Author Topic: WEANING thread #2... Come share experiences and offer support  (Read 86264 times)

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Offline Fiver

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Re: WEANING thread #2... Come share experiences and offer support
« Reply #420 on: October 25, 2012, 18:40:49 pm »
So much happens in 4 months.  It may be that she's down to just a WU and BT feed at that stage and eating really well, or she could still be on more.  She might be just as happy drinking cow's milk, or not.  So many variables and such a personal decision.

I think some people manage to go away for a while without feeding or pumping and start up where they left off.  Your supply is well established by 13m, after all.

I think you've listed out most of your options already, it's just making the jump and making a decision.  Could you leave it a bit closer to the time and see how things are going?
*** Amanda ***




Offline Kirsten~

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Re: WEANING thread #2... Come share experiences and offer support
« Reply #421 on: December 21, 2012, 04:57:04 am »
I'm thinking that I'm ready to start thinking about or planning our weaning. My DD is almost 9 months, and I had planned to try for a year, but I think it's getting to be too much on me. I also just accepted a promotion at work that will have me traveling more, and I don't want to find out that I need to travel a week before a trip and leave DD to quit cold turkey. I've also had a few recent arguments with DH surrounding my inability to get a break between working, taking care of DD, breastfeeding, etc. I feel bad because my reasons are completely selfish, but I also worry about not being a good momma when I'm too stressed.

All that said, I have a lot of questions. I was hoping to switch DD over to just milk in a sippy cup when I stopped BFing. Is that a possibility if I wait until more like 10 months to give her the milk and do a slow wean switching from BM to cow's milk?
Is the intent to take one of the daytime feeds and transition away from BM and then tackle the next daytime feed? Like if I tried the sippy cup with milk would I offer her milk with her solids while slowly decreasing the amount of BM in the bottle?
Also, how bad is the engorgement? I'm especially worried about being at work and beinf super engorged.
Ok, one more, certainly my supply will drop. How long have some of you ladies been able to have enough milk to support morning and BT feeds?

Thanks!


Offline PaulsMom

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Re: WEANING thread #2... Come share experiences and offer support
« Reply #422 on: December 21, 2012, 07:10:32 am »
9 months of bf is great!  I would not feel bad for stopping sooner than one yr.  wrt cow's milk, I know in Canada, it's not recommended until your Lo is 1 yr.  I think I started to introduce it to my DS at around 11 mo during his meals but kept up the bf.  I wanted to ensure that he would drink cows milk iykwim.  As for weaning, yes, I just slowly dropped one milk feed at a time and replaced it with milk until he was fully weaned.  It took around 3 weeks or so.  How many times are you bf or offering EBM in a bottle?  Or are you supplementing with formula? 

I found the engorgement uncomfortable at the end.  Buy a tight sports bra!  I've heard cabbage if great and I think I'll try it this time when I wean my dd.

Wrt just doing morning feeds, I think I could have continued with the morning feeds if I was to kep just that feed.  HTH!

Offline *Ali*

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Re: WEANING thread #2... Come share experiences and offer support
« Reply #423 on: December 21, 2012, 13:59:31 pm »
I would speak with your Dr about whether you need to use formula rather than cows milk. Here in the UK it is not recommended to give LOs cows milk to drink under 12mo as it doesn't have the right balance of nutrients that babies need. I know recommendations vary around the world though.

I can't advise on actually stopping BFing altogether as I was already BFing DS2 when I stopped feeding DS1 so I have the joys of engorgement yet to come when I wean DS2 ::)
Cadan Dec 2009 and Colby Aug 2011


Offline Fiver

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Re: WEANING thread #2... Come share experiences and offer support
« Reply #424 on: December 22, 2012, 20:12:26 pm »
There's loads of great tips about how to drop feeds in this FAQ - Weaning

As for the question about WU/BT feeds, as long as you're still giving those feeds regularly, you should have sufficient milk to continue them for as long as you wish :)
*** Amanda ***




Offline Kirsten~

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Re: WEANING thread #2... Come share experiences and offer support
« Reply #425 on: December 23, 2012, 01:32:41 am »
I did read the FAQ after I posted this (I know, I should read it first), and you're right, there is some really helpful info there. Thanks for the info on the WU/BT feeding. I would like to keep those around a bit longer, so I hope that it's a slow wean until I am completely done.

I would speak with your Dr about whether you need to use formula rather than cows milk.
That's a good idea. We go back in a couple of weeks, so I will hold off on doing anything until I talk with the Dr.
Thanks ladies! I'll be back once I start and run into issues/questions. :D


Offline Khalam's Mama

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Re: WEANING thread #2... Come share experiences and offer support
« Reply #426 on: December 24, 2012, 13:31:25 pm »
I went back to work at 1yo for ds1 and did just Wu and bt feeds until ds came. Ut was fine and if occasionally he wanted a midday bf at the weekend it seemed to just make more. I never pumped at work.

