How long do babies need milk for?...and then what? I want to stop Bfeeding...

[multicolourcat]

First time mummy, dd 8MO and just learning as I go along! I know babies need milk up until they are 1 years old. But then what happens? Do they just stop, or do they have to have a certain amount of cows milk per day? I am so confused with the whole milk/weaning thing.

I am breastfeeding, and have reached the point where I really want to stop in the coming months. I only ever planned to breastfeed for 6 months and then was enjoying it so thought I would continue, but I definitely want to stop by a year. My LO will not drink from a bottle, but will drink water from a free flow, with much spillage so I guess that we will move onto freeflow with formula/cows milk. But I can't imagine her taking a freeflow in the middle of the night, so what happens if she is still wanting to feed in the night? Also, I can imagine it is going to be difficult to get her to take any substantial amount from a freeflow? Has anyone got any experience of this?

I am really confused with what comes next so apologies if this is all over the place!

If you wait until 12 months she can go straight to cows milk. If you change before then she will need some sort of formula, any first milk is suitable, follow on/growing up milks are not neccessary.

She may or may not still want a milk feed in the night, both mine still did at 12 months but you will need to wait and see really

Cows milk - they don't have to have any, some people never have cows milk. But she will need plenty of suitable fluids, and a good source of calcium so it is a handy way to kill 2 birds with one stone. If she hates it, you can give plenty of cheese/yogurt, water to drink. Or other calcium sources like dried apricots list of calcium rich foods here

thanks ghoulish and in terms of stopping breast feeding...how on earth do I do that? Do i just stop one day? I feel like this is a really obvious question, but i really have no idea!

...and if you stop breast feeding and yet they still want a feed in the night, but not a bottle, do people have success in using a free flow? I guess it might be possible, as long at the feed is not for comfort but actually hunger?

If you stop breastfeeding straight away you will probably get engorgement and pain, so best to drop feeds gradually. As long as you're not in a hurry to stop, take it easy and font hurry it. Perhaps every few days drop one feed, and see how your baby takes to the change.
If you stop breastfeeding before your baby is one year old, you should give him formula, so you introduce a cup or a bottle gradually and week by week reduce breast and up formula. Or possibly mix feed? Keep the breastfeeding going at the start and end of the day, and offer formula for the rest of the time. Or as the previous poster said, wait till your baby is one hear old and avoid formula altogether...

And well done for breastfeeding for 8 months!

I'd try and do it so there is minimal discomfort to yourself and DD, if she is crying for mummy's milk, then maybe let her have it. Try offering her a bottle (formula if under one yr), but if she wants the comfort of the breast, I'd let her have it. You can slowly reduce the feeds with bottle and that should be best for both of you. Babies often nurse when they have discomfort like teething and you may find it easier to keep nursing for longer but with less feeds and supplementing with bottle. It's a gradual process individual to each mother and baby, I'm sure you will work it out. Good luck!