How to wean baby off the breast?

[knan]

Hi all
I'm new to this forum. I have a daughter (7 months) and I have exclusively breastfed her since birth and she's now exploring solids too, having 3 meals a day usually. During the first few months she was happy to have expressed breast milk from a bottle on occasions which made things easier when out etc. i can't recall exactly when but it was maybe when she was 3-4 months she refused milk from a bottle. I tried a few different bottles/teats but no luck so i just stopped expressing. i am due to return to work in just over a month and so I need to get her off the breast! During the day at least at first anyway. With travel and the nature of my job expressing isn't going to be ideal, so I'd like to start her on formula. I've tried her with a few different formulas from a bottle and a sippy cup and she's not having any of it! I feel so bad wanting to get her onto formula but it would just make things easier when I go back to work and selfishly I'd love a glass or two of wine on occasions! Any tips on how to get her off the breast and ideally onto formula?

[Babygirlpw]

Watching with interest - am in almost the same position!

[knan]

Glad I'm not the only one! Fingers crossed for some tips/advice to help us both :)

[KLou111]

Could you mix a it of your bm with formula. Gently wean her off?

[eedibops]

I have 5 children, youngest now 8yrs old, i had this problem with 2 of mines, and it was a real nightmare, first time it was with my first and i felt soo guilty and a bad mum, it was horrible. 2nd time around was not as bad, did not feel bad mum, so dont ever feel bad or guilty art the end of the day you are doing this for your baby and yourself, i had a tiring time, what i did was, if they refused the bottle or the sippy cup, i gave them it on a spoon, this went on for a few days, then at night i gave him warm milk on a spoon, and i had a bottle warm bottle next to it, he refused first 3 nights, so it was a long trawl getting him of the breast, but this was advised form midwife and it did take a few days, but 4th or 5th day it was ohh yesssss thank youuuuuuuuuuu he took the bottle.
Yes on a spoon took forever but it was only way he would take milk other than the breast, you will find maybe day 2 or 3 they will have forgotten all about the breast and you can try something new, hope this helps xxx

[KLou111]

Meant to say, if you try bm first thing perhaps in a bottle first to get her used to it, as she should be at her hungriest (if that's a word!)

[knan]

I haven't tried that yet, I'll have a try thanks :)

[knan]

Just seen your post eedipops, it must have been added as I was replying. That's really helpful thanks.. And thanks for the kind words about not feeling guilty. I will try not to! I do sometimes feel bad for wanting to stop just because it will be more convenient workwise and will allow me flexibility but keep telling myself at least she's had a good start with 7 months bf. I was worried people on here might say I should just carry on if she's not ready to come off (but I don't see how practically people express when at work), so it's good to see others have done the same as me (and succeeded!) fingers crossed it will work for me too!
Klou111 - great tip thanks.
I'm gonna express again and try to get her used to not being on the breast, and mix a bit with formula and if she still refuses, try the spoon trick! :)
Thanks again both of you! I will be so pleased if it works! (Tho I will miss bf a bit too!) wish I could just win the lottery so I didn't have to go back to work so wouldn't have these probs! Ha x

[eedibops]

Dont ever feel guilty, its easy to feel guilty i still feel guilty and mines are 21, 19, 18 and 8yrs old i still feel a guitly bad mum lol b ut at the end of the day, they all grow up, then cant remember being breast fed, i fed 3 of mines by breast other 2 on bottle, if it makes life easier then you have to do whats easier for you, cos if you are stressed then baby gets stressed, and the milk wont be as rich and good, so please dont feel guilty. Once of the breast yes i missed the closeness, i really did, felt like i was missing out on a special bond, but after baby number 3 it was fine, i bonded with baby in other ways xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

[HappyAsASandboy]

I wouldn't worry too much about going back to work. They just figure it out and either take the formula from a bottle/cup or do without until you get home. It is a bit of a leap of faith to not worry, but they will drink the formula (or water) if they're hungry/thirsty, or wait for you if they're not.

My twins started nursery at 1 year old. At that point they were each breastfeeding about 4 to 6 times a day (plus 2 to 3 feeds overnight) and although they ate well, they weren't drinking anything from a sippy cup. For the first three months of nursery they drank a minimal amount of water/cows milk at nursery, and really ramped up the volume they took at each night feed. After about three months, they mastered the sippy cups and started to drink more in the day and less again at night.

I have never expressed at work, and my supply is still fine 18 months after returning to work. This could be down to feeding two though, I don't know.

If I were in your shoes, I would forget about it and enjoy the rest of your maternity leave. Your baby will figure out a way when you go back to work, and your job is to control your worries :)

Good luck!

[stumpleton1]

Glad it's not just me struggling with this. I want to stop bf and she refuses a bottle. She doesn't mind formula but won't drink more than an ounce or either bm or formula from bottle etc.

Tearing my hair out.

Eedibops, so basically it's cold turkey and spooning in enough that they don't get dehydrated? And hope she caves in first? ;-). I do feel a bit guilty but for various reasons I need and want to stop.