Can I go cold turkey on the breast?

[littlelamb]

My dd is eight months old now and I only breast feed her at night, but I really want to stop now, as I know she's just doing it for comfort rather than being hungry ( I know that sounds horrible but its really getting me down.) She goes to nursery during the day and before christmas was having expressed milk with no problems at all, but now I've switched to formula I'm lucky if she'll take an ounce a day, and she also refuses water, be it from a cup, beaker, straw or bottle. I have a dilemma now as her dad, who lives 300 miles away, has offered to take her for a week, and as much as the idea fills me with dread, I just keep thinking that I could finally be free of breastfeeding. But would this upset her? She knows and likes her family up there, but will it distress her to come back and not be able to have a breastfeed? I hope I don't sound a terrible mother, but I really don't know what to do

If you are only feeding at night it shouldn't be too difficult.
The biggest problem will probably the painful boobs you'll probably have for a few days!!!
My dd2 stopped feeding abruptly (her choice) at 13 months and I was in agony for about a week with engorgement!!
A good way of offering comfort at night could be to let her have your nightie or t-shirt that you've worn a few times, your smell might be comfort enough.
Eight months is quite young to be staying so far away from mummy, are you happy with that?
Breaking away from breastfeeding can be traumatic enough without being away in a strange place without mummy!
Is she having any fluids at all?
Perhaps talk to your health visitor about all this in case dehydration becomes a problem.
I would wait to get these things sorted before letting her go away with daddy.
Hope this helps in any way.

I had to stop feeding ds all of a sudden as he started to bite me really hard and i just couldn't deal with the pain. I was amazed at how quickly he ajuusted - He was like your dd and opnly feeding at night for comfort but after 2 nights he was no longer waking up atall. My boobs were a bit sore but as he was only feeding at night anyway it wasn't too bad. Good luck

He was 9 monthes

I'd be more worried about my eight month old baby being so far away from me than I would be about giving up breastfeeding. I think it would be better just to decide not to feed any more at night than to take such drastic action, personally. How well does she know her father? Eight month olds can react quite badly to being in a strange place without mummy. don't want to upset you, but I think you can stop feeding at night without sending her away. I stopped feeding my son at night at 8months (while continuing to feed during the day) and it really wasn't that bad. I phased the night feeds out and then did some controlled crying, which was really not harrowing.