How to wean from EBF before starting work?

[Cashew]

My girlie is currently 9.5 months and I'll be back to work when she's 12 months. I EBF her at about 6am, 9am (her fav feed), 3pm, 6.30pm, 10.30pm.

I have decided to give up breast feeding by about 11 months to give both of us a chance to settle down physically (& emotionally!) before I before return to work.

My query is how to I get from 5x BF to just cows milk over the next couple of months?
Do I try her on a bottle (never tried one) or go straight to a free-flow beaker? (She drinks pretty well from a beaker but I'm not sure she'd manage to get the volume needed).
And should I change one of her feeds (maybe the afternoon one) to cows milk or buy some formula... and when should I try this?? I'm so confused!

I know all babies are different but can anyone offer any ideas/advice?
Thanks.

Yes, use a beaker for the feeds when you will be unavailable when you RTW.

A beaker would be fine, they don't need much so much milk after 12 months anyway - about 350ml including milk in cereal, cheese, yoghurt etc.

I'd probably drop the 10.30pm feed completely, then swap the 3pm one for cow's milk in a beaker. Do you want to keep the 6am and 6pm feeds after you go back to work or are you stopping breastfeeding completely?

I will def be totally giving up by 11 months, my job is quite physical & I think I need my body back, so to speak, when at work.

Could I try cow's milk in a beaker (at 3pm) fairly soon? Would there be any probs doing this, age wise, seeing as she'll have breast milk for all other feeds?

hi, no advice i'm afraid but just wanted to say that this is the exact same question that i had too - i thought cows milk shouldn't be given before one year as it is too strong on the stomach? though i guess 11 months and 12 months is no big difference.

anyway just wanted to say that you're not alone with this question, its all too confusing!

Cow's milk isn't suitable as a main feed before 12 months, but if she's having 3-4 breastfeeds then 1 beaker of cow's milk from 10 months would be fine in my opinion.

I think I would replace the morning and evening feeds with formula though if you're doing in quite a bit before she's a year.

Cashew, by 12months she could eaily manage on just two BF a day with maybe a cup of cows milk in the afternoon. No need to be bothering with expressing at work. Some mum's find this a nice way to reconect after a long day away from there baby, and it may make the transition eaiser for her.

Jsut a thought.