10.5 month old weaning off breast - a few questions

[DuhNuh]

My DD is 11 months old at the end of next week. She has been EBF and is now down to two feeds a day. I'm now ready to stop feeding - in fact I can't go on as it is too painful now her top teeth have come through (and yes we have tried various positions and taking her off and back on etc all to no improvement.

As she's so close to 12 months I'm going to use her beaker, which she happily drinks water from. I have these questions though as I'm unsure how to progress:

1. Is there any point getting her used to formula now only to have to get her used to cow's milk in just over a month?
2. Whilst she does drink from her beaker there's no way she's going to have anything like 2x 8oz feeds. Is this ok?
3. Should I introduce the idea slowly, i.e. one feed dropped one week, the other feed the next week, being offered formula from beaker first followed by breast feed for a few days or is that too confusing - should I go all or nothing so she learns that she's not going to get a breastfeed?

I should add that she's a good eater and is now on 3 meals + 1 or 2 snacks.

Thanks

No one else been through similar and have some words of wisdom for me?!

Personally I wouldn't give formula. I would start by introducing small drinks of cow's milk with meals. As long as she is having a varied diet she doesn't need masses of milk instead of bfing.

Hi, I stopped bf at 14 months (was only feeding during the night, but a lot during the night) we did swap to formula and a bottle, I chose to use formula and bottles as I thought it would be an easier for DS and wanted to disturb our nights as little as possible!
DH took over the night feeds for about a week so there was no association or confusion for DS with me and boobs!

I found that just giving a bottle of cows milk really upset DS's tummy despite him having cows milk on his cereal etc but you can combine toddler milk and cows milk to make the transition easier which is what we did and DS now just has cows milk (still in a bottle though!) hope this has helped slightly

I wouldn't give formula, water offered at every meal, and cow's milk offered occasionally.

Watching with interest - DS won't have a bottle and hardly drinks from a cup. I've been back at work since he was 6 months and he's been thriving on a few sips of water during the day, lots of watery food (fruit etc) and bf on demand when I am home. Down to 2 feeds a day now at 10 months...

Thanks both. My DD has always refused a bottle so that's not an option - sorry I should have made that clearer. Hence the worry about not getting enough milk from the beaker.

I have tried a bit of cow's milk with meals but she's not fussed. I don't want to take too long with the transition as it is so painful now. Should I just go for it and hope she'll cope emotionally and physically? I don't think she's massively attached to breastfeeding fwiw - she happily and quickly dropped daytime feeds after weaning to solids and isn't one to pull at my top for a feed at all

Sorry, thanks Goldfish too - your message came whilst typing! It's hard when they refuse the bottle isn't it?!

Honestly, if you hang in there another couple of weeks you can be satisfied she is 'one or thereabouts'. If she isn't fussed on cow's milk (lots of one year olds who were previously bf aren't big on drinking large volumes of other milk), just make sure she gets plenty of cheese, yoghurt, ice cream (!), etc.

Libraries I just don't know if I can much longer, it's so painful! I guess it is only a few weeks...surely 11 and a bit months is ok for moving on if I give it another 2-3 weeks? Argh I've ummed and ahhed for a while about it but it is getting more and more painful as more teeth come through. She's a bit of a chomper!

TBH, I wouldn't worry about moving over now. It's a rough guide. I more meant another couple of weeks for your own peace of mind as you seemed a bit stressed about her not being one yet.

I'm stressed about all of it to be honest! Probably just over thinking it all as I know she'll be fine in the long run whatever I do. One of my main concerns is going cold turkey and offering only cow's milk if she's not going to drink much of it

Does she like cheese, yoghurts, etc?

I had a bottle refusing DD and I stopped breastfeeding her at 11 months, it was all totally fine. She ate well and then drank milk or water from a sippy cup. I just gave her cows milk as I didn't think there was any point buying formula at that stage. Don't worry about amounts as your DD will take what she needs.

Yes, she loves both yoghurt and cheese so I guess she'll get good calcium from those.

Nodding - what was bedtime like when you moved on?

And did you just go for it or phase it in alongside breastfeeds at first?

I just went for it and I remember thinking 'what was I worrying about?' as she was totally unfazed. I think we gave her a cup of cows milk at bedtime instead of the breastfeed. I'd dropped the morning feed about a month before.

Thanks for your help. I guess I just need to give it a go (she says, grimacing through a bedtime breastfeed...)