This post is for my fellow mamas. I posted an update to my weaning journey with Logan on Instagram and was flooded with DM’s. You guys had a ton of questions & I’m beyond happy to help! I take comfort in knowing majority of you are trying to wean your toddlers like myself. Some of you are even expecting your 2nd or 3rd child while weaning! Either way, I’m confident you will find this post especially helpful!
How Did You Know It Was Time To Start Weaning?
Most would think that I was ready to start weaning Logan as soon as I found out I was pregnant. The truth is, I thought my milk would dry up on its own or taste funny to my little guy and he self-wean. That did not happen ladies! My milk dried up on him once during a bedtime feeding but all systems were go again in a few hours.
“I was miserable from the pain and he was miserable from me reducing his feeding time. At that point I said we’re done.”
My nipples were sore from the start of pregnancy but it got pretty painful around 10-11 weeks. I started to dread feeding little man as if he were a newborn all over again. To put things into perspective, my lovely toothless bundle of joy was now a toddler with what felt like piranha teeth gnawing at my flesh. It was painful as hell! Getting him to unlatch was absolute TORTURE! The last night I fed him, he actually cut me. I was miserable from the pain and he was miserable from me reducing his feeding time. At that point I said “we’re done.”
How Did You Wean Him?
Background Info:
Logan will be 22 months old later this month. He is fully vegan & was exclusively breastfed. There was no supplementing other than expressed milk to the bottle for my husband to feed him while I was out and about without him. This was rare!
Around 6/7 months, he decided to go on strike and refused the bottle. My milk stash continued to build so I just used it to manage his eczema.I could be gone for an entire day and he would refuse to eat until I returned. He was also introduced to solids at 5 months and never cared for puréed foods. I always made his food for him. My oldest was the same way with his food preference so things were easy in that sense.
What Did We Try?
Needless to say, putting my milk in his cup to wean him was not an option. We tried for weeks but we were not successful. I even tried plant-based milks like cashew milk, almond milk and oat milk with a dash of organic Ceylon cinnamon in his cup. He loves cinnamon so I figured it would work like a charm. NOPE! He would just throw the cup aside and drink his water instead. Next, we tried smoothies for breakfast. I found 1 or 2 recipes that he liked but it lasted for about 2 weeks and then he rejected it. I even tried putting aloe on my nipples because it has a bitter taste. NOPE, he still nursed like it didn’t exist!
Listen To Your Kid (My “Ah Ha” Moment)
After about a month of constant rejections it dawned on me. I was so caught up with trying to give Logan a supplement to breast milk but I was giving him the wrong kind of supplement. Through rejecting the bottle at 6/7 months and holding out until I got home to feed, he already told me what he wanted. If he couldn’t have my milk, he didn’t want any milk at all. EUREEKA!! At that time I had already introduced him to solids and he had NO ISSUE with it. So, I went back to basics and started giving him more nutrient dense foods to supplement while weaning.
“Through rejecting the bottle at 6/7 months and holding out until I got home to feed, he already told me what he wanted. If he couldn’t have my milk, he didn’t want any milk at all.”
Listed below is Logan’s routine when we were able to get him down to 2 feedings a day, morning and evening. The times are meant as an estimate and not written in stone:
Breakfast 1 @7:30am-8:30am: Fresh fruit or dry non-GMO “Cheerios”. (Trader Joe’s O’s)
Breakfast 2 @10:00am-11:00am:Homemade Vegan Oatmeal Chia Seed Pancakes or homemade oatmeal (flaxseed meal, rolled oats, chia seeds, almond butter and fruit of choice blended & topped with granola)
- A recent fave breakfast option of his has been sprouted flax granola with OATLY Oat Milk. I just add a dash of Ceylon cinnamon and chia seeds for a flavor and nutrition boost.
- Regardless of breakfast option, Logan hydrates with water constantly throughout the morning which also helps!
Snack 1 @1:00pm-1:30pm: Fresh organic fruit or plant-based cheese (we love the brand Follow Your Heart). Sometimes we’ll pair the two together.
Lunch @2:00pm: Loaded veggies served over brown or white (jasmine) rice. Veggies will vary from stews like chickpea stew, sweet potato black bean chili to mixed raw or sautéed veggies like broccoli, squash, zucchini, eggplant, kale, spinach, carrot, chickpea, lentils, beans, sweet potato the list goes on.
Nap time @3/3:30pm until 6:00
Snack 2: @As soon as he wakes up–Fresh organic fruit & gluten-free multigrain crackers
Dinner: @8pm Usually the same as lunch.
**Evening Snack: @9:45pm Sprouted Cinnamon Flax Granola w/OATLY Oat Milk. He only gets this option now that he’s fully weaned. It helps him to sleep through the night big time!**
Bedtime: @10pm
** UPDATE** He has stopped snacking before bed and is sleeping through the night just fine! He is now in bed by 9pm.
A Couple of Quick + Important Notes:
Logan has 2 breakfasts most mornings: The 1st when he initially gets up (usually the lighter option like fruit or dry cereal and water). The 2nd is usually the heavier option. I tried giving him his breakfast options reverse but he responds better to the routine above. At lunch and dinner I usually serve him more veggies than rice so he’s getting the nutrients from that versus the rice. I never shy away from giving him seconds if he wants and I don’t measure serving size. While weaning I think it’s more important to follow your child’s hunger cues rather than worry about serving size. They’re giving up our milk which was their main source of nourishment. Let’s be real, who can really measure how much breast milk our LO’s get from us when they don’t use bottles? It’ll take some time but they eventually find a rhythm and communicate to you when they’re satisfied.
Closing Tips:
This Will Be a Gradual Process!
Don’t try to rush the process. I was so frustrated that I wanted to be finished with weaning yesterday! Big mistake. Patience and following my little guy’s readiness made it slightly longer than I wanted but easier on BOTH of us. I tried to eliminate the morning feedings 1st and when that didn’t work I went for the evening feedings. That didn’t work either. At the time, I didn’t realize for every feeding I removed, I needed to provide a supplement. Eventually we were able to eliminate feedings during the day easier.
There will be setbacks..and that’s OK!
We encountered at a setback for each aspect of weaning. Don’t get discouraged! Just keep going. You both will get there!
You Don’t Have To Give Milk As A Supplement During or After Weaning
The crucial aspect of our weaning journey was realizing that my little guy didn’t HAVE to have milk as a supplement. As long as they have a nutrient dense + balanced diet you’re good to go. They don’t have to be vegan either. Do what works best for them! Once I realized this we started to make REAL progress with weaning!
You Will Embark On A New Journey of Bonding
Logan and I are now embarking on a new journey of bonding and closeness. I never thought this would happen! There are so many random hugs and kisses that my heart is super full. He can even lay next to me and relax while watching his favorite shows without trying to rip my shirt off for milk! There are moments when he’ll want to nurse. I’m getting better as saying no and he’s getting better at understanding that he can self soothe.
Mamas, thank you so much for reaching out with your questions on Instagram! If you have any questions please comment below! Let’s get a chat going, share our experiences and uplift one another through what can be a very trying period.
Until Next Time,
