Help with stopping breastfeeding

[Thecaravan]

Hi everyone,

DD is 7 months old and I really want to stop breastfeeding now so that we can ttc number 2. I am 40 so don't have time to waste. DD is at nursery full time since beginning of March and was initially getting expressed breast milk which she would take from the bottle without too many issues. For the last month and a half, have been trying to wean her so have very gradually increased the amount of formula while decreasing the breast milk and up until the last two weeks or so, was taking it okay. She got sick with a very bad cold and bronchiolitis 2 weeks ago combined with her 2 bottom teeth coming through and just refused the bottle for days. I was off work with her and so had to breastfeed her in order to get some food in her at all. Back at nursery she's been taking some bottle but it's gradually getting less and less that she'll take. Today she had 100mls in 9 hours . She has gone to bed a few times with nothing after refusing the bottle from DH. I desperately want to quit breastfeeding now but feel so so guilty and don't know what to do. Nursery have asked me to send more food as they are concerned about her not getting enough nutrition. Have tried a new formula today (cow and gate) but she refused that too. Anyone any advice?? Am so worried about her. She was born on 55th percentile (expected much bigger as we were both big babies) , went up to 85th and is now down to 65th.

Just to add, this has been today's food intake:
Quick Breastfeed 1am
Quick Breastfeed 4am
Up for day at 5.30am
100mls formula 7.30am
Porridge 9am
Beef and broccoli (small serving) 12pm
1/2 banana 1pm
1/2 banana mixed with 30mls formula 3pm

She went to bed at 6pm with no food and no milk except a couple of tiny sips

I feel like the worst parent in the world.

I don’t have any advice just to say everything above sounds really hard and stressful and none of it your fault!
The only thing I can thing of is while her milk intake is low and she’s refusing bottles, to give her natural yoghurt as much as poss?
My 7month old is a 100% bottle refuser and it’s very stressful - but i’m not back to work yet so you have my sympathies there with that. Sounds heart wrenching!

Are you already trying for a baby?

You could try drying up your milk in combination with trying to reduce feeds so that she isn't getting much milk if you really do need to think about a second child now. Peppermint was off limits to me while feeding as it reduced my supply so much, I'm sure there are other things you can eat/do as well.

Try and think of it as doing her a long term favour of a sibling instead of the short term issue of stopping breastfeeding.

Thank you both so much for your tips and advice. She woke around 10pm last night and gulped down about 100ml of formula in about 30 seconds. Poor thing was so hungry. Still refused it again this morning though! I think maybe me breastfeeding her in the night has confused the situation too as sometimes she is getting the breast and other times not. Will try and dry up the milk and give her other sources like yogurt if she won't take formula. We are TTC already but have not had my periods return yet so hoping they'll start again soon. It took a long time to get pregnant the first time which is why we want to get cracking!