ten month old starting nursery, need to wean off day time breast feeds, advice please?

[kate7]

I am still breast feeding my ten month old who is eating solids as well three times a day, but she will not touch formula at all, or even diluted fruit juice or water in any quantity. I am returning to work when dd is one, and hope to continue bf till she is settled at nursery, but will need to wean her off day time feeds (currently one mid a.m and one mid p.m). I am worried about her fluid levels dropping, and also calcium as well as calorie levels. Should I give her a yoghurt and some water to replace each day time feed, or is that not enough? Any ideas welcome - sorry for the rambling message, I am a bit confused and concerned!!

[SenoraPostrophe]

aah - that brings back memories!

ds wouldn't touch formula either so I ended up just moving the feeds (to lunchtime and after nursery, from 3 feeds before). in the meantime he had a few sips of water (which he would only ever take from a cup - not a bottle) and food. he was fine.

I presume your dd will have lunch at nursery? I'm sure they know to make sure she gets plenty of calcium, whether that's from yoghurt or other sources, and I think they'll know to make sure she gets enough to drink too. I really wouldn't worry, and I would simply replace the feeds with a mid-morning and mid-afternoon snack.

[SenoraPostrophe]

ps - I would also tend to simply stop the feeds when she goes to nursery full time, and maybe do a couple of weeks of part time nursery as a way of weaning her onto nursery, rather than weaning her off the feeds. I had to give ds to someone else when i did wean him as he would just get hysterical.

[kate7]

thanks for this advice! My dd is going to be starting nursery for two days a week initially, then it will be full time after a few months. I will be working full days though so I will need to cut out the day time feeds and it seems best to do it each day even though nursery is only initially for the two days?? I suppose as long as the replacement snacks are calcium based and quite filling, she should do OK!! I think I'm probably panicking about nothing, and deep down I think it's because I don't want to go back to work really!!!!

[bamboo]

I went back 3 days a week when dd was that age. I just fed on demand when I was with her and she had water and solids at nursery. I'm sure if your dd is eating OK then there is little chance of her dehydrating for the time she is at nursery. I remember being a bit stressed about this too and thinking dd would really miss those feeds but after the initial settling in she was fine. She only associated milk feeds with me so if I wasn't there she wasn't bothered.

Is there any particular reason why you want to cut back all the daytime feeds? You don't have to if you don't want. You could feed as normal on the days when you don't work. That would help her calorie intake too. By the time you return full time she may be happy to cut back further anyway.

[fondant4000]

I did the same as bamboo - fed on demand when I was with her, water and solids when I wasn't.

I don't think I cd have dealt with the stress of no daytime feeds when I was actually there!

When you're not there, they don't expect it.

[eclipse]

I did the same as bamboo and fondant 4000. Went to work 3 days a week when ds was 10 months old and fed him myself as normal when I was home. At the childminder ds just had food and water and sometimes cow's milk. I was worried this would affect supply but I'm still doing this 7 months later. I imagine your dd will drink more fluid if she needs to on the days she's not with you.

[wrinklytum]

Dear Kate,I did a similar post a few weeks ago.Im due to go back to work pt in a month and was trying to drop a feed in the daytime.DD(10 MONTHS TODAY!)and I were both getTing stressed by trying to drop the feed.I had a helpful reply from Tiktok on here.She is a breastfeeding counsellor.She said that as long as dd was getting plenty of fromage frais/yoghurt etc and drinks (dd will have water from a beaker) it should be ok.I am going to try to express milk for my work days just in case.HTH.

[wrinklytum]

Actually dont think she specifically mentioned drinks(cant find thread)but Im sure sloppy milk based products are quite thirst quenching!My dd will not touch formula either.From memory als think she said that dd would realise carers wouldnt be able to provide her with milk and that I was to chill out!!!Her post made me smile and was reassuring.HTH

[kate7]

Many thanks for all this advice! I hadn't thought I could get away with only cutting out feeds on nursery days as I thought this would confuse dd, but of course, it seems obvious on reflection, if I'm not there dd won't expect a feed! My only reason for cutting out all daytime feeds before work resumes is that although I am only going back for two days a week, that is only till I use up my accumulated A/L and will be full time from the end of Jan, but I could of course use that as a way of staggering her weaning I suppose. Anyway thanks to you all, you have really helped me feel better about the whole issue! By the way, is it just me, or does anyone else find that health visitors are next to useless regarding BF issues!! The govt are trying to promote breast is best but all I get from any health visitor is concerns about dd's weight. They acknowledge the charts refer to bottle fed babies but then stress me out about dd only being 9th centile as if I am doing something to harm her. A lot of my paranioa and worry on this issue stems from their attitudes, I think!