Stopping feeding...how to replace the snuggles?

[futurity]

I am thinking about stopping feeding as ds is 9 months old and I just feel the time is getting near for breast feeding to finish. He had 3 feeds a day but I have already replaced the afternoon feed with a beaker to see how he and I got along with that. So far, it has gone well so I figure I will keep doing the morning and the evening feed until I decide whether to stop.

However, what I was wondering was about the evening feed. At the moment it takes about 20 mins and is very snuggly. DS winds down and occasionally falls asleep (always awakes when comes off the breast though!) ..then story and then bed. When he takes the beaker in the day it takes about 5 mins and needless to say a very "functional" feed rather than snuggly.

I shall talk to my fellow mums who bottle/beaker feed and ask how they get that winding down/snuggly feeling (although asked one who now uses a beaker and she says the snuggles have gone and dd winds down herself in her cot with her toys). I was just wondering whether anyone who stopped feeding at the same sort of age and went onto beaker..how did you find it and how do you replace the snuggles?

I still breastfeed in the morning at 14months but my son stopped his evening feed of his own accord at around 9months. He refuses all milk in the evening usually. So instead we play and cuddle after his bath and I always read him a story. He pops his dummy in and settles back in my arms to enjoy it. It's just as lovely as feeding him and I hope will go on for many, many years.

It will absolutely depend on your DS, Futility, when I stopped breast feeding I must admit that DS stopped any sort of cuddling at all, now that he didn't need me for vital food!! Despite the bathtime, last milk & bedtime story (on our bed) he just isn't interested in cuddling any time, hates getting into bed with Mum & Dad, very occassionaly if watching Teletubbies 'big hug' he might give me one! That's just his nature (now 19 months) - but I have a friend with a 12 & 9 year old who still love lots of cuddles & shared bedtimes together! It just depends on the child.

Sorry Futurity, misspelt your name.

Futurity,
It's possible your son will find his own way of replacing the b/f bedtime cuddle by making it clear he want a cuddle after his beaker perhaps?

When I stopped the evening b/f with my six month old son I took him into my bed for a cuddle while he had his bottle of milk - we'd both lie down under the duvet. Then when he'd finished his bottle, I'd carry him to his cot.

I used to hold DS2 chest to chest with his head snuggled under my chin or between my neck and my shoulder and give him a nice bed time snnuggle after his milk/teeth cleaning.

thanks for your replies. I have stopped the morning feed so now the only feed left is the bedtime one. He isn't taking much from the beaker in the morning or afternoon (4oz if I am lucky) but I understand that is normal until I give up b/f completely.

For the next week I will keep doing the evening one I think just to get him more used to the morning beaker as we have only just started that. I just have visions of screaming at bedtime...going to be difficult so I am not going to do it until I am ready!!