Weaning... before or after returning to work???

[jillinthailand]

I've been ebf since dd was born and now she completely rejects the bottle. She will except juice or water from a sippy cup but when we put my pumped bm in there she won't drink it!

At the moment, I'm only working 2 days a week but will be going back full time in 3 months (when she is 11mo).

So my question is this - should I:

a) try to start weaning now so that when I return to work she is completely of the breast
b) wait until I start work and then wean by my absence
c) try to continue breastfeeding after I return to work to help her with the transition of me not being with her

She is showning no signs of giving up the breast since starting solid food - but is eating very well so far. What should I do??

[MovingAndScared]

the ladies on the bf section are quite helpful and there are a few threads about this topic there - but if she won't take milk from elsewhere I would continue BF she will need the milk! - my DS2 was quite happy not to have any milk in the day and then fed before and work from 9 months or so

[choceyes]

at 11 months old she will probably be OK to go the day without milk (depends how she does on solids - my 11 months old eats very little and I am back at work now, DH looking after baby and he brings her in to work and feed her at lunchtime).
She will catch up on feeds before and after work.

[RunningGuerita]

Hi there,
Am pretty much in the same position. Returning to work when DD will be 11months. She is EBF and eating well on solids. Won't take bottles. But will drink water from a cup. Currently we are on three feeds a day but I plan to drop the afternoon feed in the next couple of weeks so that we're on morning and evening. I will keep on breastfeeding her after I return to work for a bit. I think it would be too much to ask of her to wean her completely and bung her in nusery four days a week all at the same time.
However I am also pregnant so think I will wean her after her first birthday as I am just oh so tired!
Good luck!

[jillinthailand]

Guerita - it sounds like you've got your hands full! I've heard that many babies start to reject bm after you're pregnant (think the hormones change the taste?) - if might make things a bit easier for you if that happens!

choceyes - it's great that you can bf at work! My dh will be looking after our dd when I'm working too. How is he coping with staying at home? Does your dd feed more frequently at night now you're working during the day?