Milk / solid balance at 9 months, as starting work at 1 year

[SleeplessInSuburbiton]

I'm breastfeeding my 9mo dd, and she's taken well to solids, having 3 meals a day and snacks. However, she still breastfeeds 3-4 times a day and twice at night, and I'm wanting to have her ready for childcare when I return to work in 3 months. In addition to this, I will need to travel for a week in September, so won't be there for any night feeds. I've heard WHO advice that milk should be the main source of nutrition for the first year, but also lots (incl HV) saying that babies by 9 months should be on only 2 milk feeds a day.

Would appreciate any advice on whether the babies slowly drop day and night feeds themselves, or whether I should actively drop the feeds myself, and any other tips that could help!

Thanks in advance.

[MooM00]

Dc3 is just down to 3 or 4 bf. (morning ,bedtime, 9am and sometimes in the night) . This is a lot less than a month ago when it was more like you describe. She's gradually dropping feeds herself and has slept 11 hours TWICE!

[RitaMorgan]

I had to push ds to drop nightfeeds, but he dropped day feeds himself. He's 10 months now and having approx. 4 feeds a day. I'm thinking about swapping the mid-morning and mid-afternoon feeds for milk in a cup though and just bfing morning and evening.

WHO recommends milk is 50% of their nutrition by 12 months I believe. I think the 2 feeds a day thing is more relevant to formula fed babies, as they take bigger feeds in one go and there's a risk of overfeeding - though my friend's 10 month olds also have at least 3 bottles a day!

[SleeplessInSuburbiton]

Thanks for the help! Probably need to work on reducing the night feeds first, will be such a treat to get a full nights sleep