Trying to wean baby off boob.. impossible!

[doingitalllagain]

My son is 11 months old and has been breastfed since day dot. We've tried to introduce formula a few times but he wouldn't even humour us. I waited this long so we could give cows milk, I know we're still a month early but we are only gradually weaning and he will still be fed at night for a little while yet.

We are trying to just cut out boob in the day over the next few weeks, he starts nursery in January when I go back to work so he needs to be able to be ok without me in the day. He naps in the morning and afternoon and falls asleep on the boob both times. We are trying to sub his morning breastfeed for some milk at the moment, and he will take the milk, but then he gets absolutely hysterical for the comfort of breastfeeding. He'll scream for 20 minutes until I break and go and feed him and he will fall asleep literally as soon as the boob is in his mouth. It's the comfort not the hunger.

He eats well, so we can fill him up with food in the day but I went for a spa day last week and it was my first full day away from him and he had no naps. He just can't settle for them without me.

How do I stop?

I didn't try and cut down prior to my babies starting nursery at 9/10 months. They coped fine and had formula at nursery. At home I carried on breastfeeding on demand.

Children behave differently in different scenarios. It is highly likely that he will take a bottle just fine from someone at Nursery who doesn't smell like his favourite food and even if he doesn't eat much it's very normal for breastfed babies to make up for lost time when they get home both for nutrition and comfort. It's not the summer, it's unlikely he'll get dehydrated so try not to worry.

Your spa day was a one off, going to nursery regularly will put him in a new routine and after a few days he will sleep just fine.

Im currently wanting to wean my nearly 13month off the boob but going to be hard!

she won’t take a bottle so gave up trying n working on a sippy cup. I went back to work tho at 10 months and she is fine having no milk tho days. I was trying to stop day feeding by then on days I’m home but not been easy as like you she gets hysterical and only calms with boob.

I will say she is my second though and my son was boob mad too, but would take a bottle but hopeless at napping. If your family are struggling with naps can’t take they take him for a walk or drive to get him to sleep? My son wouldn’t be put down for every nap was moving or contact! Don’t worry about nursery too they’ve got ways to get them to sleep.

Do you want to stop all together or just day feeds? With my son I went away for a couple of nights with friends and just went cold turkey from there. My husband managed and when I came back he had a change of routine so didn’t ask for it to my amazement but did take a bottle.

hopefully giving you some solidarity and hope. Never easy but they will soon get used to change