Advice re stopping breast feeding

[shirleycat1]

DD is 10.5 months. She currently feeds 4 times a day, roughly 7am, 11am, 3pm and 7pm. She stopped night feeds at about 7 months. Feeds have been getting shorter and shorter and she seems less and less interested, probably due to increased efficiency and also because she's eats solids like a horse. She eats loads of cheese and yoghurt and other dairy stuff.

I'm going back to work in a month. I wasn't planning on breast feeding after a year anyway so will just go straight to cows milk when she's one, but I'm not sure what to do about going back to work. How shall I drop the day time feeds? Should I replace them with solids like some cheese or something? Is it too early to cut them completely? Is 2 feeds a day enough at her age? Could I feed her when I'm with her and not when I'm not?

Would really appreciate any advice. Thanks in advance...

Have you ever left her for a day yet to see how much she'll take?

I did this with dd at around the same age and she increased her solid intake (bottle refuser) and drained both my boobs on my return basically, she wanted my milk from me and not from a beaker or bottle.

If I'm around, she'll have a breastfeed, if I'm not, she won't. I am only working part time now and dd is 14 months, but she copes all day without and has done from 10 months.

Alternatively, you could start replacing on of the feeds with a bottle, and slowly decrease each feed over several weeks.
Someone else may have other advice on how to wean (as I technically haven't done it!)

If you would like to keep feeding beyond 12 months, it is easy to do as your dd will get used to you not being around during the day. You could wean day time feeds and aim to do morning and evening feeds (which are lovely for nice cuddles )

at morning and evening cuddles.
DD2 and I had morning and evening and then weekend morning and every evening 'cuddles' for many years.

Thoroughly recommend them.

You may find that she reduces herself down to morning and / or evening feeds once you start work.

As for cutting out feeds, one at a time is best :)

Thank you. I'm going to drop the morning feed from tomorrow and replace it with a babybel. Planning not to refuse but not to offer. If that goes OK will drop the afternoon one in a week or so.

Thanks again...