Hi again, my name is Savannah McIvor. I am 26 years old and from the good ole state of Alabama. This is my second article for Boobingit. In my last story, my son was 17 months old. Now he’s two, and I wanted to share how I weaned him – in just one day.
Thank you for being here to listen to my story.
A Personal Disclaimer
I want to start off by saying a disclaimer. This method worked for me, but it may or may not work for you. My goal for writing this is to help at least a couple Mamas out there, who may be in the same situation I was in. I seriously thought it would be so hard to stop breastfeeding, because I knew my son had started to mostly use it for comfort.
I remember people always telling me to wean him with juice or milk, but it was never that easy, because he had been drinking out of a cup for well over a year. If you are reading this and have breastfed for a long time, you probably know exactly what I mean.
I remember people always telling me to wean him with juice or milk, but it was never that easy…
Preparing To Wean
It’s been a few months since our breastfeeding journey ended…and I literally weaned him in one day. I started off by telling him that “Mama’s boobies went bye bye”, but he did not understand what I meant so I showed him. I’m sure you’re thinking – showed him what? Well, while he napped, I went to my local Dollar General and bought cabbage and a pack of bandaids. I heard an old wives’ tale that cabbage leaves help with swelling and drying up milk.
I used the bandaids so that if he could see they went “bye bye,” he would understand there was nothing there for him to get. I know that sounds crazy – you’d think he would try to pull them off. He did know they were bandaids, but I bought the waterproof kind that stick to you like creamer in coffee. He looked very confused and of course cried, but as the day went on, I knew I could do it. By this point, he was really only feeding around nap time and bedtime, so I told myself I had to just cut it out, plain and simple.
He asked for it again that day, and he laughed when I said they went bye bye. He even repeated what I said and waved. I thought it would be fine – until bedtime came around. We co-sleep, and he was up all through the night off and on.
Staying Consistent
Fast forward to the next day, I repeated everything I did the first day. I would say second day was hard, but I pushed through it. I knew that it wouldn’t be easy and had already mentally prepared myself. By the end of the first week, he stopped asking for it.
I was starting to get engorged but actually never used the cabbage leaf, because the pain wasn’t any worse than having a toddler on your boob! I continued to use the bandaids, and then by the second week I took them off. I dried up within three weeks, and it was so bittersweet.
Breastfeeding has truly been the coolest, most rewarding journey. I love being a Mama and to be able to exclusively breastfeed for two whole years has been so special.
I love being a Mama and to be able to exclusively breastfeed for two whole years has been so special.
Blocking Out The ‘Noise’ from Others
I do want to rant just for a second, and tell you to not listen to the noise! It could be the constant questions from others asking how long you plan to breastfeed, or unsolicited advice about introducing bottles. It could be that your Aunt Betty Sue only fed her babies for the first six months and thinks everyone else should do the same. People will always have something to say no matter what you do in motherhood, so you do what is best for you and yours.
If you plan on breastfeeding past a year, I can tell you that the first thing people said to me was “you’re STILL breastfeeding him?!” You just have to let that go in one ear and out the other.
In other countries, breastfeeding past the infant stage and into toddlerhood is more normalized. For some odd reason, people in America say “breast is best”, but then judge you for how long you continue breastfeeding for!
Reflecting On Our Journey
I do believe that breastfeeding beyond infancy has alot to do with the comfort and the bond you have built with your child. My little Waylon always fed more when he was sick, which is amazing to know our milk helps them with exactly what they need at that time.
I’ll never forget, in the beginning, I had so many people tell me I need to start using bottles and get him used to that. Do you know how weird it felt? I birthed my baby not even six months ago, and people were already telling me to wean him!
People always have so much to say because of what they did, or because they simply COULD NOT. You need to choose what you want to do, because this is your motherhood. Just keep going and do what feels right for you and your child.
You need to choose what you want to do, because this is your motherhood.
Boobingit disclaimer: This story reflects the personal experience of the author. Weaning methods can vary greatly, and what works for one family may not be suitable for another. If you’re considering weaning and would like tailored, evidence-based guidance, we recommend seeking support from a qualified lactation consultant or healthcare professional.
