trying to wean 7.5mo old from DF

[Mias Mama]

Hi there,

I need some help with regards to weaning my LO from the DF. I have read to decrease the amount fed and move up the DF in 30 min increments every few days. When doing so, I am also supposed to increase the amount I feed during the day feeds. So far, it's seems easy.

The problems I'm facing though are that
1) the DF's are not at the same time every day, because I adjust her EASY and DF according to when she wakes. So some days she has her DF at 10pm, sometimes at 10:30pm, sometimes at 11pm...

2)The other problem I see is that I always offer 7oz, but that she drinks anywhere from 3-7oz. So how should I go about decreasing the amount fed at the DF? Where do I start?

3) On the nights when she drank less than 4 oz, I tried to feed her more during the day, but she refused to drink more.... ....

or should I just go cold turkey? I really don't want to risk night wakings though, because we are already fighting early wakings....
Any ideas and suggestions are appreciated. Thanks

[creations]

Hello
I remember the worry of weaning the DF but have found that often these things go better than we expect.  Let me answer your questions from my perspective:

1. I would just start with the 10pm DF and bring your times 30min earlier from there regardless of when the last feed time was.  The idea being that eventually it is so close to the last feed before BT that it isn't worth doing the DF.  That said, you can wean the DF without moving the time too.  My DS used to wake for his (yes that's not really a DF) so I continued to do it at the same time every night but decreased the amount and he continued to go straight back to sleep.

2. The way I did it was to begin with the full offer and plan to reduce the amount every few days, I added an additional 'rule' which was that if he didn't take it all then the amount taken is what I'd offer the following few nights then reduce from there.  So for example
offer 7oz takes 6oz
offer 6oz takes 6oz, continue few nights unless less is taken, lets say 3oz taken
offer 3oz takes 3oz, continue a few nights unless less is taken...

I also took a separate bottle of water with me just in case but I don't think I needed it once.

3. It isn't possible to force them to take more in the day.  Either they want more or don't.  I noticed an increase in the day after a few days of reducing the DF.  It wasn't immediate like bigger appetite the morning following a reduction but your LO will take what she needs, just ensure that day feeds are always big enough for her to take her fill and leave an oz behind.  if she drains bottles then increase by an oz so she always has the offer of more than she wants.

I would think that your wean will go quicker and smoother than you expect, esp as some times she is only taking 3oz, she is already taking the majority of her needs in the day, a good sign she can go through without the DF.

xx

[Mias Mama]

Thanks "creations", I knew that contacting the forum board would be a good idea. Your suggestions sound great! After rereading my post, I was a little afraid that nobody would understand my confusing post. But you got it and I'm thankful for all your suggestions and explanations. I really like the 'rule' you added to offer as much as she took the previous night. Hopefully it'll go as smooth as you say. Thanks a bunch again!

[creations]

Glad to be of assistance.
If you get 'stuck' at a certain amount after a few days reduce down another oz, I doubt she'd even notice, but if she did that's where the bottle of water comes in handy, just in case.

good luck

[scruffymax]

We just stopped the DF a week ago (yay!)  LO had decreased the amount she was taking already, from 200ml down to about 120ml (once she was on 3 solid meals a day), and I continued to decrease the amount but not actually bring the time forward.  It got to the point where I kind of "knew" it was time to drop it as she would sometimes get a bit upset at being got up for a bottle only for it to be a tiny one IYKWIM - like it was cruel to only give her a small amount?  I think we were down to about 70-80ml so a bit less than 3oz.  Also, she started having MASSIVE dinners (well I think they're massive - 12 icecubes of meat/vegie puree) so I decided enough was enough.  And she was fine and has continued to sleep through.  I'm sure I could have dropped it at least a few weeks earlier but it's scary to mess with something that's working well!  Good luck, I'm sure you will be great with following creations' advice