Advice on night weaning

[squidkid]

That's it really.
I work long and hard shifts (including night shifts) and I am struggling to have the energy, I think I really need a full nights sleep before the long shifts, which can be more than 14 hours on my feet. I still feed at night (usually just the once).
Me and boyfriend have decided to give night weaning a try after my next two night shifts in a couple of weeks time.
As I have done night shifts (8.30pm to 9.30am) obviously I know she CAN manage without the milk. Currently my boyfriend has the baby for the night shifts, it involves a lot of walking around the house and showing her I'm not there. He's tried her with cow's milk but she's not very interested. Some nights she's been ok, others there's been a lot of crying. I feel horribly guilty and upset about this but I'm not functioning at work, and I'm an acute medicine doctor, I cannot be stupid at work.
Any tips?
Baby will be 14 months.
I feel a bit guilty about all this.
Not at all ready to stop breastfeeding and I'm anxious that forcing changes on her will ruin everything. :( :(

I night weaned when my DS was a little older than that, by telling him he couldn't have Cuddle Me More at night anymore and just refusing to feed him until the morning. It worked for us, I just took the view that he didn't actually need it at that age and hardened my heart...

I agree with above poster I found we only successfully weaned when I was 100% committed, if I had any doubts somehow the baby did not accept any attempts we made. I EBF 3 kids BTW.

You have to get yourself into a completely determined state of mind, anything half-hearted and somehow the baby must sense we don't mean it ; )

When we night weaned I got DH 100% on board too and said we have to expect this to take a few nights at least. Then I explained to the baby that (insert your name for BF here) was going to sleep with the sun, like all the birds, like all the animals etc. etc. and only when the sun came up again could she/he BF. It was always quicker and more successful than we anticipated, but as I said ONLY worked when I had a steely determination myself.

Try and eliminate any other associations at night with BF, try and emphasize how BF is associated with daytime. Keep telling them, BF in front of a bright window etc, etc. You have to break the whole series of associations of BFing your gorgeous baby like a cocoon in the dark and still of the night, waaaaahhh! Yes, see we are often loath to really give it up because despite the terrible sleep-deprived suffering the next day it is so hard to turn down the most beautiful person in your life when they whimper pitifully and stroke your hair. So you have to make yourself as tough as nails and do it with DP's help.

Maybe just have him go to DC at night and not you so your DC gets the message?