How to wean by 12 months?

[SofisMom]

Hi all,

My daughter just turned 10 months old a week ago. She's currently breastfed and my hope was to switch her over to cow's milk around 12 months. She's currently getting 4 milk feeds and 2 solids meals (breakfast and lunch). I know I need to introduce a dinner solids meal, and I think I also should be dropping a milk feed so that I'm down to 3 milk feeds (and then hopefully drop to 2 milk feeds before 12 months)?

I'm going to share her current schedule, can you guys please advise on what I should be doing next exactly, like which milk feed I should drop? Maybe the 5:30pm milk feed and just replace that with the solids dinner? I have a general idea of what I should be doing but need direction on next steps. Would really appreciate your suggestions.

Sofi's schedule right now:

7:30am - Wake up
8am - Breastfeed (1st milk feed)
9:30am - Solids breakfast (4-6oz)
10:30am-12pm - Nap
12pm - Breastfeed (2nd milkfeed)
2pm - Solids lunch (4-6oz)
3pm-5pm -  Nap
5:30pm - Breastfeed (3rd milk feed)
7:15pm - Breastfeed (4th milk feed) then get ready for bed
8pm - Asleep

[creations]

Hi there.
Days can get pretty busy when there are all those solids and milk feeds to slot in around naps can't they?
Looking at your current routine I'd suggest either
- solids dinner at 6/6.30pm although you might find baby is too tired at this point in the day to care for solids
or
- bring lunch earlier to 1pm, move BF to before nap (just before 3pm) and offer solids dinner at 5/5.30pm

Once you introduce a third meal, and over the next month or two, you may see less interest in one of the milk feeds and I'd take that as the cue as to which to drop.

What's your plan on how to offer the cows milk?  Were you thinking of offering a bottle or sippy cup?
Has your LO had any practice with for example a sippy cup with some expressed milk?

[SofisMom]

Thanks for the response, creations!

Ok I think I might try that first option. So basically introduce a solids dinner before the last feed of the day, and then after that try dropping one of the feeds.

Also, I should have mentioned, I've noticed she drinks less milk during her last 2 feeds of the day. Her 4 milk feeds of the day usually are: 10 minutes, 10 minutes, 5-6 minutes, and 4-6 minutes, respectively. I'm assuming this means perhaps I will eventually try dropping the 3rd feed of the day first, but let's see what happens.

I was hoping to give her cow's milk in a straw cup. She currently uses it for water, but not any milk. Hope that won't be a problem? Should I get her some practice with expressed breast milk in the straw cup soon?

Also, at what age would you give her a little cow's milk to make sure she isn't allergic to it or anything before completely switching over?

Thanks again!

[MasynSpencerElliotte]

Has she been eating dairy as a part of her solids diet? And do you eat dairy? If so I think it is safe to say she is not allergic or you would have seen some indications of a dairy allergy/intolerance.  Personally I would start trying some ebm in a straw cup now and when you decide to swap for cow's milk you could gradually mix it in if she doesn't go for the taste right off the bat.

[creations]

Yes, what Heidi said.
If you can't express for any reason you could give a small amount of cows milk in the straw cup, it is not supposed to be used as a milk feed at this point (but fine for general cooking and on cereal etc) but I do only mean put 1oz in a cup for a practise and she'd be highly unlikely to take the whole oz anyway.
Some LOs won't take milk even though they take water fine. Using a different colour cup might help.

[SofisMom]

Thank you guys! Gave her an ounce or two of breast milk in her straw cup today and thankfully she didn't seem to mind it. Hopefully the transition to cow's milk after 12 months will go ok too! Fingers crossed. Thanks again!

[creations]

Sounds good. Do let us know if you have any more questions