How and when do I start to wean?

[mumofalice]

Hi there ladies

Haven't posted in a while and just wondered how things are going?

We've managed to stick with 3 x BF per day since last week - not very well spaced as the first two are much closer together  - and we're still using distraction techniques (usually out for a walk in the sling) but am pleased that we're making some progress . . .

Alice is still drinking EBM from a sippy (with me holding it - not sure why she's suddenly done this  ) but at least she's taking it - usually a bit with every meal. Am going to move onto cow's milk in a couple of weeks - turns out Alice will be starting at the childminder a bit later than we'd expected as she is going on holiday the week after Alice was due to start - seemed a bit silly to put her in full time one week only to disrupt her again the following week - so she will start full time when she's 13 months.

Had Alice weighed a few days ago and she's now 20lbs 6oz - and has jumped up on the centile chart - so am sure she's getting enough food and milk . . . maybe too much LOL!!

Am probably going to jinx everything now . . . but as well as kind of weaning a feed (more thru distraction than anything tho!!) we've also dropped the DF the past 2 nights and Alice slept for 12hrs the 1st night and 11 3/4 hours the 2nd night - so hopefully that has gone too . . .

Found a cup with a straw yesterday tho didn't purchase it as it said 18+ months - do you think that's just a guideline and maybe I should go for it?

Time to wake Alice and take her for a distraction walk 

Hope everything is good with you and your LOs

[~*~Little Miss Sunshine~*~]

Glad everything is going so well

[mumofalice]

Anne - please could you let me know what make of straw cup you used with your LO - finally found one yesterday but it said 18+ months - wasn't sure if that was just a guideline and to cover the manufacturer's back as it were.

[~*~Little Miss Sunshine~*~]

Anne - please could you let me know what make of straw cup you used with your LO - finally found one yesterday but it said 18+ months - wasn't sure if that was just a guideline and to cover the manufacturer's back as it were.

I use NUBY.  I think it's just to cover their rears.  there is no reason why a child younger than 18 months can't use a straw cup.  In fact, BFed babies tend to prefer them.

[camys mum]

Hello ladies,

Mumofalice, that's amazing, look at you go! I'm so glad things are going so well, I was wondering how you were fairing over the pond!
So glad you get spend that extra wee while with Alice too, sounds like you are bang on track!
Oddly enough, Cameron too, has suddenly stopped drinking from his sippy unless I hold it. Weird, because he was drinking quite well....

Things are so-so here. Today was our very first day of only 2 BFs. (morning and night) He starts daycare next week, so I wanted to give him a week, trying 2 feeds with me beforehand. He still only took about 3oz of cows milk, but he has really taken to liking yogurt and cheerios mixed, so i'm trying to add that little bit of dairy with his snacks where I can. I feel a little paranoid that he's not getting enough food, but I wonder if it's just an emotional thing from my end as I reduce the feeds. 

I know it's a bit off topic, but his naps have gone down the tube. He is back to the 30 minuters and is being really grumpy and whiny.  I've been trying to get him down for naps sooner, but he seems to have other ideas. Due to OT he is getting up at 5.20am again  Tonight he cried all through his dinner which he refused to eat. Luckily his grandpa came in and the tears instantly dried up and he was happy again....... I'm not quite sure what's going on, but boy, days like this are just so hard.

Hopefully tomorrow will bring some sunshine, hope you are all doing well and thanks for the vent!

[mumofalice]

Hello there

Camys mum - how are things with you? I know the nap thing was a bit off subject but I knew exactly how you felt - have just had a couple of months (or more  ) of Alice having EWs and short naps - boy was it tough. She moved her wake up time back gradually from 7.20am to 4.40am (at the worst  ) - and cos she was getting up so early I had to put her to bed early and we just seemed stuck in a vicious circle. Worked really hard on extending her A times (which is quite tough as she's not a LO who can play on her own for long - suffers with SA big time  ) but things have definitely improved - wake up time is generally between 6.30 and 7.00 now - with the odd pre 6.30am one thrown in for good measure  - but I can cope with that.

