Pros and cons of going cold turkey with weaning?

We went cold Turkey about 5 weeks ago now. Any time my girl asked for it i would just say no finished and offer her milk in a drinking bottle. First couple of days she'd only take a little bit of the milk but after about a week just knew to have all the milk. I did wean after she had a sickness bug so was easier as she wasnt wanting is as much. My supply had also dropped as im pregnant. I know its super hard but worth it in the end. Good luck x

I think cold turkey can be quieter traumatising. Imagine you had something that comforted you and it was just taken away like that? I think k it’s quite brutal. On the flip side of course it’s bloody draining. You can try a gentle approach of distract, don’t offer and dont refuse to cut out feeds one by one. Good luck xx

Do you have to be the one to comfort her? If you’ve got a partner can they go in and rock and cuddle and reassure. I think it’s a lot harder when babies are used to getting the boob, can still smell the boob and yet the boob isn’t being offered. With Dad or non-BF partner it’s not an option full stop, so they tend to settle a bit quicker. We night weaned at 12 months (still breastfeeding morning and bedtime) but my husband went in and my daughter got upset but he cuddled her and after night 3 she got the message that boob is not happening at nighttime. She still wakes overnight a couple of times a week but after night weaning she started sleeping through much more so it’s definitely a positive move towards more sleep for everyone!

@Kristine I ended up giving in and gave the the boob 3 times more last night 😭 I don’t think I can do it! The gentle approach is what I want and we can manage to go the whole day without breastfeeding from distractions definitely but the night it almost seems impossible. She cried for over an hour til she fell asleep but woke up again crying and wanting the boobs, it was 30 mins after her second cry that I just gave in and it’s the only way her and I will get sleep

@Morgan I’m so glad it’s worked for you! When you done this process did she cry throughout the whole night and you just didn’t give in or was she not a night time cryer?

She prefers me over him but when we take turns doing bedtime, he would of course cuddle and rock her to sleep which then she’ll settle without the boob however we are co sleeping and she still wakes up throughout the night crying and wanting the boob. My daughter could cry for hours and hours, she gets real restless when she doesn’t get the boob 😭

We did cold turkey night wean, but she could still BF to sleep and during the day or if sick. We offered her water overnight and we would give her porridge before bed to help her stay full overnight. Dad would cosleep half the time instead of me. After a few months night weaned we weaned in the day by keeping her busy, offering water and snacks. By then she was down to 2-4 feeds a day and she weaned fully in about 2 weeks.

@Amy so i night time weaned around 3 months before i fully stopped. I stopped co sleeping once she was night time weaned. We both started to sleep way better after that. She never cried for it, otherwise i think i would of just given it to her or i'd feel bad. She had a little whinge i think about twice after i had said no finished. I do understand it must be hard if your daughters crying for it. They do seem to adapt quite quickly at this age though 🤞🏼 x

@Amy bless you, it’s so hard, isn’t it. They do recommend to wait until at least 18 months because they can then understand better but every baby is different. I would love to night wean but mine just would cry too, she uses it for comfort. Hang in there, it will get better soon.