Monday 25 May 2015

Tips on Weaning off the big girl

15/5/2015 The day that I decided to wean her off.

Today is the second week that I trained Amna to stop breastfeeding. At the age of 2 years and a month, finally, she stop glued to mama. But I miss staring in her eyes,I miss talking to her and I miss hearing her say 'sedap mama'. Oh Lord,  I miss her so much! she even name it as 'dude'.



my girl


When I was pregnant with Ammar, I ignore those voice that want me to stop bf her. She was only 7 months backthen. And I don't have any complication to restrict me from giving her breastmilk. Although, my supply went down, it doesn't stop her from finding her comfort zone. By the way, I'm not exclusively breastfeed her. But she constantly glued to her 'dude'.When her baby brother arrive, she get more milk supply which impossible to stop her. I once try to stop her from bf , she cry her lung out. But then, I gave in because I miss her so much. Failed miserable.


I google so many tips to weaning off a baby. It required : Strong heart. Something that I lack off. Well, how could you say no to your baby, right.
So, on that Friday night, it came in an instant. I make a decision to stop her no matter what. Talk about determination.
The first night, she wakes up and asked for 'dude'. I said, she already a big girl and asked her to sleep back. She cried of course. I hold her, hug and tell her that Mama loves her so much. In a second, she was calm down and sleep on my shoulder. She sleep through the night but again wakes up at dawn, which not so hard to put her to sleep again. I felt a bit relieve. On Saturday morning, she asked but I constantly said, she is a big girl already. Husband was really helpful but sometimes, ada jugak la dia mengalah. Haha.

I was so pissed off when he wanted to give up and asked me to continue bf her when she was out of control. I said, he will have to be responsible if he refuse to support me because all my hard effort was wasted. He then agree. There are times when she miss it, mostly when she wanted to sleep. During day, she played and eat, and played with her abah. I can see that, she turn from her comfort zone by eating so much and watched cartoon. For the time being, I'll let her watched cartoon more than her normal time.

The most heartbreaking scene for now is on the second night, she wailed her hand while saying 'jangan mama, jangan' and cry bucket. While I was constantly telling her she is a big girl, she kept repeated that she is a big girl like a mantra and mumbling in her language. It was so hard to stay stronger when you just want to gave in in any minute. The thing that stop me is, she is a big girl and I'm so tired tandem them. But it was harder on her because she saw her baby brother happily sucking while she had to stop. Like you has to stop on something that you were really fond but seeing it constantly on your face.

By the third day, it turns out okay but it was not ok for me. After fetching them from their babysitter's house, she whispered in a naughty voice, asking for her 'dude'. At that time, I was like giving up. She was mesmerized, and look at me in confusion. Haha..But then, I stop and played with her. There are time when she came and asked, but when I say no, she just continue playing and don't mind either.

So the tips to stop this big girl is constantly/repeating saying she is a big girl. Don't scream, don't push, don't mad at her. But saying mama love her so much, indeed calm her. And it takes cooperation and great effort from the husband. I choose the weekend, because he will be home all the times. So when she was coming for her 'dude', my husband will distract her and give her milk, played with her. Most important, he will soother her to sleep. Since then, she was okay. She can survive. It was no guarantee that she'll forget but I can see an improvement in her. it may takes longer times because she saw her brother latch all the times but Alhamdulillah. I prayed that Allah will grant Amna patience and make her stronger each day. Not for the my sake but for her. Mama can't stand watching you cry, baby.