Has Camy started day care yet? How's it going with 2 x BF a day? And how is he doing with his sippy cup? I'm still assisting Alice with hers - she opens her mouth and sticks her chin forward in her 'ready to drink pose' as soon as I pick up the cup - if I give it to her she just bangs it on the tray  She did used to bang it before, but she would always drink from it too - and bizarrely enough wouldn't touch it if either DH or I tried to help her  Have just purchased a straw cup so will see how she goes with that - should be interesting 

I am still doing 3 x BF a day (plus EBM in a sippy) - but I do think Alice would quite happily have that late afternoon BF if I let her  - she's seemed particularly clingy around that time over the past few days (which may just be a coincidence - or me beating myself up  ) but I'm trying to be strong and not take a step backwards, iykwim? I want to try and get down to 2 x BF a day over the next couple of weeks - am sure that's going to be even tougher  Will have to try and do it when DH is off shift as he's a great distraction for Alice 

Hope you're all having a good weekend

[EloysH]

Hello there,

I just found this thread... I'm trying to drop from 3 feeds to 2 feeds with my LO  who's 10 months.  Needing some help...   it's great to follow your progress ladies..  there are some great strategies for intriducing the milk with meals in a cup.

Hi Mum of Alice.. sorry where to I find your name? (I'm new in these parts). ..  Anyway I am STRUGGLING also wth EW and afternoon nap refusal..  I have  a thread going on this..  (how do I make a reference to it)  ...  do you have a thread that I can look at for advice or any advice you can give me on breaking the vicous EW cycle...   (I don't want to put this thread off track) . Today we had 4:40 wakeup, with 6 pm bedtime yesterday.. and only one sleep yesterday from 9:00am - 10:30 am... so 7.5 hours of activity time in afernoon... yuck! 

Eloise

[~*~Little Miss Sunshine~*~]

Hugs Eloise!  The ladies on the naps board are fab (not that I am partial or anything LOL).  I am sure you will get  the help you need and if you don't, please feel free to PM me.  Good luck with the weaning!

[mumofalice]

Hi Eloise

Sending lots of hugs to you - I can honestly say I do know how tough the EWs and short naps can be 

I do have a thread that has been ongoing on the naps board for the last couple of months . . .

http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=126416.120

I do have to warn you tho it's a good few pages long with essay length postings - but if you've got the time to read it I have to say that the advice I was given was fab  - Roman's Mom is right about the ladies on there 

Have to admit tho that my DD is a bit 'behind' on A time and sleep - and hasn't started the 2-1 transition yet (she's only just given up her catnap!!) - but am sure that's our next milestone There are a couple of threads on the naps board that are worth a read - if you haven't read them already . . .

http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=95670.0

Hope the links work - am a bit rubbish at the technical stuff, despite being a mac operator IRL - which seems like a lifetime ago

Anyway . . . back to the original topic

Have decided (on a whim) to attempt 2 X BF today  - DD had a decent nap this morning and we woke her at 11.45. DH was around so he got her up and she didn't seem bothered about feeding (cos I hadn't gone to get her ) So we all ate lunch together - and she had quite a bit to eat with some EBM in her sippy too. She's now having a 2nd nap and went down with out any problems - so am sure she can't be hungry. Fingers crossed we can keep this up - DH isn't around for the next couple of days but he's then got a week off so that will make life a bit easier for me - still finding it an emotional tug of war tho 

I purchased a Tommee Tippee Nuby cup with a straw - Alice seem to like biting the straw rather than sucking on it 

Camys Mum - hope all is okay with you.

Berni (aka MumofAlice )

[EloysH]

   thank you Mum of Alice!  I have had a quick look at your thread and there is some good info...      seems like a cat nap in car or pram is worth pursuing some more..   thanks again   
 
Eloise

[~*~Little Miss Sunshine~*~]

My ds has had many a catnap in the stroller or car.  Works a treat and keeps you sane!

[camys mum]

Hey ladies, hope you are doing well!

