Author Topic: Weaning thread part 3... Come share experiences and offer support  (Read 213840 times)

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Offline 4isstillnighttime

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Re: Weaning thread part 3... Come share experiences and offer support
« Reply #180 on: October 01, 2015, 18:26:59 pm »
Definitely! The twins weaned themselves at 13 months and I cried and cried!! I don't know anyone who wasn't sad when they stopped even if they hated it!!

Be kind to yourself xxxxx

Offline *Ali*

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Re: Weaning thread part 3... Come share experiences and offer support
« Reply #181 on: October 01, 2015, 20:39:49 pm »
Yes, definitely. Many women experience something similar to the baby blues we experience a few days after birth. There is some info here http://kellymom.com/ages/weaning/wean-how/depression-and-weaning/
Cadan Dec 2009 and Colby Aug 2011


Offline Bella89

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Re: Weaning thread part 3... Come share experiences and offer support
« Reply #182 on: October 01, 2015, 20:57:42 pm »
I had no idea!!! Thank you girls:)
Every night I am denying the fact that I no longer have good amount of milk and give him boobies instead of bottle. So its both breasts and 5oz formula. But he seams to like the idea. But its time to teach him out of NF either way...

Thank you, I really appreciate your help and support

Offline Elisanah

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Re: Weaning thread part 3... Come share experiences and offer support
« Reply #183 on: December 05, 2015, 07:00:41 am »
Hi, I'd love your opinions on some advice I was given by a health visitor. I asked about starting to wean my nearly 10 month old as I've been aiming to stop breastfeeding around one year. She recommended just skipping formula and waiting until my lo turns 1 to go straight to cow's milk. In the meantime she said to cut out the midafternoon feed and replace with a snack.

Lo currently breastfeeds 3 x a day (morning, afternoon and bedtime) and often still twice at night. I'm just not sure about replacing the afternoon feed with a snack as my understanding is that milk is still the most important source of nutrition at this stage? Whilst I'm thinking about weaning it's not urgent so I'm happy to continue breastfeeding in the afternoon if that's still the best thing. I was thinking about replacing that feed with formula just to make weaning a really gradual process for lo.

What are your thoughts? Is there still benefit in using formula instead of just a snack in the afternoon? Would two feeds really be enough for her milk intake? Or should I just keep breastfeeding at this stage?

Thanks for any help. It was an infuriating session with the health visitor where I just felt talked at so I'm trying to work out what was good advice and what to just ignore!  :)

Offline *Ali*

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Re: Weaning thread part 3... Come share experiences and offer support
« Reply #184 on: December 05, 2015, 10:59:29 am »
Personally I would cut out the two night feeds before dropping any more daytime feeds. I assume you plan to cut those soon anyway if you are weaning. I would keep the three feeds a day until 12mo and then replace the midday feed with a snack. Formula is more nutritious than a snack but by 12mo she should be able to get sufficient nutrition from solid foods as long as she is eating a balanced diet. Does she eat solids well?

Two months is a long time at this age in terms of development so waiting that extra two months will mean she is more ready to cut out the breast milk. I personally wouldn't introduce formula only to cut it in a couple of months but if you relly want to stop that BF now then I would offer formula in a cup, not a bottle as it is recommended to stop using bottles by 12mo.

If you do choose to keep the night feeds for now then you would be fine to cut the midday BF and offer a snack as she would still be having 4 BFs in 24hrs which would give her sufficient breast milk. As I said though, I'd be looking to shift those calories to daytime feeds first.

I suspect your HV doesn't want you to introduce a bottle of formula and then not manage to wean it by 1yo. Bottles and formula are bad for teeth and if babies are still drinking formula after 1yo they *may* not eat sufficient solid food as formula is very filling. And obviously solids is the direction you want to be moving in very soon.

Of course, I don't know your reasons for wanting to wean at 1 yo but I just wanted to make sure you knew that the WHO recommend BFing until "2 years old and beyond as long as mum and baby want to", so there is no reason you have to wean at 1yo. It is fine (and recommended) to carry on with one or more BFs alongside solids for as long as you want after 1yo. It's not the same as the recommendations for stopping bottles by 12mo. You may have your own reasons of course and that too is perfectly fine as well :)

HTH
Cadan Dec 2009 and Colby Aug 2011


Offline Khalam's Mama

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Re: Weaning thread part 3... Come share experiences and offer support
« Reply #185 on: December 05, 2015, 12:04:39 pm »
Agree with pp.

