Question for a friend of mine.

[Guest guest]

She needs to call the 800 number. I can easily understand why an LLL leader

with a child with autism might not return a call. Probably too much to do.

But she can talk to me.

It is my opinion (you can share this with her) that children wean. Period.

Putter is as autistic as all get-out and yet he is weaning right on schedule

with my other kids.

Of course, nursing until seven may not be on her agenda and it should not

have to be. But I gave Putter every opportunity to form a rigid routine and

he is still weaning....or weaned. So she should take comfort from that.

I am very willing to talk to her.

She can wean her son if she wants. It will be an effort and she needs to be

prepared for that, but it CAN be done, lovingly and successfully.

Salli

[Guest guest]

Salli is the one you want to talk with although there are others on the list

that have breastfeed and may have suggestions.

I weaned at 12 months which was before she was autistic so I don't have

any suggestions.

[Guest guest]

Salli is the one you want to talk with although there are others on the list

that have breastfeed and may have suggestions.

I weaned at 12 months which was before she was autistic so I don't have

any suggestions.

[Guest guest]

I have a friend, who is not on the internet (yes, I do have some real

life friends surprisingly). Anyways, she has an almost 3 year old son

with PDD-NOS. She's breastfeeding but would like to start weaning him

in the near future. I think she'd particularly like to stop the

nighttime nursing. Eli still doesn't sleep through the night and wants

to nurse when he wakes up.

She tried talking to her local La Leche League but there was no one with

experience in dealing with spectrum children and weaning.

I remembered some people here mentioning that they breastfed (and

someone said they were part of LLL). I told my friend that I would post

here and ask if anyone had tips for her as she approaches this. Eli

uses some language, is making basic sentences with PECS, he can be rigid

in his routines (like any of our kids aren't), and he is a somewhat

anxious child.

How did you wean your spectrum children? Is there a better way for her

to approach this?

If you need any more information than that, please let me know. I'll

ask her whatever questions you might have. I'm planning on printing out

your responses and giving them to her when I see her at preschool. (Eli

is Jordan's buddy at school).

Thanks so much,

Debbie with twins

- Jordan (ASD) 2.5yo

- (NT) 2.5yo

[Guest guest]

>

> How did you wean your spectrum children? Is there a better way for her

> to approach this?

>

>

La Leche League International has a list of leaders who have experience

dealing with autism which, generally means that they have children on the

spectrum. I called up ALL those leaders when Putter was first dx'ed.

Your friend is welcome to call me although, um, hmm, well, you know I never

weaned spectrum children. Never weaned children period. Spectrum and

non-spectrum they all weaned themselves at seven (Putter seems to be

following that trend).

Robbie is the only exception since he is still just four.

But I can talk about it! And I have no personal interest whatsoever in how

long she nurses her son. I would be happy to give her weaning information

and advice. Also I am moderator of a list which I ignore for the most part;

it is on Yahoo and it is called BreastfeedSpecialNeeds. She can go and ask

there as a fair number of the moms have autistic kids.

Salli

[Guest guest]

>

> How did you wean your spectrum children? Is there a better way for her

> to approach this?

>

>

La Leche League International has a list of leaders who have experience

dealing with autism which, generally means that they have children on the

spectrum. I called up ALL those leaders when Putter was first dx'ed.

Your friend is welcome to call me although, um, hmm, well, you know I never

weaned spectrum children. Never weaned children period. Spectrum and

non-spectrum they all weaned themselves at seven (Putter seems to be

following that trend).

Robbie is the only exception since he is still just four.

But I can talk about it! And I have no personal interest whatsoever in how

long she nurses her son. I would be happy to give her weaning information

and advice. Also I am moderator of a list which I ignore for the most part;

it is on Yahoo and it is called BreastfeedSpecialNeeds. She can go and ask

there as a fair number of the moms have autistic kids.

Salli

[Guest guest]

>

> How did you wean your spectrum children? Is there a better way for her

> to approach this?

>

>

La Leche League International has a list of leaders who have experience

dealing with autism which, generally means that they have children on the

spectrum. I called up ALL those leaders when Putter was first dx'ed.

