How do I give up the evening bedtime feed?

[mumonthemove]

I have a 13month year old and would like to stop breastfeeding. She seems happy to have cows milk from a cup during the day, and has never had a bottle. But breastfeeding is how she always goes to sleep - anyone any tips on this one ?

will watch with interest as i bet this is me in a few months time!

Try changing the last part of your routine to something else sleep-inducing. Rocking/singing/swaying/gently chatting/hand holding and stroking in cot are all good. You could approach it in stages, so from a bf to sleep to an alternative parenting method to sleep, and then from there to weaning her off parenting to sleep. It is a longer route but less abrupt.

Oh and to start (if you choose this appraoch) you could begin by breaking her off early, so at first break her off just as she's falling asleep then when she's not quite there and then while she's calm and sleepy but still awake etc.

A good book for this kind of thing is Elizabeth Pantley 'no cry sleep solution' might give a couple fo ideas

tried the rocking thing tonight and it worked! She has had a bad cough and doctor has prescribed anti hystamine for a week , so this might also make her drowsy. Apparently milk could be an irritant to the cough so seems like another good reason to stop now. Does anyone know how much cows milk a one yeat old shoud have in a day?

Great glad it worked!

Sometimes if they stir as put down, if you continue to pat their body rhythmically (and pretty firmly) then they settle again.

Think (off top of my hand) about half a pint, maybe a bit more, two thirds? But remember, there are other sources of calcium inc yoghurt and cheese.

Mmmm milk and coughing, I think generally diary products increase phlegm and so on, BUT I don't think that means they should be cut down in a 1 year old.

Other things might help though. Like a bowl of hot water in the room (safe under cot or some such)or wet towels on the radiators (works when me dcs have a cold/dry cough).

Possibly raising one end of the cot so that the phlegm drains better rather than pooling in her wee chest.

I am beside myself because had planned to stop bf DS who is 16 months this weekend, having got down to evening feed only. Last night it almost felt like he made the decision for me - has hardly ever bit me, but really didn't seem to want breast at all and bit me each time I tried to offer breast. DH came into bedroom and got him off to sleep within 10 mins. I was upset not to have a final feed and cherish it, but thought that this had all worked out remarkably well. Too well as it happens as there is now terrible misery going on which DH is being very marvellous and trying to deal with. Anyone got any words of advice? I am tempted to go and offer DS breast but think this would make things worse especially as haven't done a bf for 48 hours. Also feel totally miserable myself for not having my nightly oxytocin boost. So we are all crying.

I have no idea! But my instinct says BF and plan what you'll do next time so you're mentally prepared. I might be wrong though!

Thank you yetihed. As it happens, DH got him off to sleep after about 15 mins but it was all rather fraught. I had meant to spend the weekend looking at MN etc for tips on how to manage this situation, but ended up doing something unplanned. Will now go and find out how I should have handled it.