Weaning - Need Female Input

[kscarle]

Hello Everyone
I have not been on in a while (we were without a computer a long long time) My daughter has been having some problems weaning that I have never come across before and when I tell you the situation it may seem odd (she will think its funny years later) but she asked for advice and we are close so she doesn't have many friends to ask.

My granddaughter is 14 months old and breastfed. My daughter knew it was the best choice and did not mind the many hours in public bathrooms and such (the baby did not like a blanket over her) however my daughter has been having serious problems. I will not be too gross but she is raw and cut and hurts and she has been on and off creams and many other things to help. The baby bites sometimes (she does get disciplined for it.) the condition of my daughter looks really bad and she has been trying to wean her for nearly 8 months and very seriously for the last 4. Nothing has seemed to work. The doctor says to go cold turkey but she just starved until she had to be taken in for dehydration (more than once) she does sit at table and eat and will drink from a straw (she will not use a bottle because its a foreign object to her) but when she wants to nurse she refuses all else. Again she was adviced by doctor to try to make it distasteful (lemon juice and even some mild hot sauce) still did not work. I am not sure if this is even appropiate to post but perhaps someone has gone through this and can be of help.

[Sister Pamela]

Hello sister, good to see you posting again. In my opinion your daughter should let her baby nurse a while longer. A 14 mo. old baby quite often still needs the security and bonding that nursing provides. Maybe she could give nursing a couple of more months. If her body seems a bit worn out by all this (yes, infants can be tigers!) I suggest she apply cod liver oil before and after nursing. This may sound like a strange ointment but cod liver oil is basically loaded w/vitimen A & D. Both are important for healing. And the baby will not be harm by this oil. I think your daughter will find this very soothing. So my advice is apply the cod liver oil, have bonding time with her little one, relax and have a cup of tea! Maybe baby will be more ready for the big step of weaning before long.
Blessings and prayers,
Sister Pamela Johanna

[kscarle]

She tried but not with much success. I'm just trying to encourage her that the baby will eventually want to be drinking like big people and wean herself. She does actually eat at the table with us though and likes to use straws sometimes. My concern is the physical condition of her skin, as you said they can be little tigers. As far as going a couple of more months It doesn't really seem optional on the weaning because if she doesn't nurse the baby won't eat until then. Thanks for the info.

[Rejoiceevermore]

It might be too late to reply but I'll try anyways. I've nursed my first one until he was three years old and I nursed him through my second pregnancy. For 15 months I nursed two of them and then when my son turned 3 I said you are a big boy now and mommy needs some rest so from now on I will only nurse Anne since he was big boy it wasn't too hard. I still nurse Anne she is 27 months old now and what a joy it is. There were times when I had the same problem as your daughter has now and from time to time I still get really sore but I apply coconut oil and cabbage leaves softened in the hands and do not nurse all day and it sure helps. If a child is begging to nurse during the day I would distract by taking her outside or giving her a bottle with raw milk and push her in a stroller to help her fall asleep. It's not so much that they need milk (I havent had any for 7 month now) as they need us. Hope your daughter is doing better now.

[kscarle]

Actually, something has came up and we have had to hold her down and force a bottle to her until she drank it......She got sick with a virus and my daughter nursed more because of vomiting and diarreah (sorry for being gross) so she started nursing more, however, my daughter started getting sick.......to make a long story short she's pregnant and the nursing may take calcium from the unborn baby so she's limiting it and onle allowing it in brief moments and forcing a bottle when the baby gets stubborn. So far it's worked.

[Tammy]

How are the mama and baby doing?