They nurse in the morning and in the evening. It works for us, I'm not in any rush to quit, they still seem interested. Right now I'd like to nurse them through another winter. While they boys did get numerous colds last year, we were fortunate enough that they didn't get any ear infections. Our older son is also starting preschool twice a week, so I'm thinking he'll probably be bringing home lots of bugs.

If they want to continue to 2 years, great. To 3 years, I'll have to evaluate that if the time comes...

[Rudy]

I weaned my twins at 18mos. It was not easy - they did not want to wean - I did. My children all outlasted me and I weaned them all, much to their dismay, so I have no great advice on how to wean easily.

#1 was weaned at 20mos. I was preggers and could not stand the nursing any longer.

#2 was weaned at 26mos. He was not happy about that either.

I see nothing wrong with nursing toddlers. There are some nice benifits. If you don't mind - just keep doing it That is much easier the weaning! I was no longer enjoying it so it was time for me to stop.

I work full time and that didn't create any problems with the nursing so that doesn't need to be a factor.

[MargaretJane]

I agree, just keep on. It will help to keep them nice & healthy through the coming flu seasons.

[twofourone]

I plan to nurse the boys until they are two...I am fighting him and his family on this...but they are not even close to being ready to wean and neither am i .

Currently the WHO is reccomending that babies are breastfed till 2 years of age...there is another source two i just can't remember it!!


Go for it if it makes you and your child comfortable.