Extended nursing thread part 3

[Whatbit]

Joining in here as well.  Lots of people seem to be wondering about the drop from 4 to 3 BFs/ day as well... which has been on my mind for the last couple of weeks.  I find my main issues is that it's getting harder when we're away from home.  At home, no problem because I can lay down.  When we're out, it's so hard because he's distracted.  If I know I'll be out, I plan to give a bottle of EBM, but I'm almost done my frozen supply and don't want to re-stock...
All that to say I'm looking at how to wean one of the daytime ones.  His 10ish feed is the one that usually gets screwed up if we go anywhere so I've been playing with the idea of doing cow's milk instead.  For example, today I was out so I took a bottle of cows milk with me and when 10 rolled aroudn I was nowhere I could BF (outside in the cold) so i gave DS the bottle and then finished off with some BF when I got to a place I could sit inside.  What do you ladies think of this approach?  I figure that will be gentle for my breasts and I can increase the amount of cows milk and eventually not offer the breast at all at that time.  DS has no issues with dairy, btw.  And I'd like to move to a cup (which we do at meals) but the bottle is still cleaner for now... not sure what you think of this either.  I always give a snack after his 2ish BF to get him to dinner.  I don't feel I need to do a snack at the 10ish one because we eat lunch early (around 11:30) so he can have his nap.  Also not sure how much milk to offer... If I do EBM, he does about 5oz.  That seems like a lot of cows milk but he's tiny (15th percentile) so I'm not worried about him gettign too fat off of it

[First Time Mom]

Stephanie, that sounds perfect if you want to wean his 10am feed. I would sub the same quantity of the cow's milk (so, 5 ounces). Adjust if he doesn't drink it all. Alternative would be yogurt or cheese snack at 10am. I do find they're nice and flexible at this age for feeds! If I'm out where I can't bf (same reason- too cold!) I always make sure I have cut up cheese, crackers, or even fruit- something to offer him to tie him over until we get to where I can feed him.

[Whatbit]

Thanks, Marian.  That sounds good.  I'll let you guys know how it goes

[LucysMommy]

Hi!  I'm joining in here.  DD is 13 months and still BFs 3x in the day and usually once at night.  My supply has definitely dropped over the months and the last few times I have tried to pump I got nothing!  We are presently on a non-dairy diet which has helped her SO MUCH with sleeping and gassiness, getting her used to soy milk instead of cow's milk. 
I'm just interested in hearing others' experiences as everyone else I know who bfs had weaned by this age. :-)  I'm hoping to keep bfing until 2 years, will be dropping the 3rd day feed sooner or later when I go back to work.

[Whatbit]

Hi LucysMommy!  Welcome!  I've been thinking about how long I want to BF and now that we're at the 12 month, I know I want to continue but not sure for how long.  DH said he'd find it weird if DS was still BF when he could ask for it.  Not sure when that would be, maybe around 18 months?  Anyone in that situation/been in that situation with an older LO?  Not sure what I think about that.  Another year doens't seem all that long if it's only 2-3 feeds/day.

I did a bottle of 3oz cows milk at the 10am feed and then BF a little after.  Only drawback was that he only did one side (to be expected, I guess) so I was lopsided until the next feed!  I think cold-turkey might be a more 'attractive option'...  Or my breast will figure it out.  i don't want to pump the other side because that pretty much defeats the purpose.  Maybe I'm still inwardly not sure if I want to drop the feed entirely and that's why I'm all over the place with my decision

[*Ali*]

Stefanie there is no need to drop the feed if you don't want to. You can always carry on until Aiden self'weans if you prefer.
BTW I know a 15mo who points at his mum's chest and says "boob" in the cutest voice. So it might not actually be that long before he can ask for it. I don't think it's weird. It's probably just because your DH hasn't seen it done. Most people who still feed when they can ask for it are probably doing it at home without people around, especially if they just do it on WU and BT. It will be a gradual process with your DS asking for it. It's not like one day he won't be able to speak, point etc. and they next he'll be able to say "can I have a breast feed mom?". I would see how he goes. I always thought I wouldn't do it once he could ask but now I see it done with my nephews who are 16mo and 17mo I think nothing of it and plan to keep at it until 2yoish.
We're still on 4x BF/day so can't help you with weaning to 3. I will hopefully get some ideas for when we do though.

