Weaning help

[enna77]

Hi, not sure where the right place is for this looked in FAQ and couldn't find all my answers either here or under bottle feeding, tried under the weaning thread but haven't had any responses yet so have started a new topic....

My DD is 6.5 months old and has been BF except for 1 x bottle of formula just before bed for the last 2 months and has also been on solids for the last 3-4 weeks.

I would now like to start the weaning process to go over to just formula and solids.

In the BWSYP she suggests still expressing for missed feeds to start with then gradually reducing the amount you express. Is this really necessary? I don't find I get too uncomfortable from just missing one feed. So thats my first question.

Secondly at the moment my BF are 7am, 11am, 3pm, then sometimes 10:00pm if she wakes then or 3 or 4am she usually does one or the other of these later ones. So which should be the first one to drop. I was thinking keep 7am BF as I will be fuller from overnight and then do 11am as FF and 3pm as BF so that its alternating. Any advice? I've probably missed something on the FAQ as I'm sure these are common questions so apologies if I'm blind! How many days should I swap only 1 feed ie say the 11am one before swapping another?

Thirdly what can I expect from my baby?, I'm probably wrongly assuming that she will just be fine as she has always taken bottles of EBM fine from early on and took the FF in a bottle fine as well. Shes quite an independent baby. I'm hoping that by the time shes weaned the 1 x NW may have stopped as it seems a lot more hassle at night to have to organise a bottle rather than BF but at night is the one time I can see her maybe getting a bit upset while she has to wait for me to sort out a bottle if she does wake and I can't settle her without feeding.

[NoelleChristine]

Hi Enna,

I'd say change over the 11:00 am feed, or the 3:00 pm feed first.  Makes sense about alternating ...7:00 BF, 11:00 FF and then 3:00 BF.

As for how many days it takes to swap, I'd say it depends on you and your lo.  I'm a bit conservative so I'd say give it a week to drop a feed.  I think it's better for you, and for baby, but that's just MHO.

Not sure what to say you can expect from your lo.  She might be a little clingy at first, or maybe not at all.  If your bottle feeds are a time to sit quiet and cuddle than she may be fine.

Good luck & HTH's

[EllenS]

Here is some really helpful info on Kellymom.com about weaning:
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/weaning/index.html

bear in mind, it is a very pro-bf site, so it is philosophically oriented to weaning later and child-led weaning, but the technical info is still quite good, don't take the opinions personally.

Here is the direct link to weaning techniques for mother-led weaning.  In gradual weaning, such as you are describing, it is recommended to wait 3-7 days after dropping a feed before you drop another.  Some of the techniques, such as distraction, are only applicable to older babies who do not need milk as their primary nutrition, you certainly wouldn't want to eliminate feeds entirely at 6.5 months, you're just switching them over to ff.  http://www.kellymom.com/bf/weaning/weaning_techniques.html

I am currently doing the drop-one-feed-at-a-time approach with my 14 mo dd, I find that after 6 days she still signs for bf at the feed, and sometimes slaps the bottle away, but will take the bottle after I tell her that "mommy's milks have gone night-night, they're tired."  For a baby your lo's age, I would expect she would have a shorter memory span and be less emotionally invested in the boob.

As far as pumping, if you are slowly doing one feed at a time, you can probably get away with only pumping to relieve the pressure if needed.  Cabbage leaves in the bra and sage tea are also commonly recommended to ease engorgement.  You do want to watch out for plugged ducts, and pump/massage or let the baby nurse if you suspect them.

[libg]

Hi Enna! I started weaning my DS when he was about 8months, I dropped the second feed of the day 1st, and then about a week later I dropped the 3rd feed, I didn't have any discomfort. You could still do the night feed as a BF, as you may produce less milk and so slowly she gets less milk and may need less overnight, and start get to the point of maybe just needing a resettle rather than a feed once she isn't getting much??? Sounds like a nice way of dropping her night intake! Just a thought! My DS didn't even care that I weaned him! It was harder for me than him!!!

Good luck, and well done for BF til now!

[enna77]

thanks libby I've just started the last two days dropping the second feed (11am) and thanks everyone else for your advice too

[EllenS]

Actually, you produce more milk in the late night/wee hours of the morning, and the least in the late afternoon, because of your biorhythms and hormone levels.

[enna77]

well i've dropped the 11am feed this week and shes being fine, doesn't seem to take that much of the bottle 100-150mls but shes eating lots of solids still 3 times per day and I suppose it will take her a while to adjust to the formula which will seem more filling I've also had to swap her to goats milk instead of cows for allergy reasons and don't think she likes it as much.

So far so good. Guess the next one I will drop will be the 3pm.