Thinking of dropping a BF...

[Tanners Mom]

Hi!
SO....I think I remember reading that around 11mo babies go from 4 BF a day to 3. Does that sound right? Right now our routine is like this:
7am wake and BF
8am breakfast
10:15-11:30 nap
11:30 BF
12:30 lunch
3pm nap
4:30 BF
5:30 dinner
7:15 BF
7:30 bed

In a couple of weeks I'll be gone from Tanner and not available for his BF after his afternoon nap (he doesn't take a bottle and I'm living with IL's - pump isn't readily available). SO....I was thinking that maybe in the next two weeks I'd drop from 4 to 3 BF's. How is that typically done? Which one is dropped? Would I do something like this?
7am wake and BF
8:30 breakfast
10:30 - 11:30 nap
12pm lunch
2:30 BF
3-4:30pm nap
5:30 dinner
7:15 BF
7:30 bed

TIA!
~Jaci

[Erin (redstarfalling)]

You could really do it any way you like!  Some babies continue to have 4 breastfeeds after a year, and some go to 3 earlier, so whatever works with your daily routine should be fine.

There are sample routines somewhere for 3 breastfeeds, but I can't seem to find them....

As long as you don't feed to sleep and you get in enough milk, it doesn't really matter when.  HTH!

[Tanners Mom]

Hi Erin!
Thanks for the reply! I'm glad to hear that some babies stay at 4 BF until a year. I think I'll probably stick to our current routine until I sense a greater need to change it. Tanner is doing really well with it! And I'm not in any hurry to wean (although DH is  )

On that day that I'll be gone...I'll just see if he'll take a bottle of formula from DH. If he doesn't...I'm sure he'll be happy with some Cheerios! 

This won't effect my supply, will it? If I miss one feed for just one day?

Thanks again!
~Jaci

[lgliser]

I'm glad that you posted this question.  My triplets are approaching 11 months and I was wondering if they should be going from 4 to 3 nursings a day.  But from the other poster's reply, it sounds like it isn't like they HAVE to or anything.  I'm not sure what I'll do yet.  Probably research some more!

Oh and missing one feed for one day should not make a difference with your milk supply.  I've done it many times actually and been just fine.
Laney

[RachelC]

Missing one feed for one day should not be an issue.  Your supply is super established at this point.

Here is the link that Erin was referring to... and in her defense, it didn't exist at the time she posted 

https://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=68458.0

[Aly Mac]

HI Jaci    I've thought of this too, but L really hasn't shown any signs of wanting to drop it.  When I read your post I was going to suggest some solids instead, but a bottle of formula should be fine (says me who has formula sachet in the cupboard but hasn't used it...)

[Tanners Mom]

Thanks for the replies!

OK....so not to worry about the missed feed - that is good news! I've always been super sensative about my supply as I had some issues with that in the beginning. And...this is the first time I'll miss a feed with him since he was 6 weeks old.....I really need to get out!!! 

lgliser - what do you give the triplets if you miss a feed?

Rachel - thanks for the link!

Aleesa - like Lily, Tanner hasn't shown any signs of wanting to drop any feeds. I think I am a textbook mom so I tend to want to follow what the books say. Thanks for reminding me to pay more attention to my baby then some books! Have you missed a feed with Lily? What do you do?

[lgliser]

Tanners MOM - I give them milk that I've pumped if I miss a feed. 

[Aly Mac]

I've never missed a feed Jaci that I haven't replaced with ebm. yet....