How do they wean themselves off breastfeeding?

[Mum2Ela]

Hi everone

I have lots of questions about breastfeeding( DS is 7 weeks and breastfed - couldn't manage it for more than a couple of weeks with DD who is now 2 yrs) - won't bombard you with them all now!

I have been reading a couple of other threads and people have mentioned stoppping breastfeeding as their DS / DD weans themselves off it.

Does this mean they gradually cut down themselves on the number of feeds they have. Assuming this is what happens, does that mean they get other drinks such as water? So at what point whould I introduce DS to drinks from a bottle? I think DD was only a couple of months old when I would give her water, but she was formula fed and I think that this wouldn't be the same for a breastfed baby.

Sorry to ramble, but I am finding breastfeeding a bit of a puzzle!

x

You don't need any other drinks as long as he is solely breastfeeding which it is advised you do for six months, or even when he's just having formula & breastmilk. You can maybe add dilute juice or water after that if you like. When ds was eating meals and drinking juice I fed less often and he asked less often until at just over a year I decided I wanted to wear dresses again so by that time was mixed feeding and sometimes only breastfeeding morning and night, sometimes only morning, sometimes not at all that day, so it was easy for us both to stop. Some babies stop wanting milk or lose interest in breastfeeding earlier than this it seems.

Your ds will start dropping feeds of his own accord and your milk supply will regulate itself.
Personally I don't give dd any water (10 1/2months) but when my mum has her 2 days a week she gives her water in the morning, ebm at lunchtime and water in the afternoon. I feed as normal the rest of the time. This has happened since dd was 8 months old.
I am starting to give her some water now (at 10 1/2 months) as I feel that she may be thirsty rather than hungry.

My situation is slighly different as we are dairy free so dd doesn't get any milk in any way other than from me. Have been dairy free for 5 weeks.

I think that at 7 weeks you shouldn't worry about other drinks at the moment unless you want to start expressing and giving ebm.

If you are happy witht he situation then don't worry about it- it takes a while for things to settle (took me until dd was about 3 months before I felt that I'd really cracked the breastfeeding)

Thanks aloha. I want to breastfeed for 6 months and then gradually wean him off, so I think when I introduce solids I will introduce water from a bottle. He will take ebm from a bottle so that shouldn't be a problem (fingers crossed!).

Pixiefish I do express so DS has ebm when I go to the gym / out for the evening. Do I need to worry about other drinks?

Also, do you boobs every stop leaking? The boob DS isn't feeding from always leaks, its costing me a fortune in breastpads!

As Aloha says you don't need to worry about other drinks as you're bfing. Maybe when you introduce solids then you can offer milk from a beaker.

YES, your boobs will stop leaking profusely. Mine did but i can't remember when- everything does settle down when baby and milk self regulate.

I find though that one boob still leaks when it's full and when i'm expressing at work so I just start off on that one if its heavier than the other.