RE: when do they typically self-wean?
>It is VERY unusual for a baby to self wean before 18-24
>months. Many experts suspect if left to their own choices
>most children wouldn't wean until 2-3 years old.
This is so incredibly untrue, and leaves so many moms feeling guilty because their babies self-wean before age 2. A good friend of mine who is a lactation consultant has two children, and they both self-weaned at 10 months. Colin self-weaned by 19 months. I am part of a huge bf'ing board where many mommies have experienced self-weaning well before 18-24 months.
It sounds to me like Lil Bit is reverse cycling. She's not nursing less, she's nursing in a different pattern (more at night, less during the day) because you are so busy right now. Plus, this is an age where they get so distracted and less interested in nursing during the day in general. Once things settle down, you'll probably get her to shift her nursing back to the daylight hours again.
Single mom to
DS ("twice exceptional") - September 2002
DS - February 2006
DD - July 2009
DD - July 2009