weaning off the breast

[Chloe55]

my 21 week old has, for the past few weeks, really started fussing at breastfeeding. She will take her dream fed bottle of formula lovely, she also does the middle of the night feed from my breast lovely but more often than not the daytime feeds she starts, pulls away, goes back, starts to cry, goes back, etc this cycle continues through the feed. The past couple of days I have fed for a few minutes then offered a bottled (which she has guzzled ) So, I'm kind of thinking she is telling me herself that she no longer wants to feed from me. I am coming to accept that but now have no idea which is the best way to wean. Dropping one feed gradually as suggested over the net doesn't seem an option anymore as she is fussing even more now knowing a bottle will be offered. Shall I just keep doing this and gradually my supply will decrease enough to stop entirely? Do you think I van keep the middle of night feed?

Hi Chloe. You might find the following link to the Kellymom website useful:

Kellymom - baby fussing at breast

My (uneducated) opinion is that your baby is becoming accustomed to the fast flow of a teat, and is grumpy about the initially slower flow at the breast. Do you want to continue breastfeeding? If so, I would stop bottles for a while until she becomes used to breastfeeding again.

If you don't want to continue with breastfeeding then I am sure others will come along to explain how to swap over. I haven't done this myself, but I understand there is a risk of mastitis if you stop too suddenly.

My DD was acting just as you describe for the past week (including feeding well at late bottle feed and in the night). I am pretty sure it was due to teething pains (even though she has no teeth emerging yet). she has now stopped doing it and is back to enthusiastic BF again.

does your dd show any signs of teething pain otherwise?

mini pie I have been wondering exactly that. dd has been teething for a while now. I just dont know what to do, one day I resign myself to the fact that life would be easier not breastfeeding as its not nice seeing them squirm/cry, I look forward to wearing what I want, eating what I want, not having to express at work etc. Then I have a lovely lovely feed with her and can't believe I'm contemplating quitting. I was in tears over it today

oh poor you. It is so horrid when they cry at the breast isn't it. maybe you could think about mixed feeding, do the night feeds as breast feeds and day feeds as bottle (or a v short bf but stopping as soon as she seems upset and switching to bottle)? that way there would be no pressure on her or you and hopefully no fussing. ok your supply might drop but at this age it should be quite well established so if she wants to return to full BF it should bounce back reasonably swiftly.

Babies do not self wean under a year old. Definitely not as early as 21 weeks! I find during the day especially if we're out and about my baby is really distracted so we try and catch up on feeds when we're in and it's quiet.

I was wondering if I could do that? I take an emergency bottle with me everywhere at the mo but I think I would be OK with dropping a couple of day feeds but don't want to stop completely. Would my supply adjust to that? Would I still have enough milk say first and last thing if I do drop the day feeds?

I believe so though not an expert - for example there are lots of women who carry on doing one BF a day at bedtime for a long time after dropping all other BFs. so it should be ok supply wise I'd have thought. you might need to express once in the middle of the day though or you could get a bit engorged?