Hi Richa!

I didn’t have a plan either at first. I had no idea what I was doing, I just sort of made it up as I went along. Many people drop the night feed first, but my daughter was way too attached to that one so I had to work my way up to it. Every mama, child, and situation is different… we just do the best we can with each moment that passes and know that everything will work out. I’m glad that my story has inspired you. I hope it equips you to find your own way when and if you ever breastfeed another child. 🙂

I had no idea we were going to make it to three when my daughter was born. I was honestly hoping to get to one while having the goal of reaching 2. Once she was 18 months old I knew we would make it, but then wondered how she would ever stop! Who knows what would have happened if I didn’t start limiting her feeds and slowly dropping them one by one. I’m pretty sure she would still be feeding several times per day. Allowing her to self-wean was what I wanted, but it just didn’t work out that way. I am glad that we brought it to a close on her third birthday. I was sad, but I am enjoying the freedom after three long years.

It seemed as if my child was never going to wean herself either, that’s why I ended up urging her along. It started to feel like I was doing her a disservice by allowing her to continue. She was starting to seem overly attached to my breasts. Although I really miss that aspect of our relationship, I am happy with my choice.

Thanks Megan. It was hard and easy at the same time. It really is a mixed bag. One side of me wanted it to be over, while the other side wanted our nursing relationship to continue. At the end of the day it was up to me. She would have continued to nurse. I choose to end it because I felt that we would both benefit in the long run. The older she got, the more I questioned whether it was a good idea to continue. I am happy with my choice, but I still feel a sense of sadness for the loss of that special bond.

I’m so glad this helped you Ashley. It doesn’t have to be over at three unless that is what you and your daughter decide to do. Every nursing relationship is different, and there are no hard and fast rules. Using the countdown calendar really helped my daughter prepare to drop her last feedings. I can’t recommend it highly enough.