[LucysMommy]

For those going from 4 to 3 feeds...
When I dropped one of the day feeds, instead of bfing before morning and afternoon nap, I offered her a little snack before each nap and did the bf a little while after lunch.  This was at about 12 months.  She didn't mind at all as I offered her some snacks which she really loved.  Eventually I found the am snack unnecessary as DD has such a big breakkie.  So now she bfs at WU and BT, after lunch, and usually once in the night.

[Whatbit]

The bottle of cows milk worked well today, though I was pretty full by the afternoon feed   I feel that going to 3 feeds will work well for us as we are often our during that feed and getting a BF in is hard on the go.  I'm home for the afternoon one because it's right after DS's nap.  The bottle (or sippy) or a snack means that DS will get something in his tummy and I won't have to stress about finding some place quiet where I can potentially lie down (I've done it in the mall in the BF room, but would have been a little embarassed if someone else had come in!).  Cadie's mom, I don't think it woudl be too weird for him to ask for it either; nto sure why DH finds it odd.  Probably pictures the, "Can I have a breastfeed, mom?" scenario rather than a simple point or something  

[knock0ut]

Hi guys!  Just a warning Whatbit - my DD started to ask for 'milk' at around 12 months.  Before she could say the word she would also stick her hands down my top or try to lift my shirt up!!  She's now 21 months and wakes up every morning shouting "i need mummy milk"!  She also excitedly shouts "boobies" whenever she sees me with no top on (thankfully this is never in public - I don't tend to walk around with no top on very much!!)  We had an embarrasing moment at a farm recently when we were watching the cows being milked as she started shouting "cows boobies" - all very cute though!

We gradually dropped our day feeds when DD stopped asking for milk during the day, but we still do bedtime and morning.  I really want her to self wean from those too but she's showing no signs, and as much as I love our special cuddles I'm hoping for her to wean around her 2nd birthday.  I think 2 years is pretty good going??  Anyone else had to 'encourage' weaning at about this age?

[*Ali*]

2 years is VERY good going! Well done Knock0ut. I hope I can get close to that. DS already bangs his hands on my chest and buries his face in my cleavage when he wants "boobie". LOL cow boobies!

[Whatbit]

I like the cow boobie comment   DS doesn't really do anything special but I must admit that I call breastmilk 'mommy juice' and now he's started calling all liquid 'jus'- LOL!  He gets very excited when I tell him it's time for mommy juice but no asking at this point in time!

[LucysMommy]

What do you do when you LO is sick??  Mine has been sick with a bad cold for the last week, so I've been offering to bf way more, like 5-6 x per day.  She is definitely wanting it!  I feel a little worried that we will have to slowly wean down again when she is better...  I was hoping to be at 2 feeds a day soon but this might be a setback.  However, I'm sure glad I know that she is getting the nutrition she needs through my breastmilk when ill since her appetite and want of water is way down.

[*Ali*]

I woudl feed more when DS is sick. He even had 2 NFs for a couple nights when he had a virus lately. Like you I didn't want to refuse as I wanted to make sure he was hydrated and getting some nutrients he was missing out on by not eating as much. He easily went straight back to 4 BFs during the day and STTN.
I just went back to our normal routine and if he didn't ask for extra he didn't get any extra.

[marilyn73]

Dd is now 19 months, any she dropped the final BF at 15 months.

We went from 4:3 at 11 months, dropped the after am nap feed first, and gave a feed after lunch, before pm nap.  This was in preparation for returning to work.

3:2 - 12.5 months when I returned to work - just a sippy of milk to replace that before nap afternoon feed - didn't want to get her hooked on a bottle of milk that would later need to be weaned, and she didn't mind having the sippy at that time.

2:1 - 13.5 months when my parents (staying with us for a visit) were on temporary babysitting duty, because I then didn't have time in the morning when having to start a daycare drop-off.

1:0 - 15.5 months - dd was more interested in sucking her thumb and getting to bed than having a BF, which by then was down to about 2 minutes.  And I don't think there was much supply there anyhow.  Maybe that's why she lost interest?

The weaning was so gradual, I didn't notice the effect on my body at all.  Ironically, I felt a bit more sad when dropping the 3 am feed (happy for the sleep, but it was a nice cuddle time), and then a bit later, the dream feed.  DD is not a cuddly sort, so BF was our main source of this kind of closeness.

Looking forward to starting all over again - due in march.

[*Ali*]

Oh well done Marilyn. What a great start you gave your LO. And good luck with doing the same with #2.