BF 13mo, how to stop?

[nappynovice]

My 13 month old DD bf once a day at about 6.30pm before bed. I'm getting to the point where I think i want to stop and want to know the best way of going about this. I've spoken to my HV who says helpful things like "it'll be hard to give up now" and "well, you don't want to be breastfeeding a toddler do you?". I have absolutely loved bf and feel emotional about stopping but on the other hand think maybe its time. We do the wind down/story/bath thing before bed already which she loves but then follow with a bf- how to cut this out without too much trauma?
Thanks for any advice.

Hi there. First I'd ask why you think 'it's time', if you both still enjoy it? I went through loads of ups and downs (mainly due to external pressures) thinking I needed to give myself some kind of deadline, and then decided if I was happy and dd was happy (and dp was supportive) then why feel i had to stop? If you only do a bedtime feed, you won't be feeding in public anyway, if that is a concern of yours and not just the HV.

Anyway, I kept feeding until 20 months; like you we were down to just the bedtime feed and I started to introduce a beaker of warm milk during stories, which was followed by the bf. Eventually I noticed dd didn't seem to take all that much at the bf, and I decided one night I would not offer it, but if she asked, she could have it. She didn't ask for it that night, or any other night, and that was that. It was lovely, because there was no traumatic scenes with me refusing to feed her, and I felt as though it came to a natural conclusion. I was still emotional about it, and missed it myself a lot for a while.. though it was nice not to be necessary at bedtime, and to ditch the nursing bras!

I'm sure others with better advice on weaning will be along soon!

Good luck.

Same as you, nn, my ds is 14 months and I'm trying to wind up the last remaining feed, the one when he falls asleep every night safely in my arms... it's hard! but I'm doing it mainly because he has to start spending nights away from me, and I don't want him to miss the milk as well as me, iyswim.

I've introduced a cup of warm milk with story time, and he is drinking less from me. I'm hoping the cup of milk will get bigger and the mama milk less till we stop naturally. but that's just a hope for now.