Offline Elisanah

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Re: Weaning thread part 3... Come share experiences and offer support
« Reply #186 on: December 11, 2015, 15:31:08 pm »
Thanks, that's really helpful!  I do want to try to get her off feeding at night so I think I'll just focus on that for now! And also take the big box of formula I bought back for a refund  ;D

I'm not sure why but I've always had 1 in my head as when I would wean. I was hoping it might enable her to settle better with others so I can put my feet up once in a while but I really enjoy breastfeeding so maybe I'll continue!

Thanks again  :)

Offline *Ali*

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Re: Weaning thread part 3... Come share experiences and offer support
« Reply #187 on: December 12, 2015, 16:11:27 pm »
Glad you sound happier with your plan. Do let us know if you need any more help or even just hand holding :)
Cadan Dec 2009 and Colby Aug 2011


Offline becj86

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Re: Weaning thread part 3... Come share experiences and offer support
« Reply #188 on: December 18, 2015, 05:10:01 am »
I always had 1 in mind as the age to wean too... I became more shaky about that the closer the time came and DH wanted me to wean so we did DODR (don't offer, don't refuse) and then the DR turned into many more feeds than he'd had previously because DS picked up on it and obviously didn't want to stop BFing. I then fed him til 2.5 or so when I had quite nasty pain while he was feeding (not typical at all) and he stopped because he didn't want to hurt me (bless!).

Agree with pp that I'd cut a NF or both before dropping a day feed.

Offline 4isstillnighttime

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Re: Weaning thread part 3... Come share experiences and offer support
« Reply #189 on: March 15, 2016, 15:02:02 pm »
Just dipping my toe in the weaning sea, as it were. Baby is 9 months and I'm back at work in 6 weeks. He is currently BF at about 5am, sometimes at 8ish, about 11, 4ish and at bedtime. No NF (yay!!!). I want to carry on with at least the BT feed and maybe the 5am one (hopefully it will be at 6 though!) until at least a year. He will occasionally take a bit of formula from a sippy cup or bottle so I am hoping if he is desperate for milk he will drink it....but so far only from me. I am offering a bottle or cup after lunch every day so he can get used to the whole thing.

I feel so sad though. I remember feeling like this when I weaned the twins, but I love BFing little babies and I'm sad that that part of our lives is coming to an end......I know I have to but please hold my hand and give me a hug!! He's my last baby.......

Offline *Ali*

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Re: Weaning thread part 3... Come share experiences and offer support
« Reply #190 on: March 16, 2016, 22:09:17 pm »
Hugs. It is always bitter sweet I think whenever you wean. Don't forget you can carry on with the morning and BT feed for a long time if you want to. My DS1 did just those two feeds for a year and then just the BT feed for a couple of months after that.

Have you tried a straw sippy? BF LOs often do well with those and instinctively now how to use them. You can also make up milk in his solid food.
Cadan Dec 2009 and Colby Aug 2011


Offline 4isstillnighttime

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Re: Weaning thread part 3... Come share experiences and offer support
« Reply #191 on: March 18, 2016, 15:13:16 pm »
Thanks for the hugs. I'd like to keep at least the bedtime feed for a while yet.

All the straw sippies I can find are non-spill ones - is that ok? I was thinking about stealing a coffee cup with a kid from costa and just putting a normal straw in there.....but a proper lid would be less messy especially as he likes to DO IT HIMSELF   ;D

Offline MasynSpencerElliotte

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Re: Weaning thread part 3... Come share experiences and offer support
« Reply #192 on: March 18, 2016, 21:51:42 pm »
The no spill ones we have found always require an insane amount of suction to get anything out. I actually slit one open at the soft valve so DD3 could use it! My MIL has some nice kids cups from Tupperware that have a normal type straw.
Heidi




Offline *Ali*

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Offline 4isstillnighttime

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Re: Weaning thread part 3... Come share experiences and offer support
« Reply #194 on: March 22, 2016, 12:54:39 pm »
Thank you. I've really got the blues about it all. My baby........ :'(