Offline Erin M

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Re: WEANING thread #2... Come share experiences and offer support
« Reply #427 on: December 25, 2012, 01:52:08 am »
I started (with the blessing of my pediatrician) to give dd2 cow's milk during the day (well daycare gave it to her, but you get the idea) when she was about 10.5 months old, continuing with the wu and bt BFs until a year.  She didn't take much at first and was only really taking a decent amount of it when we got closer to a year. 

Offline Kirsten~

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Re: WEANING thread #2... Come share experiences and offer support
« Reply #428 on: January 07, 2013, 19:38:27 pm »
I started (with the blessing of my pediatrician) to give dd2 cow's milk during the day (well daycare gave it to her, but you get the idea) when she was about 10.5 months old, continuing with the wu and bt BFs until a year.
We met with the ped today, and she said we could start giving her little bits of cow's milk mixed in with her bottles if we wanted, but not have the milk replace formula/BM yet. At the same time, she should be moving away from the bottle and towards the sippy cup by around a year. Lots of changes, I guess.

I am starting to wean. I have read somewhere that LOs under a year do not usually self-wean, and it may be just a temporarily thing, but I just don't feel like fighting with her to get her to BF. This weekend, she just was not interested in BFing. She'd BF for less than a minute on one side, and then decide she was done and wanted to play. If I tried again, she would just get angry and scream. Fortunately, taking a bottle doesn't bother her since I've been working FT since she was 9 weeks old, so she's pretty used to it. It's sort of sad, but there are some advantages too. It's nice that I won't need to be there for all her milk feeds (or pump). It's just weird.
I was hoping to make it to 12 months, but it looks like we're only going to make it to about 9 months.


Offline Kirsten~

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Re: WEANING thread #2... Come share experiences and offer support
« Reply #429 on: January 10, 2013, 05:43:40 am »
Ok, I need some help/input on what to do with blocked ducts as we go through this process? I started this week only pumping once a day instead of twice, and then pumping again in the evening for her BT bottle. I'm only BFing at WU since she seems to BF fine then. I thought after a few days of this that my supply would start dropping, but in only 10 mins of pumping, I got 6 oz! And this morning, I was crazy full and felt blocked ducts coming on.

I could deal with the blocked ducts, but how do I deal with them when I am no longer BFing at all or not pumping anymore?
Also, does my weaning plan sound right? I was planning to do one pumping session during the day this week at work, one pumping session at home in the evening, and BFing at WU. Next week move to no pumping during work and keeping the other 2 sessions, and then eventually drop the evening pumping session and finally the BFing at WU at some point. Does that sound reasonable enough to let my supply adjust?



Offline Fiver

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Re: WEANING thread #2... Come share experiences and offer support
« Reply #430 on: January 10, 2013, 11:32:44 am »
Hi there, regarding the blocked ducts, you may find that you need to give them a bit of a massage to break them down and possibly a bit of hand expressing to get you to a place where you feel comfortable.

With the pumping, as this is effectively a feed, you may want to gradually reduce the time that you are pumping for over a week or so and work on massaging out any blockages as you go.  Did you have a look at this link http://kellymom.com/category/ages/weaning/ from the weaning FAQ?  There are loads of resources there (including a page on comfort measures for mum during weaning).

Basically as you drop a feed/pump, you need to remove as little milk as that stage as to make yourself feel comfortable, but not so much that you body thinks it still needs to make that much milk.
*** Amanda ***




Offline Kirsten~

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Re: WEANING thread #2... Come share experiences and offer support
« Reply #431 on: January 10, 2013, 19:16:43 pm »
Hi, thanks for the response, Amanda.
you may want to gradually reduce the time that you are pumping for over a week or so and work on massaging out any blockages as you go
I have been reducing the time I pump (was previously pumping 15 mins, then moved to 10mins). I guess I figured I'd start to see some decrease in my supply since DD barely nursed all last weekend, and then I cut out one pumping session this week. So I was surprised that in only 10 mins I was still getting 6 oz!

I did look through KellyMom, but I'll take another look. I just have some limitations on what I can do since I'm at work (or commuting) 12 hours out of the day.


Offline Fiver

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Re: WEANING thread #2... Come share experiences and offer support
« Reply #432 on: January 11, 2013, 17:28:02 pm »
Sounds like you may have good milk storage facilities ;)  Some women 'store' more milk than others, so it may be that has something to do with it.  I'm sure you'll get there in the end :)
*** Amanda ***




Offline Erin M

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Re: WEANING thread #2... Come share experiences and offer support
« Reply #433 on: January 13, 2013, 03:26:45 am »
I'd just pump until you don't feel quite so full.  Massage the ducts while you pump if it helps, just to break up the lumps.

Offline Kirsten~

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Re: WEANING thread #2... Come share experiences and offer support
« Reply #434 on: January 13, 2013, 04:43:34 am »
Sounds like you may have good milk storage facilities
The irony of this, of course, is that a few weeks ago or so I was frantically worried about my supply!!! I have generally been on the high side with milk though, so this is not terribly surprising.

I made it through all day at work on Friday without pumping and made it from this morning until this evening today too, so hopefully I'm done with pumping at work! I will keep bringing my pump to work though for a while just in case. Thanks for the help! :)