How do I stop BF?

[browniebear]

DS is nearly 11mo and I've said from before he was born that I'd stop BF when he was one as then he could have 'normal milk. But he's old enough to give the signal that he wants to feed so I'm not sure how to just stop?

He has a feed in the morning on waking one at bedtime and sometimes 2 to 3 through the day when he wants.

Any suggestions ?

Could you take him downstairs first thing and give him his breakfast instead? Maybe someone else could be with him instead of you for the bedtime.

For the daytime feeds you could try not offering and not refusing but this sometimes takes a while.

I'd be tempted to call a bfing counsellor though and talk it through with them, they should be able to give you the information you need to stop you having problems such as mastitis.

Thank you that's the sort of thing I was worried about.

Not an expert but can tell you how I did it at about same age.

I cut out the daytime feeds first, offered snack and a drink of water instead. He barely seemed to notice this. I then dropped morning one. This was the one that he made the biggest fuss about, I thought it would be evening, but no. Got DH to give him a beaker of cows milk (by this time he was over 11 months), but you could give formula if you are worried. He was fine with this after a couple of days. Then a couple of weeks after that, I gave him a beaker at bedtime too, and he was not bothered at all. Think he wasn't having much from me by that stage anyway.

I didn't get mastitis or anything, was a bit ubcomfortable for a few days after dropping morning feed as I think this was his biggest feed. But nothing awful.
I would say to remember that at 11 months they do still need plenty of milk or other dairy though so if you stop bf you need to give a drink of either cows milk or formula per day plus cheese, yogurts, milk on cereal etc to ensure enough calcium