need to wean off breast ahead of brain surgery :(

[cmereiwantcha]

I'm going to have pretty aggressive surgery this summer when DS2 will be around 9/10m. I will be in hospital for a week or more and then on v strong medication for around six weeks. I've sadly decided I will have to stop breast feeding even though I don't want to.

He was ebf and now on three meals a day with regular breast feeds esp morning, evening and twice over night. He has always refused bottles and fiddles with a sippy cup.

I am wondering if anyone could share advice on the best way to transition him to formula feeds and how to wean him off night feeding. DD1 bf for two and a half years so I've not had to do this before. Thanks in advance.

[Artandco]

Sorry to hear this. The good thing is he is over 6 months so as you say is eating solids now and naturally decreasing milk of all types

A few suggestions.

1. from now don't feed to sleep. Give last feed in living room, before you do bedtime routine. Will help break the milk to sleep habit
   
   
2. new sleep routine related to 1). Something like stories and lullaby that anybody can do. Then he can be settled to sleep when your in hospital and after if your too tired to do.
   
   3)have you tried a doidy cup? It's open top but slanted so you can see how much is being poured in.
   
   
3. if you can express you can start mixing with formula in open cup. So he has 2 oz breastmilk, 1/2 oz formula. Gradually changing so it's 50/50 breast milk and formula. Then eventually all formula

[cmereiwantcha]

Thanks Art for such good suggestions. I never would have thought of mixing bm and formula but it sounds like a good way to ease him into formula as currently he does a face like when I try him on it.