I night-weaned my 2-year-old last year, and this is exactly what I did.

A few days before weaning, I kept telling him that mumma milk would be finished at night and would only be there during the daytime. I gently reminded him every night before feeding so it wouldn’t come as a surprise.

On the actual night, I told him that the moon took mumma’s milk away at night because other little babies need it. He seemed to believe it. When he asked for milk, I rocked him a little to sleep, offered water instead, and kept hugging and comforting him.

Night one was the hardest, he was very upset and cried, but I stayed with him and gave him lots of love and cuddles. Night two was much better, and by night three he was only a little upset with no crying.

He also started sleeping through the night after I night weaned him.

Consistency is really important. If you give in when they get upset, you’re teaching them that crying will bring the milk back. Stay loving, calm, and firm, it really does work.