Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Flip

Original poster

If you exclusively breastfed until age 1, how did you then stop?

20 replies

ChalknCheeseplants · 07/10/2023 08:32

Hi!

I'm breastfeeding my second child, he is now coming up to 9 months and is still exclusively breastfed. It has gotten to the stage I'm not loving it anymore, I'm fed up of the tugging off and the accidental bites and would like to start choosing my outfits based off something other than how accessible my boobs are, but it seems silly to introduce formula so close to 12 months, especially when I am finding it so easy now if not a bit annoying at times, so I plan to continue until then but would ideally like to stop as soon as I could after that.

Honestly I'm just not sure how?! I breastfed my first but only for 6 months exclusively then he was combi fed and I stopped breastfeeding by just swapping out breastfeeds one bottle at a time. So I don't know how to stop without that?!

OP posts:

TheOutlaws · 07/10/2023 08:34

I didn’t. I carried on until DS2 was 4 and gave up naturally. However I did night-wean before this, the Dr Jay Gordon method is really helpful.

FallingAutumnLeaf · 07/10/2023 08:37

Switched a milk feed for a cup of milk or a snack (or both).
Left the bedtime feed til last.

DustyLee123 · 07/10/2023 08:37

I carried on until his 1st birthday, then stopped the day after. When you’ve got a child with a mouth full of teeth pulling at your nipple then laughing, it’s time to stop.
He had a cup of cows milk from then on.

RomeoandJomeo · 07/10/2023 08:38

TheOutlaws · 07/10/2023 08:34

I didn’t. I carried on until DS2 was 4 and gave up naturally. However I did night-wean before this, the Dr Jay Gordon method is really helpful.

Same. Though at some point I did introduce regular cows milk, and was only feeding morning and evening... precise details a bit hazy as my daughter is now 16.

leafinthewind · 07/10/2023 08:38

I stopped after 14 months with my first. Dropping one feed at a time and replacing with cow's milk from a sippy cup from 12 months. Last feed at night was the last to go. I went out and left DH to deal with it. DD looked a bit betrayed, but I stuck to my guns. She was over it in a couple of days. She didn't need the food/drink - and once she got the hang of it she didn't mind going to sleep without a feed either.

Pebblesandwaves · 07/10/2023 08:39

I carried on to 18months and then I went cold turkey. Everytime he asked for milk I'd point to my boobs and say 'all gone' but offer a bottle. It took 3 days and there were tears (from us both) but after day 3 he stopped asking and slept SO much better! I expressed a little bit now and then just to take the edge off that overly full feeling.

Dolly567 · 07/10/2023 08:42

Following, as I'm at 2 years and no signs of stopping

Singleandproud · 07/10/2023 08:42

I carried on until Dd naturally stopped at 3 years. I was single and it was much easier just to carry on.

I can't help with the how to stop bit but it might be worth noting that once they are eating properly, and running around the feeds decrease massively. You can tell them to wait until you get home etc and life gets much, much easier. The feeds tend to increase more around times of being ill or teething but overall it's much easier and you feel much less 'touched out'.

RidingMyBike · 07/10/2023 08:43

Mine was combi rather than EBF but at this age I didn't allow biting, tugging at clothes or access when I didn't want it which helped me put up with it (absolutely hated BFing so only way I could tolerate doing it!). I didn't BF outside the house after a year so stopped wearing the accessible clothes.

So you don't have to do that much of it by this stage - mine was down to 2 BFs and 2 formula bottles at nine months. You could just limit to when you are prepared to do it, make sure they get a varied diet of solids with plenty of dairy in and Vit D supplement.

Clarity16 · 07/10/2023 08:43

Stopped feeding both of mine at around 12 months in the day (and then finally managed to stop the night feed at around 14). Just gradually switched a feed for a snack and a cup of milk. They also both started nursery at around that age when I went back to work which helped.

RidingMyBike · 07/10/2023 08:48

And whilst I did eventually BF long term (3.5 years) it was such an insignificant part of our lives after a year it was much easier to deal with doing it. Mine had 2 BFs a day from 9mo, then one short one daily from 18mo. First thing when she woke up so no need for the clothing or those clippy bras!

Having loathed BFing for the first year it went to more 'meh' about it and it no longer felt like a big issue as it was such a small amount of our time together.

padsi1975 · 07/10/2023 08:52

Stopped at 12 months and had to don't quickly as had unexpected work trip to Australia and didn't want to be leaking/pumping while there. Swapped out to a bottle I think. Thought it would be hard and I'd be in pain while away but milk dried up so quickly and it went smoothly.

