My feed
Premium

Please
or
to access all these features

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Infant feeding

Want to stop bfeeding - please tell me how to do it

3 replies

mrsspagbol · 06/03/2014 14:25

Hello

My PFB dd is 7 months old and after much thought and soul searching etc (and even a bit of prayer) I would like to stop breastfeeding.

No one reason but I have been feeling very low (and put upon) by it/about it all, I want to reclaim a bit of my body back, I've been offered a rare work opp, I'd like to be able to leave her with her dad ...many reasons. I just feel like I am ready to stop.

Issues

  • I don't know the the heck I am doing on most issues, much less this
  • she LOVES her boob, if I try to extend the gap between feeds she literally grabs it with both hands when she gets on and it's heartbreaking (all her sighing as though her life depends on it, eyes closed in rapture etc)
  • I don't always feed to sleep but used to
  • she still wakes twice at night and I always feed to sleep for night wakings


She is eating solids but I am not confident of how much (I thought food before 1 was just for fun so have not been ultra militant on quantity etc)

I had started by trying to introduce formula. Started with a bottle but she was not really a fan (tried at about 12 weeks then stopped as there was no real urgency). Now, somedays she will take it but on other days she bats it away and claws at my top. She is happy with water from her cup - should I put her milk in this?

Do I just stop and offer the bottle or cup even when she cries? For how long? Which feed first?

Clearly, I have no clue where to start. Any advice gratefully received. Thanks in advance.
OP posts:
Report
JRsandCoffee · 06/03/2014 17:02

Hi there, no experience on stopping myself I'm afraid but a friend stopped by gradually introducing formula increasing over a number of weeks, you could try that, in whatever receptacle she likes! I haven't stopped as DD was down only one daytime feed by 8 months and then to am and pm by about ten months, she just lost interest during the day and I didn't fight it. I think what I'm saying is that the whole thing suddenly got a lot less of a bind around 8 months and has been quite handy since starting nursery with the inevitable bugs as she too never was that keen on bottles and sometimes boob has been almost all she's eaten when off colour. Hope you find a way whatever you decide!

Report
minipie · 06/03/2014 17:13

How many feeds a day roughly is she having at the moment?

Usually any in the middle of the day are the easiest to swap first, as they are less "attached" to those.

Then the morning one.

Bedtime and nighttime ones are usually harder to swap over, especially if fed to sleep. So, try to be quite disciplined about not feeding to sleep, as much as you can. Once she can settle well without BF then try swapping to FF for bedtime feed too.

For night wakings it sounds like it may be a bit early to try to stop night feeds altogether, as she's not really established on solids. however you could try to cut down to one night feed (you don't really want to be doing two FFs in the night). What times does she generally wake? You could try feeding her the first wake but cuddling to sleep the second wake, or vice versa, but it should be the same way round each night. Hopefully she might stop waking up for the time when she won't get fed...

The thing to watch out for is lumps and engorgement in your own boobs (especially in the mornings once you stop doing morning or night feeds). For this reason the best approach is to swap one feed at a time, leaving a few days until swapping the next one. If you get any lumps make sure you massage them out and if you can't, then BF till the lump goes.

Report
mumofthree1975 · 06/03/2014 22:40

Hi. Can I just start by saying when you comment that you don't know what the heck you are doing on most issues my heart goes out to you. We all go through phases where we feel like our very best guess work (which is what any parent uses) is so far from adequate that its not funny.
I am also about to start trying to wean my youngest off breastfeeds but as this was not required with my other two (they stopped wanting to feed just before they were one year old & refused any sort of substitute) I too have no idea how I will start. All I know is that with each of my kids I have had what seems like mountains to climb & they all appear as mole hills when I look back on them. This will be no different
I hope you get some good advice on here & I wish you lots of luck but please remember that your best effort is good enough and advice is only good if it works for you. xx

Report
Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.