How do I cut down bf 9 mo?

[nobodytoldme]

I am going back to work soon and I want to cut out bf in the daytime - at the minute it is only a morning and afternoon nuzzle. Trouble is ds won't take much from a cup and nothing from a bottle.
I am happy to begin the process of weaning now, I feel pretty shattered and I know that ds needs to help himself to nap in the day without me around. I will continue morning and night until he is one then try to cut those too.
Is there any way to up his intake from a cup, or should I just go cold turkey? he is showing no signs of wanting to self wean

As long as you're there he'll want to breastfeed - would you blame him?

If you're not there he'll soon learn to take more water in the daytime when he's thristy. You can probably expect a short term increase in night feeding but it will settle down quickly.

I went back when DS was 6 months and although I expressed a bit for him he saved up for when I was home and BF instead - now at a year old he takes loads of water, it has evolved gradually.

My dd is nine months and fed on demand, usually 4-5 times a day when I'm around. Went back to work two weeks ago and she refused all expressed milk, just drank lots of water and ate more food. As soon as I get home she has a breastfeed. I never bothered weaning her off, she just feeds on demand when I'm here.

You could add water to his food if you are worried about his intake of liquid, e.g. crushed frozen breastmilk and fruit for pudding, milky rice puddings, extra water in casseroles, home made ice lollies, etc.

Or leave him with another carer for a few hours so that he has to have water from them, probably from a beaker or cup, or get thirsty. He will drink if he needs to. You could try a doidy cup, breastfed babies are said to do well with them. Or try letting him sit with a toddler who drinks from a beaker - my youngest loves a beaker for water and I am sure it's because he's seen his brother with one.

Don't stress too much about what may or may not happen. It will work out, your DS will not die of thirst, he'll adapt to the changes. Like IARCFB said you might end up doing a few more feeds at night for the first month or two, but after a while it will settle down. I spent loads of time with DS1 stressing over the issue of how would I get him to eat/drink when I went back to work FT at 6mths, and it just worked out naturally. Take it a day at a time, and feel good about the great start you've given him and the lovely bond you have.

Thanks for the reassurance. I was just a bit concerned that he gets enough milk in a day - should it be about 500ml at this age? That's probably a lot of night feeds!

Not sure, but just offer the boob when you can and a beaker of water when you can't. He'll help himself if he's thirsty. 500ml is 18 fluid ounces, so about 3/4 breastfeeds: if you were to offer breastmilk first thing in the morning, bedtime, and a dreamfeed, you should be able to get away with it if you can get him to have liquid in foods, and water from a beaker. Make sure the food you offer is rich in nutrients like iron, calcium and protein etc.

He might wake you up for a snack in the early hours too, maybe because he needs some reassurance now that you are no longer his sole carer, maybe for genuinely nutritional needs. But that won't last forever, and you might feel a bit shabby at work for a few months, but by the end of his first year you won't know why you were so worried...

Good luck.