If someone told me, during those early newborn months, that I would breastfeed Julia until she was 16 months old, I would have cried. I know the tears would’ve fallen, because hearing that would have felt like a horribly cruel joke. Our journey was so rough at the beginning that I’m still shocked we made it this far.

I wanted to talk about this earlier, but it would’ve meant saying that I was pregnant, and I wasn’t ready to let that cat out of the bag quite yet. I’m not sure being pregnant was the reason she stopped breastfeeding, but I definitely think it contributed to her weaning.


When she turned one, I introduced whole cow’s milk and gave it to her in a straw cup after she woke up and after she nursed. Little by little, I started offering the cow’s milk before I nursed her, and little by little, she stopped asking to breastfeed after those naps. She was too interested in playing instead of nursing—who can blame her? Toys are fun!

I was 10 weeks into my pregnancy, and Lil’ Bunny was 16 months, when—out of the blue—she didn’t ask to nurse at night for the first time ever. I knew that was the beginning of the end.

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She would take a bottle at night with around 4 ounces of cow’s milk, and then I’d always offer her “milk” (she used the sign for it when she wanted to nurse) before bed, but once she started to self wean, I stopped offering. When she realized I wasn’t offering, she started asking for it (making the sign and practically pulling down my shirt), so I’d oblige. But that night, she wanted to read a book instead. So we read a book, and then I waited….and waited, internally begging her to ask for her milk. She never did, so I put her down in the crib, said, “night night,” and hopped on Twitter to share my woes. (I would have talked to my husband, but since he’s away, my online friends were there to console me.)

She asked for “milk” a few times here and there after that first night, but I knew she was just comfort nursing at that point. It started feeling absolutely different and hurt a little, to be honest, so I didn’t let her stay on for too long.

From the time she didn’t ask for “milk” that first night, it took about two weeks before she dropped nursing all together. I noticed that she would ask for it when we were in crowds or in a new place (I’m guessing where she felt uncomfortable), because she would climb up on me and beg me to nurse, and then only latch on for about 10 seconds. I read that nursing (especially when they’re toddlers) is their way to reconnect, so that makes sense to me that she would ask for it then.

I’m really thankful it ended this way. I was worried about how she would wean—and honestly thought she would breastfeed forever with the way she was attached to it, but the weaning process ended up being natural and she initiated it, which is exactly what I wanted. I wouldn’t have had any issue tandem nursing once the new baby arrived, but I think this will make things much, much easier in the long run.

I’m also curious how this next bout with breastfeeding will go. I have a list of things I’d like to do different, and I’ve heard that each baby is different (and that goes for milk production as well), so this should be interesting. All I know is that if I made it this far, I can most certainly do it again!

I will always treasure the breastfeeding relationship we had, even the rocky beginning. I’ll never forget the way her big blue/gray/hazel/brown eyes (they’re still changing) looked up at me while she nursed. Or the way her little body curled up and fit perfectly in my arms and along my body—the stretched-marked body that helped keep her safe for 41 weeks, and then continued to help her grow once she was born. I love that breastfeeding was my magic weapon to help comfort her at a moment’s notice, and sometimes get her to fall asleep.

Breastfeeding, as they say, is one of the most natural things a woman can do. While it certainly didn’t feel anywhere near natural at the beginning, I can safely say that it was one of the most amazing things I’ve ever experienced and I really can’t wait to do it again.

Do you have a weaning story? I’d love to hear about your process!

*Pictures courtesy of Two Chics Photography