Your friend is welcome to call me although, um, hmm, well, you know I never

weaned spectrum children. Never weaned children period. Spectrum and

non-spectrum they all weaned themselves at seven (Putter seems to be

following that trend).

Robbie is the only exception since he is still just four.

But I can talk about it! And I have no personal interest whatsoever in how

long she nurses her son. I would be happy to give her weaning information

and advice. Also I am moderator of a list which I ignore for the most part;

it is on Yahoo and it is called BreastfeedSpecialNeeds. She can go and ask

there as a fair number of the moms have autistic kids.

Salli

[Guest guest]

Well she did call her local LLL. There was one person listed (in the

area I suppose?) that had autism by her name. My friend's support

person tried to contact this woman and never got a reply back. So the

support person told my friend to consider it a dead lead. Apparently

there was no one else listed as having experience with autism.

I don't know anything about LLL or breastfeeding children, spectrum or

not. So I wasn't much help to her.

She did say she was willing to continue breastfeeding her son until he

was older. But I think she's worried about creating a rigid ritual with

her son and that weaning will be worse later than sooner. I also know

that she's doing the sleep deprivation thing because her son is waking

up at night and wants to nurse to get back to sleep. I guess she'd like

to find another way for her son to comfort himself and get back to

sleep?

Or maybe she just needs reassurance that he's not " too old " to be

breastfeeding now. And that he *will* wean himself naturally when he no

longer needs it?

I can ask her what help she thinks she needs.

Salli, is there a LLL list that expands beyond the local area? Maybe

she needs to expand her search for help?

I'd tell her to look online, but she's not on the internet at all

really.

Debbie with twins, who has no idea what she's talking about but really

wanted to help support a troubled friend.

- Jordan (ASD) 2.5yo

- (NT) 2.5yo

Re: Question for a friend of mine.

>

> How did you wean your spectrum children? Is there a better way for

her

> to approach this?

>

>

La Leche League International has a list of leaders who have experience

dealing with autism which, generally means that they have children on

the

spectrum. I called up ALL those leaders when Putter was first dx'ed.

Your friend is welcome to call me although, um, hmm, well, you know I

never

weaned spectrum children. Never weaned children period. Spectrum and

non-spectrum they all weaned themselves at seven (Putter seems to be

following that trend).

Robbie is the only exception since he is still just four.

But I can talk about it! And I have no personal interest whatsoever in

how

long she nurses her son. I would be happy to give her weaning

information

and advice. Also I am moderator of a list which I ignore for the most

part;

it is on Yahoo and it is called BreastfeedSpecialNeeds. She can go and

ask

there as a fair number of the moms have autistic kids.

Salli

[Guest guest]

> > How did you wean your spectrum children? Is there a better way

for her

> > to approach this?

> >

I have never weaned my children. As they get older I have told them

not now, and insist they wait until we are home, or I am done

cooking, etc. Mostly mine have chosen to wean around four and a

half, except Gail who could not stand to be held as an infant and

found the whole nursing thing just too too much to bear. She self

weaned by four months despite my incredibly diligent efforts.

Sorry. Don't suppose that was much help at all.

[Guest guest]

> > How did you wean your spectrum children? Is there a better way

for her

> > to approach this?

> >

I have never weaned my children. As they get older I have told them

not now, and insist they wait until we are home, or I am done

cooking, etc. Mostly mine have chosen to wean around four and a

half, except Gail who could not stand to be held as an infant and

found the whole nursing thing just too too much to bear. She self

weaned by four months despite my incredibly diligent efforts.

Sorry. Don't suppose that was much help at all.

[Guest guest]

> > How did you wean your spectrum children? Is there a better way

for her

> > to approach this?

> >

I have never weaned my children. As they get older I have told them

not now, and insist they wait until we are home, or I am done

cooking, etc. Mostly mine have chosen to wean around four and a

half, except Gail who could not stand to be held as an infant and

found the whole nursing thing just too too much to bear. She self

weaned by four months despite my incredibly diligent efforts.

Sorry. Don't suppose that was much help at all.