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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Stopping the one and only bedtime bfeed for 15mo

6 replies

hellohellohihi · 14/03/2013 23:33

Im not sure I'm totally ready but am keen to start thinking about it... DD is 15 mo and still very eager for a bedtime feed. I feed her at about 6:45pm then when shes just siddibg around and not really drinking ir comfort-sucking i put her in her cot sometimes she protests but 9/10 she goes straight to sleep until 7:15am ish.

She snuffles at me like a newborn and instantly relaxes the minute she's latched on so I don't think she's quite ready to give it up. But I had a day out with work yesterday and couldn't stay out for drinks because I had to come home for bedtime. And feeling aware of this 'restriction' made me think that I might be ready to think about stopping that one feed.

But I've no idea how. DD will take a sippy with water or cows milk during the day and generally has a good appetite (3 meals + snacks) so I know her bfeeding is not about hunger and more about comfort/winding down... So how the hell would I stop????

It was easy enough to drop other feeds bit she is gagging for the boob before bed and I'm not sure what I can offer as an alternative? I know if I try to put her down without she'll get really upset and it just feels a bit mean (after all I am indoors at 7pm most evenings so it's not like I can't give her a bf). I dont think a sippy will offer much comfort (nor do I think she'll take it if I'm there) and given her a bottle at this age seems not right....

Anyone else been through this??

OP posts:
Welovegrapes · 14/03/2013 23:41

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

hellohellohihi · 14/03/2013 23:49

Thanks grapes! Safety in numbers ;) These bf-ing babies are persistent eh?

OP posts:
Mannequinkate · 15/03/2013 00:05

Offer a sippy cup of warm milk at the same time. She may start swapping between the breast and the cup, back and forth.
Eventually offer the cup 1st then breast.
Then you can start to say not tonight to breast and she may be happy with that some nights, but not others so let her feed on those occasions.

This worked for me, ds eventually preferred the sippy cup as it was quicker! But would also feed from me and I just began distracting, he will still lunge at me months on if he gets a glimpse of naked boobs!!

Also I moved milk time further from bedtime so he wasn't falling asleep on me.
Feed, quick play, teeth, book, bed

Startail · 15/03/2013 00:53

You don't have to come home for bed time. If your not there she'll sleep for DH.

DD2 never took a bottle and did like formula/cows milk, but she'd settle for a yoghurt and a sippy cup of dilute juice from far younger than 15 months and let me go swimming.

Sometimes she woke up as I went to bed for a 11.30 feed, sometimes she didn't bother, but she'd drop of very easily.

Startail · 15/03/2013 00:55

didn't like milk (Still doesn't and she's 12, DH hates it too)

hellohellohihi · 15/03/2013 14:47

Well really I know it's just a case of changing the habit. But she seems to really need that suck at the end of the day... As I say I'm almost ready but not quite. I still enjoy that special cuddle at the end of the day, especially now I'm back at work.

I think she'd be better for DH than me because if I'm there she'll just paw at my chest and look at me as if to say "well get it out then, I'm not sitting here for my health" :p

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