Help to give up breastfeeding

[Hillijx]

My daughter is 8 months and I am kind of done breastfeeding. I have 2 other young children, I am up in the night feeding and I just want to be able to go out for an evening for a break or spend more than 3 hours on my own! She won't take a bottle, I was hoping to combination feed but we have tried for months going gently with the bottle but it's not working, we have spent a small fortune on different teats but none work. She hasn't really got the idea of drinking from a cup/beaker.

Anyone else with experience in getting the right amount of milk into baby in this situation. Happy to pump for a while or even combine feeding but really want her to take milk some other way.....help please?

Do I go cold turkey ( this is Dh method of choice) or something more gradual....if so how do you do it gradually? My first 2 children decided they liked bottles and I weaned them gradually so it was easy.

Do be careful of going cold turkey, as you risk mastitis or engorgement which in itself can be painful. Better to drop alternate feeds. Will she take milk in solids eg milk mixed with rice cereal etc? She may take bottle/cup etc when she realises she will not get boob! Having said that I am probably not best advert as I breastfed my DS2 until he was over 2! Yes, I was one of those mothers. Couldn't face giving up when I knew he was my last.

Thank you for replying, all my friends either Got baby to take a bottle or just carried on feeding like you, well done for managing that long, I feel spent! ....I don't know anyone who has managed to get a baby to take milk in some way when they refuse the bottle. She needs milk so don't want to risk her not getting enough. I'm so torn as I really feel done but on the other hand I feel so bad not just carrying on for her. I would pump to slowly reduce my milk as I have done with dd1&2 and she would still get breastmilk, I can't cope with engorgement pain! I just want to figure out a way to do it that doesn't distress her much. We are going to try and drop the middle of the day feed and see if my Dh can convince her to take anything then she still gets me morning, night and through the night until she starts to drink something......fingers crossed! My Dh thinks I'm a bit soft and he would be happy to try cold turkey but thankfully he leaves me with the ultimate decision so really hoping we can convince her......

Will she use a cup? That might be easier than a bottle.

In terms if stopping feeding you need to try to do it slowly. Like dropping a feed every few days.