At 20 months, frequent waking every 30 minutes both day and night is usually more than simply “needing breastfeeding.” Breastfeeding has probably become a sleep association—the child needs the breast to fall back asleep between normal sleep cycles.
A practical way to wean
Don’t stop abruptly. Use a gradual 2–3 week approach.
1. Start with daytime feeds
* Stop one feed at a time, preferably the least important feed.
* Replace it with food, water, cuddling, play or another activity.
* After 3–4 days, remove the next feed.
2. Break the “breast → sleep” association
For naps and bedtime, change the sequence to:
Dinner → bath → pajamas → story/song → cuddling → sleep
Try to keep breastfeeding 20–30 minutes before putting him to bed rather than feeding until asleep.
3. Night waking
This is the key issue. Choose a consistent approach:
* For the first few nights, when he wakes, comfort him without immediately breastfeeding.
* Pat/rock/cuddle, offer a little water if appropriate.
* If he strongly protests, you can breastfeed briefly, but gradually shorten the duration.
* Then progressively increase the interval before offering breastfeeding.
A partner can sometimes settle him at night more successfully because he doesn’t associate them with breastfeeding.
4. Expect protest
Crying/protesting for several nights is common. It doesn’t mean the child is being harmed, provided you remain responsive and reassuring. Consistency is much more important than doing it perfectly.
Next Steps
About the waking every 30 minutes
I would not assume this is purely behavioral without assessing the child. Ask about:
* Snoring or mouth breathing
* Pauses/gasping during sleep
* Very restless sleep
* Enlarged tonsils/adenoids
* Nasal obstruction
* Eczema/itching
* Reflux or chronic cough
* Iron deficiency/restless sleep
* Excessive daytime sleepiness or behavioral problems
Health Tips
At 20 months, complete weaning is not medically mandatory. WHO recommends breastfeeding up to 2 years and beyond alongside complementary foods if mother and child desire it.