WEANING thread...Come and share your experiences and offer support.

[Aly Mac]

yeh, its part of our bedtime routine too.  she gets excited (still!) when we change her for bed. she knows what's coming... that's why i always thought the nighttime would be harder, but I hear so many people saying the opposite, I thought I would ask here.   Do you think it would be beneficial to start changing the routine now? so when we wean it's not a problem? like feed, but not with the lights down low etc and not in her grobag??

[SiestaNoMore]

That's what really helped with us - was changing the bedtime routine.

Still nursed but moved it out of his bedroom and kept the lights on. We also moved it to the start of the routine - so nursed, then teethbrushing, bedtime story, singing/cuddling etc. Kept increasing the time between nursing and bedtime until we were nursing before his bath and he didn't ask to be nursed again before bed.
HTH - All the best!

[Aly Mac]

great plan - thanks so much!

[lyndsy_p]

That's what really helped with us - was changing the bedtime routine.

Still nursed but moved it out of his bedroom and kept the lights on. We also moved it to the start of the routine - so nursed, then teethbrushing, bedtime story, singing/cuddling etc. Kept increasing the time between nursing and bedtime until we were nursing before his bath and he didn't ask to be nursed again before bed.
HTH - All the best!

Thanks for that. I think that'll be our plan too!

[MomofCharlie]

That does indeed sound like a great way to do it... I hope I can remember it when the time comes! Some progress for us: Charlie finally (after almost 2 weeks of trying) took one of his feedings from a sippy cup today! So that gives me a bit of freedom, down to 3 BFs a day instead of 4. It was quite funny, til today, he'd kind of bite the end of the sippy cup nipple to have the formula dribble out. Today, however, he latched onto it and sucked it out, so I think he finally understood what it was! I can't say how relieved I feel. I was beginning to think I"d be BF'ing forever!

Allison

[lyndsy_p]

That's great Allison!

[Aly Mac]

Ok, so last night I went to the movies with some girlfriends so no nighttime bf or L.  Dh put her to bed, sippy of milk on her lap and she was happy and went down a treat.   slept 12hrs at that! now my dilemna....do i go back to her nighttime feed, or drop it now as she seemed ok...i guess only i can answer that one hey    problem is I really think this weaning will be led by me.  i just can't see it being done by her...  have today to htink about it I guess.

one thing Ifound, was my breasts were quite sore all night!!  even rolling over in bed seemed uncomfortable.  what do you do when you wean a feed?  pump a bit just to relieve the pressure?  or wouldn't that stimulate too? if so, for how long???

sorry about all the questions..

[lyndsy_p]

Aleesa I had this problem when I weaned the Dream Pump. I couldn't even turn over in bed, it was like I had a couple of rock hard canteloupes under my shirt . I didn't pump and it was over in 3-4 days. In hindsight it would have been better to pump a touch, just to ease the pressure. It WAS about 3am when they started to engorge so I was just not into that. Since this is the bedtime feed you could pump just before you go to bed for about 2 mins. It might help.

[MomofCharlie]

Aleesa, I have been told to wear a tighter bra, which apparently will help the milk to reabsorb more quickly. HTH.

Allison

[MomofCharlie]

And a quick progress report.... my LO is now taking between 4 to 7 oz during the feeding that I have replaced with sippy cup and formula. Hooray!! Am thinking about doing the same with his other daytime feeding in the coming weeks, so that by the time he turns 1 (in mid-April), he'll be BF'ing only morning and bedtime. Any thoughts/cautions?

[lyndsy_p]

I weaned the 1130am feed quite easily while out this weekend getting my eyebrows done. DH gave her a bottle of EBM (she takes a bottle when I'm at work). The next day was the time change, so we shifted her routine an hour forward, and gave her lunch instead of milk after her 1st nap. Then DH gives her a bottle a couple hours later. I was around all weekend and she didn't blink an eye. She is teething too, so a bit more clingy.

[Aly Mac]

Yah for Graesha 

[MomofCharlie]

That's wonderful! I think I may do something similar this weekend, as I'm feeling rather cooped up and think he could get by without it now.

[Giorgina]

Hello,
this is a great thread with lots of great tips.  Wondering if someone out there can help me with this.  I have weaned my 11mo old off of all but his nighttime feed (sometimes he gets another feed when he wakes up at 5am).  He now has an ear infection and has been at times inconsolable.  Out of desperation I have offered him my breast to pacify on (once today and once yesterday - about the same time).  Even though there is no milk (I think), it calmed my LO.  My question is: if I keep this up for another day or 2 will I be re-establishing my milk supply?

[Erin (redstarfalling)]

Your supply may well start to increase, particularly if he nurses long enough to stimulate a let down.  If it's a few minutes, maybe not though.  I've done it for a few days in a row, and when we went back to 2 feeds a day, it doesn't make me engorged or anything. I don't think it'd bring your supply ALL the way back in just a couple of days of this.