Anonymous wrote:My one year old loved mustard on his food so i dont think that would have worked for us.

LOL

OP all of these people who think this idea is crazy obviously haven't struggled a ton with weaning. I actually never did this, but I did think about putting band aids on for awhi/bc I had a friend who swore it worked. I did, make nursing "times" and stuck to those and there were a LOT of tears when I cut down on sessions. I went down to 1 session, the one he was most attached to at 18 months and that was hell switching from 2 to 1 since he cried for 2 months. Then, at age 2 I took out the last session and he was sad and asked for a few months, but not devastated like at 18 months. So I'd say cut out as many as you can without feeling like it is devastating and then wait until closer to 2, when they are more likely to give it up with less of a fight.

My one year old loved mustard on his food so i dont think that would have worked for us.

I prefer hot horseradish.

Anonymous wrote:No, you don't use mustard. That's cruel and stupid. Are you insane? Is this how you treat a baby? Putting mustard in his mouth?

I was also thinking about how much the mustard would burn my nipples!

bump

Good advice PP's. Also, no way I'm putting mustard on my nips.

I think if the child is really attached to nursing especially, making a comforting and "safe" place suddenly jarring and unpleasant could be damaging. That said, I know that many cultures have traditionally done this to wean, so you wouldn't be the first. I think I'd try other measures first. I'm still nursing a two year old, but probably around 18 months I was able to nearly always defer the nursing to "not now, we will nurse at home." Had I wanted to, I could have probably cut the nursing sessions to only those at night (we nursed to sleep). I know that all children are different, but my son was a MAJOR nursing junkie too, so that may give you hope. If you can start saying "we will nurse in an hour" and getting your child used to you putting limits on it, weaning should be pretty simple from there. (That actually is a step of weaning when you ask the child to wait).

Good luck!

It's pretty common in some societies to put disgusting substances on the nipple to try to wean babies. Personally, with a toddler I feel that it's kind of a cop-out and also that it probably won't discourage avid nursers. Most toddlers are capable of understanding, "You can nurse later, ____s (whatever you call your breasts) are sleeping right now." And cut out nursing sessions that way. If you get a lot of protest, another time-honored solution is making your breasts unavailable (covering them up very well when you're around your toddler, and trying not to be around him for longer and longer weaning periods-- in our family an older female relative would come and create lots of fun times for the toddler away from mama for the weaning period).

You may get tears, and it's hard, but I kind of feel that the parents who have to put mustard on their breasts because they can't bear telling a toddler "no, not right now" (why put him to the breast if you don't want him to nurse???) are sending mixed disciplinary signals...no, the mustard itself is not the end of the world, but it's worth examining whether you're ready to wean right now if you do feel so guilty just saying "no."

(FWIW it became much easier for me and my DD around 18 months.)

Anonymous wrote:No, you don't use mustard. That's cruel and stupid. Are you insane? Is this how you treat a baby? Putting mustard in his mouth?

You cut down the time and place of nursing. You distract and offer alternatives. You soothe and you perhaps wait a month or two.

I have trouble believing this question is real.

I have trouble believing your reaction is real. It's a 16 month old, it's eating real food that is hopefully seasoned, perhaps with mustard! Simma down nah!

No, you don't use mustard. That's cruel and stupid. Are you insane? Is this how you treat a baby? Putting mustard in his mouth?

Hysterical much? Jesus, it isn't like she's suggesting putting something poisonous on her boobs.

OP- putting a bitter substance on the nipples is a traditional weaning method that was suggested to me when it became clear that my 3 YO had no intention of weaning. I tried putting soap on my nipples, but it had no effect on him at all.

If I were you, I would try it along with some of the other weaning methods suggested here. My son finally got with the weaning program when he was closer to 4.

Agreed with PPs, that's really cruel. Jack Newman's website and KellyMom both offer advice on how to gently wean a toddler. Summariing a few tips
1. Drop one nursing session at a time, starting with the least important and saving the most valued one for last.
2. Decrease the time of that session incrementally. Give him a countdown "No more nurse when we reach one [count down from 10]..... bye bye nurse." He may still cry but will slowly begin to understand. You can literally decrease it to 3-5seconds before just eliminating that session.
3. Make sure you do offer lots of cuddles, fun and other ways to bond and spend time together.
4. If there's a favorite "nursing spot", try to avoid it during times that you usually nurse.
5. It sounds stupid, but don't walk naked around your LO for a while. When I get out of the shower my 19mo old begins to shout "nurse! nurse!" Getting my bra on quickly helps that.

Good luck.
Signed,
A mom who will be weaning a dedicated nurser this fall as well

No, you don't use mustard. That's cruel and stupid. Are you insane? Is this how you treat a baby? Putting mustard in his mouth?

You cut down the time and place of nursing. You distract and offer alternatives. You soothe and you perhaps wait a month or two.

I have trouble believing this question is real.

How often are you BF?

Just cut on the sessions. At this age we were doing just morning and evening. I would cut 1 minute a day for 15 days.

Now, she's 15 months she'll eventually ask for it using words. I let her suck on my nipples and she feels awkward, it's so cute. She smiles and blushes and runs away from me.

My MIL says that her mother put mustard on her nipples to wean the kids off of breast. I dismissed at the time, but now that he is 16 months and boob OBSESSED, I am desperate for a solution. I thought a time would come when he would self-wean, but I am now convinced that he is and will always be a boob man.

Seriously, I work a demanding job and I know he probably uses this time to bond and be close to his mama, but I am ready for it to come to an end.

Help. Tell me how you did it.