Stopping BF- how?

[jjazz]

My DS (16 mths) is a strapping lad who eats and drinks anything going. He has had a BF first thing in the morning and last thing at night (only) since her was 10 months. He has all other fluids from a cup since this time and he has nover had a bottle. I have decided to stop BF at around 18 months mainly because I have to stop at some point and would prefer to do so before he gets much older and more aware. It has also become a bit of a tie as I always have to put him to bed as he settles down for sleep- but not always fully asleep (he can do that by himself) through BFing. He wakes early sometimes and I find BFing a nice way of starting the day more glently than time with a toddler would otherwise be. Any tips from those who have trodden the same path to make this transition as easy as possible for both of us.

Now that you are down to only 2 feeds a day, the transition to stopping completely shouldn't be too hard.
The early morning feed will be the easier of the two to drop and you should cut that one first.
Simply offer a cup of milk on your knee with a cuddle, instead of the BFing.
He will still get his drink and his mummy time, it will just be a different type.
You can follow this with a prompt breakfast to take his mind off it and get on with the day. He may accept the drink, he may not. Don't worry too much either way.

After a few days, or whenever he is comfortable with having dropped the morning feed, you can move onto the evening one.
By this point, it will be his only feed of the day, so you might find that he drops it himself naturally.
If not, you can replace it in the same way with a cup of warm milk on your knee. Make sure he gets a really good cuddle and mummy closeness, that's more important than the actual drink at this point.
You might find that you need to cuddle him to sleep in the beginning, but don't worry, you can teach him to put himself to sleep later if necessary. The first thing to do is to show him that he doesn't the breast to go to sleep.

It shouldn't be too traumatic and probably won't take more than a few days.

Good luck!!!

Watching with interest! DS2 is 14 months and still on 4 BFs a day. He settles fine for CM on naps on the 2 days a week he is there. I want to start cutting back, feeding just morning and night, then to stop morning, then night, in time.

Sorry no help, but very interested!