Author Topic: How long to wean?  (Read 1809 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Jrolph

  • New, But Posting Steadily!
  • **
  • Showing Appreciation 1
  • Gender: Female
  • Posts: 79
  • Location: Ontario, Canada
How long to wean?
« on: August 26, 2005, 13:08:24 pm »
Hi everyone,

I have to return to work in November and I was wondering when the best time to start weaning would be.  I really don't want to give up breastfeeding because I love the time that we spend together, but I can express enough to give him while I was gone so I was thinking of keeping the morning and bedtime feeds so we can continue.  Can anyone give me some type of plan to start to wean him off of his daytime feeds.  I don't know how long it will take and I would like to take it slowly.  Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Jen

Offline Erin (redstarfalling)

  • Resident BW Chatterbox!
  • *****
  • Showing Appreciation 188
  • Gender: Female
  • Posts: 4506
  • Location: Montreal, Canada
How long to wean?
« Reply #1 on: August 26, 2005, 13:18:40 pm »
Although I have no personal experience, I can tell you what people I know have done and what is recommended by lc's here.  Slow is the best way for both of you, so he has time to get used to it and you don't get too uncomfortable.  If you want to keep giving him EBM during the day in bottles, you can just pump at the normal feeding times. That's what I'm hoping to do when I go back to work, until dd is a year. :) But to drop daytime feeds if you're replacing them with formula, do only one feed at a time and give it at least a couple of days before dropping the next - or even a week.  Every woman's breasts are different, so each respond differently to the drop of a feed.  He's probably only breastfeeding twice or maybe 3 times a day other than morning and night?  You can give him a bottle in place of the bf and also replace it with some cuddling or distracting if he's looking to nurse.

Your breasts will adapt to what they do regularly, be it decreased feeds or just feeds twice a day.  Hope that helps and good luck!  :D
Erin
Mother to Megan and Samantha


Offline isaac'smom

  • Resident BW Chatterbox!
  • *****
  • Showing Appreciation 68
  • Gender: Female
  • Posts: 1093
  • Location: Ontario, Canada
How long to wean?
« Reply #2 on: August 26, 2005, 13:42:25 pm »
Jen,

The previous post describes how we weaned and it went really well. I think it was much easier than I thought because we did it very slowly - cutting out one feeding every week or so. I left Isaac's biggest and favourite feeding for last - the morning until eventually HE decided he didn't want it anymore. Some people choose to still breastfeed in the morning and at bedtime. I was planning to do that, but I let Isaac call the shots and he 'told' me he was ready to stop.

I just replaced the feedings with formula (since he wasn't a year old and therefore not ready for cow's milk) and when he turned 1, we went right to whole milk.

I made sure I gave him extra cuddles (I think this was more for me too!). Instead of having his bedtime feeding, I would cuddle and rock in the rocking chair as part of his bedtime routine to replace the breastfeed.

Good luck!
 :D
<img src="http://b4.lilypie.com/s3eKm5.png" alt="Lilypie 4th Birthday Ticker" border="0"  />

<img src="http://b1.lilypie.com/9zSYm5.png" alt="Lilypie 1st Birthday Ticker" border="0"  />

Offline cazao

  • BW Aficionado
  • ***
  • Showing Appreciation 0
  • Gender: Female
  • Posts: 104
  • Location: Vancouver, Canada
How long to wean?
« Reply #3 on: August 26, 2005, 14:09:44 pm »
can I ask..do you use a bottle or sippy cup if they`re 10/11 months? thanks.
Our beautiful baby girl is....

Offline Erin (redstarfalling)

  • Resident BW Chatterbox!
  • *****
  • Showing Appreciation 188
  • Gender: Female
  • Posts: 4506
  • Location: Montreal, Canada
How long to wean?
« Reply #4 on: August 26, 2005, 14:13:24 pm »
Did your lo ever use a bottle?  Mine didn't so I just went straight to sippy cup.  It took a while to find a kind she liked.  Her favourite is a Nuby cup - VERY soft spout with easy sucking action, but still non-spill.  Also really cheap at Walmart!  :D
Erin
Mother to Megan and Samantha


Offline isaac'smom

  • Resident BW Chatterbox!
  • *****
  • Showing Appreciation 68
  • Gender: Female
  • Posts: 1093
  • Location: Ontario, Canada
How long to wean?
« Reply #5 on: August 26, 2005, 14:50:12 pm »
Same here. We didn't use a bottle much, so we went straight to a no-spill sippy cup. I would try to get him used to the sippy cup (if that's what you choose to use) as soon as possible so that it's not another big change for the little guy when you're weaning.
<img src="http://b4.lilypie.com/s3eKm5.png" alt="Lilypie 4th Birthday Ticker" border="0"  />

<img src="http://b1.lilypie.com/9zSYm5.png" alt="Lilypie 1st Birthday Ticker" border="0"  />

Offline Jrolph

  • New, But Posting Steadily!
  • **
  • Showing Appreciation 1
  • Gender: Female
  • Posts: 79
  • Location: Ontario, Canada
How long to wean?
« Reply #6 on: August 26, 2005, 16:42:31 pm »
Hi Everyone,

Thanks for the advice.  My LO does have water from a sippy cup and has never had a bottle.  I am going to try to put him straight on formula from a cup.  My DS still gets 4 sometimes 5 breastfeeds a day.  I think I will take it slow and maybe drop a feed every week or two I'm not in a big rush.  I might introduce Whole milk before one year of age and I know it isn't reccomended until at least one year of age but I would like him to be on whole milk before I go back to work so just a week shy of him turning a year.  The daycare provides whole milk but if he is still on formula I have to supply it.