Night Weaning
I’ve followed a very attachment-focused approach with my almost 16-month-old — breastfeeding on demand, feeding to sleep, cosleeping, responding to every wake, no sleep training, no CIO. And honestly, for a long time, it felt right for us.
But lately… I’ve been feeling deeply touched out.
She was waking multiple times a night just to nurse back to sleep, sometimes staying latched for long stretches, and I started feeling exhausted, overstimulated, and honestly a bit depleted as a person. I reached a point where I dreaded nighttime.
Last night, I decided to try gently night weaning — not through sleep training, but by staying with her, rocking, walking, talking to her, and supporting her through the wakes without nursing.
To my surprise, she handled it much better than I expected. She still woke up, but she accepted comfort in other ways. I eventually gave one early morning feed around 5:30 AM.
Today I already feel a little lighter mentally, which makes me realize how touched out I had become.
I think I’m struggling emotionally with this transition because breastfeeding has been such a huge part of our bond and parenting journey. Part of me wonders if keeping one feed a day (morning or bedtime) might feel more balanced than stopping entirely.
Any attachment-oriented moms who’ve gone through this around 15–18 months? Did you keep one feed? Fully wean? Did your toddler adjust better than you expected?