giving up bfeeding. how did you do it? cold turkey or slowly slowly?

[swerve]

I'm giving up bfeeding my dd (now 6 months). any suggestions how to do it? what did you do? and how long did it take? days? weeks or months?

It depends how many feeds the little one is on. dd (11 mths) stopped herself but was only on 2 feeds so I didn't really notice it.

Cold turkey can be really painful, so I would suggest exchanging one feed each week? Should take 4 weeks and not be too painful.

Good luck,

she's on 5 feeds, starting with bfeed followed by formula top-up.

If she is taking formula already that will really help. Perhaps offer one feed with only formula to see how that goes - perhaps the first one when she will be nice and hungry?

I gave up cold turkey both times, but mine were both 18 months old, so probably feeding a bit less than yours. Is she eating solids regularly? It took about three nights for dc1 to get used to it and dc2 never missed it at all.I didn't engorge or have any physical side effects, but my hormones went a bit haywire for a week! It helps if your husband/partner can give them the night time bottle and put them to bed. Whichever way you decide, good luck to you!

I really cut down bf when I returned to work when ds was 7 months. He used to have a feed in the morning, when I got home (about 6) and I used to give him a dream feed at 11pm (as I was worried he wasn't getting enough). I used to express so he had a mid afternoon feed but he never really drank much but he had plenty of yogurts etc during the day.
I had intended to give up when I went back to work, but it was so easy I didn't need to. I dropped the 11pm feed when ds was about 8 months and at 12 months I dropped the morning feed and gave him cow's milk instead. By the time he was 13months I dropped the night feed and gave him warm cow's milk instead, he never really bothered that I had stopped bf.
Good luck
xxx