Help me stop feeding!

[Coolcoolcool]

I still breastfeed my DS first thing in the morning and before bed. He’s 16 mo and has never taken a bottle. I didn’t intend to feed him this long I just can’t quite figure out how to stop/what to do instead. I’m ready to stop now though - I’d quite like a lie in lol. He’s had a couple of bedtimes without me and they’ve been fine (and he’s not woken up hungry). Do I need to replace with a drink of milk at the same time? Cow or formula? And how much? Sorry I know this should be obvious bur cos we’ve never done bottles I have no clue about quantities at his age. Help!

A long time ago when I did this, it seemed to happen quite naturally - the less you feed, the less milk you produce. You could hurry it up by having someone else around at feed times to break the habit. I wouldn't encourage a bedtime drink after teeth are brushed, but it might make the transition easier - if he's managed without a feed at bedtimes, he'll probably be quite happy to give up once the habit's broken.

Thanks! I think I thought they still needed a certain amount of milk a day?

What we did was drop one feed at a time e - pick the one that you want to drop most (sounds like the morning one?) and just have a solid plan for your partner to take DC downstairs for breakfast/big cup of cow’s milk as soon as he wakes. No need for bottles or formula at this age.

Then when that habit’s broken and your milk supply has adjusted start phasing out the bedtime feeds. We introduced a cup of milk step, so bath, PJs, sippy cup of warm milk with stories, brush teeth and then a last story or song, night night. (In reality this last night night bit took aaaages without the breastfeeding to sleep!). If you add the cup of milk step before you phase out the breastfeeding entirely you can go as slow or quick as you like e.g. breastfeed a few minutes each night but cut down how long each time, or only breastfeed on nights you put to bed and partner (obviously!) never does, alternate nights and then you stop offering a feed too.

Thank you @NoSquirrels that is super helpful advice!!
not sure dh is going to like the prompt taking ds downstairs part - he loves his lie in (but it’s my turn now lol!)

Well, they need protein and calcium, but that's in other dairy foods and elsewhere too. I'm not really up to date with what's advised, but I would have thought toddlers could easily have a good diet without drinking milk. That said, I only let my kids have milk or water to drink between meals.