We've had an interesting week with the weaning. We were on 2 BF a day and doing quite nicely. On Saturday we had an early first birthday BBQ for Cameron. He had thrown up in the morning which is unusual for him. When our guests arrived Cameron was napping, once he woke, I brought him down and everyone was waving at him and generally making a fuss  He then barfed exorcist style all down my dress, from head to toe! We nipped back upstairs and changed our outfits and re entered and he had projectile vomit again, this happened 3 times! my poor birthday boy! Even later in the day, when I tried some dinner with him, everything came back up. The only thing I could get him to keep down was breast milk. So I put our weaning on hold for a couple of days. All is good now, I think he must have caught a wee bug at his new daycare. Daycare is going way better than I expected! (touch wood) I'm still BFing morning and night and today his daycare managed to get him to drink 1/2 cup of milk today.(they even try a spoon with the milk if he refuses a sippy) Everyday they feed him from a solid food menu, which looks really varied in nutrition, so I'm feeling good about his nutritional needs. I do have to say, that he is really starting to want less at bedtime.....I give him dinner early, hoping he'll be hungry for the BF but it can be hit and miss.

Sounds like things are going great Berni! I've been wondering how you both are doing, given we have wee ones going through the exact same thing! Sounds like you are on track. How are you feeling about the two BFs? Do you plan to keep them for a while yet? TBH I'd love to drop mine sooner rather than later.......

Hello Eloise! I feel your pain on the naps....Cameron is presently settling into daycare (day 2) and it's a very different (noisy) environment, so today he had a 40 minute nap in the morning and 30 minutes in the afternoon, (not enough)  so we are back to an earlier bedtime thus earlier wake-up.....sigh

Amanda (aka Camys mum!)

[mumofalice]

Hi everyone - hope you're all well.

Haven't really had chance to get on the boards (only for a quick read now and again  ) as DH has been off shift and it was Alice's birthday on Monday (where did the year go?  ) so we've had a busy few days.

Amanda (or CamysMum  ) - hope things are going okay with you and that Camy has settled in to day care? So sorry to hear that Camy was so sick at his early birthday celebrations - am hoping that by now he's back to good health . . . and that naps and early wake-ups have improved?

So . . . we've managed to stick with two BFs a day and I'm now ready to wean the next one. Amanda - would love to hear if you've dropped anymore yet - like you I want to drop them sooner rather than later. I'm thinking that the next one to go will probably be the morning one - is that right? If so, I'm guessing that I just offer solids first and milk in a sippy? Have to admit that I'm dreading tackling the next drop (and probably the final one to  ) even more than I dreaded dropping the first feed - and here are the reasons why . . .

For one thing - I've always gone in to Alice's room and BF before we started the day. It's a nice quiet time - I feed her, change her and put her back in the cot to play whilst I have a shower and get ready to face the day  We then go downstairs have a bit of a play and eat breakfast together - the routine works for both of us and DH fits into it whenever he's around. I think when we drop the next feed it's probably best to try and do it when DH is around so that he can get Alice up and take her down for breakfast - that way she won't expect milk from me . . .

Secondly (and I think I'm even more worried about this!!) is that I'm worried about milk / fluid intake as we're having a few sippy cup issues  When we first introduced a sippy cup at 6 months Alice wouldn't let you help her with it - and now we have a complete reversal which I'm really beginning to worry about. Alice won't pick up the cup herself - she swipes it off her tray and starts crying if you don't help her with it. I don't know how to fix this . . . I want her to be able to use a cup herself (like I know she is capable of ) but at the same time I need to know that she is taking in fluid - any advice would be REALLY welcome. I keep helping her with the cup (even tho I don't want to) because I don't want to make it into a real problem - but maybe I'm doing that anyway 

We're still trying with the straw cup too but all Alice does is bite the straw - she hasn't once attempted to suck from it 

Would love to hear your thoughts / advice as always 

Nearly forgot to say that we gave Alice some cow's milk for the first time yesterday - she took it from the sippy (aided by me of course  ) and although she seemed confused by it she did take more - wouldn't say she loved it, but she put up with it 

[~*~Little Miss Sunshine~*~]

Thanks for the update   As for the straw cup, my ds used to do this as well, until I bought him the straw cup that has a bigger straw end on it.  That way it is more "nipple" sized   He only bit that once before he got the hang of it.

[NoelleChristine]

Don't have much time ATM but I just wanted to add that when I "taught" Gunnar how to drink from a straw I used the box juice.  It was really on accident really but if you push the box the juice comes out and once the liquid started coming out he started sucking.  Only did that once, maybe twice, and he was drinking from a straw.