Stopping breastfeeding.. how was it for you?

[Syra]

My son is currently 8months old and I’m not ready to stop breastfeeding yet but for lots of reasons I’m hoping to make a slow transition to bottle feeding over the next 2-3 months. He’ll now accept a bottle and formula so I’m not too worried about that aspect of it.

My question is the change in relationship and providing comfort. At the moment he won’t take a dummy so I feed him for comfort as well as food and to sleep. Has anyone else been in this position and how did it go when you stopped? How do you stop feeding to sleep?! He’ll only fall asleep while feeding or in a moving car or pram just now. He’ll let my husband rock him to sleep occasionally but he’ll just kind of head butt my boobs till I feed him if I try and rock him to sleep.

I’m just looking to hear if anyone has any stories on how it was for them and if you have any advice for me! Thank you so much in advance.

I exclusively BF for one year and my DD1 loved the boob, like your son. In the end the only way for me to stop was cold turkey. It was hard the first couple of weeks but that’s it. They forget, in my experience she slept through the night after I stopped, and I suppose it’s “liberating” in a sense, though that was not my aim. I just didn’t see the health benefits after a year and wanted her to sleep better. My husband took care of putting her to bed for the best part of six months.

Sorry to jump in on this one. Byemelania ( LOL by the way) my 13 month old has never taken a drop from a bottle or cup and am worried about her getting any milk at all or the chaos that will come from cutting her off. How did you do it?

Thanks @Byemelania, that’s exactly the kind of story I was hoping to hear. I can manage a couple of rough weeks and my husband is definitely ready to take over for a while.

Dd1 stopped breastfeeding at 15 months. She wouldn't drink milk from anything. I was told as long as she had yogurt, cheese and broccoli she would be fine and eventually she did drink milk.

Dd2 was 14 months and went straight onto milk no fuss.

With both we did the gradual retreat process with night weaning. We picked a feed to stop and then husband would comfort the child and then gradually retreat or of the room. He did take a week off work with the first to do this, so he could sleep during day. With second he didn't get that luxury!! After that one was conquered we picked the next night feed, then the morning one by giving breakfast instead.

We replaced the comfort of breastfeeding with cuddles, soft songs and gentle distraction from both of us.

@Southoftheriver888 I think she will adapt, they always do? You can give her sweet kids yoghurt (I always give organic yoghurts but your choice) to start with? I think they find cow milk a bit sour to begin with. I also gave her the baby cereal, organix has one she liked. I mixed it with a bit of warm cow milk.

Stopped at 6/6.5 months. Best decision for us both. Absolutely no upset or transition issues. Slept through the night the day I did
my last feed which was a great surprise!

A good age to stop in my opinion. I stopped over a period of a month by very gradually dropping feeds, ending with night ones. Babe already took formula and a bottle so was quite flexible.

Really pleased with my decision but i did also shed a little tear the last night.