Weaning After 12 Months and Milk Supply

Mine started with the yoga and teeth at 11 months . I wanted to be done by one year so I started skipping the noon feeding and eventually the bedtime and finally the morning one. I had oversupply at first and found that my supply went down FAST just eliminating the afternoon feeding. I think that in general he was just already eating less at 11 months than he did as a newborn. So, when I took out the feeding, it was even less demand on the breast and it just made less milk.
If you had undersupply in the past, you could very well have undersupply or faster weaning if you skip a whole day. Maybe just skip a feeding if you want to keep going? My little sister had undersupply but exclusively bf for 6 months and is still feeding her almost 3 year old. She cut down to before nap and before bedtime. She didn't lose her supply.

If she is causing you pain you need to take her off and tell her "no bite" or "gentle". If she wants to nurse then she needs to learn and use nursing manners. This is pretty easy to do. She wants to nurse so she will stop the behaviors that are causing you issues as long as you are consistent in telling her.

Mine wouldn't have tolerated a day off at a year old if I were with them. But I also taught mine nursing manners very early on when they would nip as they were starting to teethe.

She is old enough to start teaching nursing manners... such as "No, that hurts Mommy", "Stop, no biting", and soon she can also learn "Wait" and "When we get home".

If you want more indepth knowledge on how to teach her - PM me.

The less you allow her to nurse on demand, the more milk supply issues you will have. Your body needs her to stimulate it in order to know how much milk is needed to be produced. When you skip a feeding or two - you are falsely telling your body that she needs less. This will cause you even more issues.

Every Mother, even staunch breastfeeding advocates such as myself, have had multiple times when we are just tired of nursing- but if you allow yourself to relax and get thru it, the feelings will usually quickly pass.

If you skip feedings, it will affect your milk supply.

Now, both my kids self-weaned. This is not for everyone.
My daughter self-weaned at about 2.5 years old.
My son at about 1 year old.
BUT... I taught my daughter (since she was older) about manners. Do NOT hurt Mommy during nursing, do not just lift up my shirt, to ask nicely, NEVER in public, only at home etc.
When/if my daughter asked.... I would sometimes say "In a minute, Mommy is busy now..." and then I would not sit down. I was busy. And then she'd forget about it.

NOW... the main thing as well is: if your baby is not getting breastmilk... IS SHE, on whole milk????
What will she then, have?
A child from 1-2 years old, is recommended to have whole milk. Because the 'milk fats' in it is crucial for brain development.

So, what else, will be be drinking????

You said you are really not ready to stop. But you are tired of it.
That happens.
I was like that too... but I personally, wanted to and chose to, allow my kids to self-wean.
They are healthy kids and grew like weeds.
And sure, by that age they were on solids and whole milk, too.

Anyway, every woman is different.

Thank you for sharing. My daughter will be 15 months (this month) she too does yoga on the boob & bites every now & then. I no longer pump at work I feed her as soon as I get home. I'm trying to wean but I don't know what to do at night time- she crys for the boob. Also as soon as I get home straight to the boob no kiss for mommy :/

Please let me know what works for you
Tiara

You will need to pump if you don't nurse if you are like me. I couldn't go a full day without exploding and frankly it was a relief to have my LO drink since pumping wasn't as efficient as she was =)

One day should affect your supply (other than the overload).

My son and I had serious nursing issues, and I always had supply issues, but I nursed until he was 2. At around 18 months he went from about 5 feedings a day, to no more than 3. I really doubt he was getting much milk at that point, but he would still nurse and get some. Once you get past the point that breastmilk is their main meal, your supply doesn't matter as much. If you nurse less, it will go down, but you can still continue nursing, and you will have milk. Skipping a day won't be a big deal, as long as she doesn't mind, although I think skipping a normal nursing session makes more sense then a whole day. You also may have a lot of catch up nursing the next few days if she does want more milk, if you skip a day. Your supply is constantly changing anyway, but as she drinks less, it will go down. If she gets sick or something and nurses more, it will go back up. I don't think you can mess this up, just let it happen and see where it goes.