Softsoftsleep · 07/10/2023 08:53

I stopped breastfeeding my second at 1 year and went cold turkey, from a million feeds during the day and night to none. I don't recommend this approach at all, but I felt desperate.

With the next child, I gradually cut down; night time feeds first then slowly reduced the feeds until my baby was 19 months and was having no milk from me at all. Much better. I started reducing around 16 months and did it slowly as the first time really put me off.

SiouxsieSiouxStiletto · 07/10/2023 08:53

I planned to stop at 6 months but carried on. I just seemed easier by that point but if you're not loving it, you don't have to continue.

LeticiaDejeuner · 07/10/2023 09:10

I phased it out gradually. I thought about what I wanted to happen next and then very slightly changed our routine to work towards it.

I breastfed on demand until they were eating something like 3 meals a day (around 10 months). Then dropped night feeds. Once they were used to that I reduced the number of daytime feeds to around 4 times a day.
After the first birthday, I only breastfed before bedtime, first thing in the morning (so I could stay in bed a tiny bit longer) and after naps. Then only at bedtime. Stopped completely by around 15-18 months.

scotspancake86 · 07/10/2023 09:17

I gradually phased out when my kiddies were 1, they both couldn't be fussed with breastfeeding few months later. So it was a natural progression from both of us! Good luck!

PenguinWaiting · 07/10/2023 09:18

Between 10-14 months (something like that anyway, it was a while ago!) I cut down until I was doing just morning and night, then just night, then stopped. I was lucky that he didn't really notice or care. I know it's harder for others.

Yourebeingtooloud · 07/10/2023 09:18

dc1 stopped at around 15 / 16 months due to nursing aversion / pregnancy sickness. I’d been back at work since they were 8 months anyway so we’d already switched day feeds (mostly for food because they were never fussed about milk that wasn’t bm). So just down to morning & bedtime feeds. Dropped the bedtime feed first by dh putting to bed for a while, then he did the first thing in the morning bit for a week or so to break the morning feed habit.

DC2 self weaned at 3 but we’d done the same of just gradually switching feeds for milk or snacks / meals so only down to a morning feed by then. And then one day they just didn’t ask for it, and then the next day I said the milk was gone and they were never bothered again!

In short, I think switching one feed at a time to an alternative is probably the easiest / least upsetting way for you both.

Also it’s fine to insist on nursing manners - baby bites / pinches / messes around, just take off the boob and say ok, can see you’re finished now.

TeaAndStrumpets · 07/10/2023 09:52

Definitely do it gradually. Worked well for DD1, down to a night feed by 19 months. (Poor sleeper)

Different for DD2. When she was 13 months old she gave me a good bite and I sternly said "No!". Cue hysterical sobbing and she ran to her sister for a cuddle. Horrible Mummy! I felt awful at upsetting her and offered the breast but she just refused and never fed again.

I still feel traumatised about it!

I have to say, DD2 is extremely strong willed and still easily offended aged 40, but hope that's not due to any childhood trauma I inadvertently inflicted...

Petrie99 · 07/10/2023 10:06

I'm at 9m too and after a recent week of awful biting (thankfully now stopped) I started to prepare to think about weaning post 12m. My partner does the first feed of the day with a bottle of expressed milk now, which thankfully he takes well. We will continue this as I just pump whilst I make breakfast etc, it doesn't trouble me to do so. So we will keep this as is. I think I'll try and reduce or swap out the other day feeds next, but he currently only feeds after his first nap and before his second, then perhaps another short feed if he asks before dinner. I'd plan to swap these out for snacks or cups of milk, whichever he seems to prefer, helped by him starting nursery at 12m where I don't plan to be taking him breastmilk in. That will hopefully just leave the bedtime feeds and overnights which I'm happy to continue for a few months and hope to reduce naturally as we don't cosleep. Overnight feeds vary between 1 and 2 but usually 2. If at 18m we are still feeding overnight I may look at night weaning. I've stopped feeding when out in the day anyway as he just refuses now as he's too nosy.

I was starting to feel touched out and overwhelmed with it so started to swap some feeds for bottles and honestly I got more upset than I thought I would when realising this would mean no more sleepy day feeds. So I went back. I do think I will be ready at 12m though and he isn't a particulalry boob obsessed baby so I can't see it troubling him

Flip

Swipe left for the next trending thread