How do I stop breastfeeding my DD? Not even sure I want to...

[VengefulSquirrel]

My dd is 6mo and I am wanting to cut down bf as life is about to grind back into gear with work etc. Not straight away, but in the next 8 weeks or so.

I am really dreading the engorgement side of things...HV told me that when lo was taking solids, the milk would just go down gradually. Has this been your experience? (sounds unlikely!)

Also, my dd doesn't seem to be taking less milk. She still feeds at 8am, 10am, 1pm, 4pm, 7pm and then sometimes once or twice in the night.

Aargh! Where do I start. Feel like I can't solve this, it is too hard. She won;t take a bottle...what do I do? What will I give her to drink instead?! And how??

My feelings are very confused anyway because I will be so, so sad when it all has to stop, she is my last baby.

Glad it is not just me with a delicate petite little dd! can't think where mine get it from - certainly not me, my arse can be seen from space right now!

Well, I did read once that breastfeeding was more about brain development than sheer bulk so let's hope our dd's brains are growing huge (and that mine figures out that a bottle might be nice for a change once in a while!)

I've no idea where my dd gets it from either - I'm not huge but I'm not tiny either! Although dd1 is the total opposite, and that is more of a shocker. She is just 3 and is over a metre tall. Really no idea where that has come from. If she carries on at this rate, she'll be over 6 foot as an adult - I'm 5'6 and dh is 5'8!

Dd2 is now smaller than an 8week old abby at the toddler group we go to...

Still, at least now all the clothes dd1 grew out of before thay had any wear will get thoroughly used - the poor girl is still wearing some 0-3 month stuff!

Thanks for everything Silver frog. I will go to bed a bit less stressed out about my situation. I'm gonna try a doidy (just lovvin that name!) and some ebm, then try other things. I'm also going to try not to stress so much. As I read all the posts I think it became clear to me that i could not really manage cold turkey, think I am going to go for a more gradual approach. I guess at 8 months, even if they missed a midday feed there would be no consequences other than they would be cross, as long as they were getting solids as well.

You've been so helpful.

A suggestion about solids.

I know that advice tends to be to give solids after a breastfeed.

I personally gave solids before breastfeeds with all 4 of my children. I also continued breastfeeds between feeds too.

When I went back to work I fed as normal on my days off. I personally wouldn't change anything at the moment because it is still 2 months away before you go back. It will work out

Thanks Mears. I followed your advice all day,(bf after solids) and we did much better, less sipping and more eating, but big bfs at the main times (8, 10, 1.30 and 7.15).

Even managed to get out for a bit in the afternoon with DH to sign papers for new house

That sounds good. Honestly, your baby will have a completely different pattern by the time you go back to work. Just go with the flow

I stressed about a very similar situation. My DD was going to nursery at 7 months and was a seriously regular bfer. When I returned to work for the first 4 or 5 weeks she refused ebm and formula but got by on food and water during her days at nursery. She bf before and after nursery quite a bit though.

Eventually she started taking some milk from a bottle at nursery but tbh by then she didn't really need it as still bfing at home.

Just go with the flow (!)and don't stress. If she is hungry/wants milk she will have it at nursery, if she doesn't she will get food. Simple. She wont' starve - honest!

As for supply issues - it's amazing how you adapt. I expressed twice a day at work for a while but after a month or so I gave up as she wasn't having the ebm anyway. No engorgement and still enough to bf on non nursery days.

It'll be fine.

Agree with Mears, don't worry about it too early as feeding pattern and soldis vs milk balance may change a lot (but gradually) over 2 months. I'm going back to work beginning of October when dd is 11 months and posted a question here a couple of months ago, asking whether I should start to change day-time bf over to formula in order to prepare her.

Mears gave me the brilliant advice not to change anything at that time. Thanks Mears! I had another couple of months of 'no-formula' thanks to you!!

Try not to worry too much. I fully bf DD til 8months and returned to work part time. She refused FF +++. Ended up she took more bf when I was with her. My supply was fine, despite what bf counsellors and HV's told me. If you have fed on demand, your body will adapt to your new situation. Hope this helps