Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Age or Ability Specific Forums Pre-school Weaning my gifted 2 year old

Just want to say (confirming what others have said) that you should do what you feel comfortable with. My DS weaned at 3.2 months - he probably would have happily gone on for another few months but I was done at that point -like many relationships it is give and take and involves 2 parties. We nightweaned him at 2.5 years (which was yucky and painful but necessary for us due to sleep deprivation) and we used a trip to Disneyworld to help us wean (he was so tired and happy from seeing things he kind of forgot about it) - we were down to only before nap and bedtime so it worked for us.

The point is, do what works for you and don't worry about what anyone else thinks, does, etc!

I never would have been able to follow the advice above if not for some ground breaking women who counseled me (my aunt and mother in law) who nursed back in the day when most didn't (my aunt's doctor told her that her breasts were too small to feed her son with initially!) and told me that every child was different and to follow the child. Thank goodness for that advice.

I do think gifted kids are different and I am not shocked that so many G/T kids were extended breastfed - it just makes sense to me. I would love to see a study on this!

Good luck! Cat

Aline and intparent my arm is waving madly in the air.

DD never had issues but DS co-slept until about 8.


That's it exactly, I'd even say about the same time too! It never worried me either but as you say I didn't exactly go around telling people about it.

I think that's really the key: you have to be ready to do whatever it takes. I think a lot of people have great suggestions here -- particularly those that involve distractions, lots of cuddling, and the substitution of new routines -- but you just have to be sure, within yourself, that it's time. It's kind of like anything hard, such as losing weight. When you are truly ready, you will be willing to stick to your guns and follow through with the weaning. At that point, it will happen.

V just turned 20 mths this week, and is still nursing 6x a day. I've always said I would wean at 2 yo, but I'm worried that I'm just feeling social pressure! This thread has been very encouraging to me, whatever V and I decide to do, so thanks for posting about this issue!

My DD now 12 nursed till she was almost 4 1/2. I originally thought I would quit at 2 or that we would quit at 2. At 2 the playgroup got ROTO (not sure how to spell it) virus and everyone was very sick! At the time they had stopped giving the vacine for some reason. Anyways of the 13 or so kids, the ones that were nursing stayed out of the hospital and the other kids ended up with dehydration. One parent happened to be nursing a wee baby and her I think he was three or so weaned toddler took it back up again so he did not end up needing to go to the hospital. That was a deciding factor for me and let her nurse till she was done. Solstice of her fourth year we built a bon fire with a bunch of people and wrote things on birch bark to burn what we were ready to let go of. She put nursing on hers... I kinda dropped my jaw as I was surprised. I mean I knew it was coming but there it was...