Stopping breastfeeding - a few questions

[Jupitertomars]

Just looking for some much needed advice. Im pretty clueless when it comes to BF and stopping.

DD is 8.5 months. She was a complete bottle refuser from early on. She was fed on demand multiple times a day and night (upto 5 at night). As soon as she cried I fed her and thats the way it was until recently when I got a bit more "strict" on when I would feed her - basically I feed her now as a last resort instead of the first solution.

So now her 5 feeds during the night is down to 1 or 2 and she feeds 4 times during the day.

Im really ready to stop breastfeeding now and shes gradually accepting a bottle. Today she took 4oz from a bottle so I thought yes! Now I can stop.

This has happened a few times but then the night time I give her a bottle she just chews it or has half an oz or so, so then I give in and breastfeed her.

Tonight however I didnt breastfeed her even though she only took 1oz of her bedtime bottle. She was just playing.with the bottle really. Usually she has a very long breastfeed before bed.

The good news is that she went to.sleep anyway without the breastfeed so I know she is capable of sleeping with a breastfeed.

Im just now clueless of where to go from here. Do I give her a bottle for her nightfeed? Do I offer breast?

Ive been in.this position a few times and becuase she didnt have any set feeding times I found it impossible to substitute one breastfeed for a bottle as it was so unpredictable.

I just dont want to fall back into breastfeeding for every feed and forgetting to.offer the bottle or it not.being.convenient and therefore realising I.havnt offered a bottle for a few. Days.

I want.to stop but not sure how to especially as shes only taking an oz more often than not.

Any advice please.

[villainousbroodmare]

I'd start dropping feeds, one by one, and offering either cow's milk or water or both during the day, as well as more solids. Drinks can be from a cup or beaker as well as or instead of a bottle.

[Jupitertomars]

Thanks, is it ok to swap straight onto cows milk?

How long should I wait until dropping another feed?

Im worried she'll start to refuse the bottle again or only drink an oz or so as she knows on the next feed she'll get breast milk.

[villainousbroodmare]

I went back to work when DS was 5 mo so for the first couple of months it was formula. By 8 mo I had stopped bothering buying formula as he was eating so well. I kept bf morning and night till 14mo so he was also getting that. IIRC cow's milk is not supposed to be the sole source of milk for a baby under a year old, but is fine as a food. I would really recommend feeding it at fridge temp for much less hassle!

[StylishDuck]

You shouldn't give cows milk as a drink until they're one. If not BFing it should be formula until then. And water just with meals IIRC. I agree with dropping just one feed at a time and be consistent with which one it is. Don't drop the next one until she's happy taking a bottle at the same time every day. Might take a week or so per feed but you'll get there.
Good luck. I had a bottle refuser too. She never did take a bottle. Just weaned herself at one and was on a sippy cup by then.

[villainousbroodmare]

Yes sorry, to clarify, either bf or formula as main milk up till a year.
How quickly you drop bfeeds is as much about your comfort and convenience as anything.
I had DM and DH to help while I was at work, so there wasn't a bf option during the day. For a while I used to pop home or pump and then gradually phased it out.
Just now remembering the reverse cycling phenomenon which meant a lot of night bf initially ohmygod