When to stop breastfeeding

[BananaPie]

Dd is 13months and eating well. We're down to one bf a day (before bed). I'm quite keen to give it up, but she won't take a bottle and doesn't seem to like cow's milk as a drink ( she gets plenty of dairy on cereal and as yoghurt etc). I'm just wondering when I can give up bf and be confident she's getting what she needs from her diet. Any tips on how to give up would also be appreciated! (I originally posted this under "weaning")

I think you probably know the answer really!! I'm sure she is getting all she needs from her diet now and will be fine without bf. I stopped the last feed at night at 13 months on the day I went into hospital for an operation!! She was fine - I needed to borrow a pump from maternity to relieve the pressure! You just have to be quite firm and let someone else put her to bed for a few days!! Good luck!

Hello. Have you tried different bottles/teats? Some babies prefer one type over another. Just stop when you want to and try not to worry about dd getting what she needs - give her yoghurts, cheese and other dairy items in her meals and she will be getting enough. Keep offering her cow's milk as a drink in a sippy cup rather than a bottle both morning and bedtime and it might come back into favour, it did with mine after a spell of refusal!

Well it depends what you mean by 'when can I give up'. She can have cow's milk now and a range of foods that will provide her with vitamins. The WHO recommends breastfeeding for 2 years and beyond- it's a personal thing how long you want to do it.

If you do want to wean then you might want to talk it over with a BF counsellor so you can come up with a plan that will work for you and your DD.

The best time to stop breastfeeding is when you want to stop!

Although BF is still better than cow's milk at this age, with a varied diet she should be able to get the nutrients she needs from other sources. Bottles aren't advised after 12 mo anyway, so no need to worry about that.

It's worth thinking about what else she is getting from BF apart from nutrition - e.g. comfort, cuddles, quiet time with you before bed etc. Weaning will be much easier if she is still getting these needs met albeit in other ways.

Thanks ladies, that's all really helpful!

I had a great tip on MN to persuade my BF 13 month old to take cow's milk. Water it down a bit. I must admit () I also sweetened it with a flat teaspoon of sugar. And over a fortnight I reduced the water and sugar until 14 days later she was accepting cow's milk. If she's never taken a bottle, you could go straight to a sippy cup?