How do I stop the last two feeds?

[MirandaG]

My DD2 (7 months) has refused to take any significant amount of milk from a bottle since I started trying (before Christmas...) She will take about an ounce and a half on a good day and will also take a little bit of water from a bottle. However she is a great eater and has Weetabix with milk for breakfast, banana with milk mid morning, pureed veg with cheese at lunch, youghurt mid afternoon and baby rice with milk at teatime. Sometimes she will have two yoghurts during the day and will drink a little bit of milk from a beaker. I bf at bedtime and usually at 12 or 1am. I really would like to stop bf - I am back at work three days a week and sooner or later will need to be away overnight. Also I would like to go away with my husband for a weekend and leave DDs with my parents - may seem selfish but we have had a difficult couple of years and could do with a bit of time on our own. I am concerned though that, because she takes very little fluid. apart from breast milk that she would end up dehydrated if I try to cut out the last two feeds. Any ideas? Thanks.

anyone?

This is a difficult one - but I'm sure that serious dehydration is not a likely consequence of stopping the breast feeding.

My advice would be to abandon the bottle and concentrate on cup/beaker. Even 7 month olds can manage a straw so you could experiment with that as a fun way to drink?

To stop the bedtime feed get dh to do exactly the same routine but when he gets to the bit when you feed her just offer her a drink of water (or milk if you think she's prefer it) and put her down.

My two dds never drank any milk after their last bf (one at 8 months - the other at 21 months) and still don't. They eat their calcium etc and my eldest even has dry cereal as she loathes milk so much. They survived and so will yours. Good luck.

ps go away for the weekend and let your parents do it...ha ha...cruel or what!

Thanks very much gagarin. It's good to know that other babies are like this too. I think I'm finding it hard because DD1 loved her bottle (eventually) and when I'd stopped bf, I really liked giving her a bottle and feel a bit sad that once I stop bf I don't really have a sure fire way of comforting apart from cuddles, which work but not quite in the same way. Funny you should suggest the cup because DD2, who is 4, was having a drink of water from a cup last night in their bedroom and DD2 was grabbing the cup so we let her have a bit until I remembered that it wasn't boiled water, but she did survive In desperation I have taken the lid off the beaker before and she really likes to drink that way although spills alot! I suppose she needs practice; I thought of trying one of those Doidy cups but will also try the straw today.
You know, I was just thinking of broaching the subject with my mum! She is really great with babies so might be ok with it. If she does manage to take a bit more with the cup I won't be so concerned about the deydration - at the moment her day time nappies are not very wet dry. Am taking her to the HV today so am hoping the one who bf her own babies will be there - she understands! Thanks again.