How do I stop BFing?

[latestincarnation]

DS is 11mths and we are down to one BF in the morning - how do i go about stopping completely? Do I just stop (and does this then risk blocked ducts/mastitis even though we are on one feed a day) or do I start spreading it out to every other day etc?

Thanks! LiC

You could switch it to after breakfast for a while with the idea that he will take less milk and so the demand will reduce more gradually.

In my case, I got mastitis twice in the time I breastfed DD and so was very keen to avoid it when I stopped. You'll be pleased to know that what I did worked (didn't get any mastitis). I gradually reduced the feeds to one a day, then one every other day, then after a couple of weeks of doing that, stopped. I gave the very last feed when she was 11 months and 3 weeks. DD didn't seem to notice! I did get a bit full once after stopping, but expressed a little bit, and then was fine.

Also, having not given DD any formula, I was quite keen not to introduce formula at 11 months, so I replaced the breast feeds with warm cow's milk (although just to note that official advice is not to give cow's milk til 12 months) which she loved / loves (she's now 15 months).

Good luck!

Thanks! I've also given him no formula (amazed I got this far - nearly gave up one week in!! ) and he has been taking cows milk quite well. I have 4 weeks planned, so will start spreading them out - I'm hoping to avoid the agony of blocked ducts/ a near miss from mastitis that I had early on

I miss it already - especially the sleepy bedtime feed which was more of an indulgent cuddle!

I offered DS3 a wee feed the odd time after I had made the decision to stop purely for decompression purposes, IYKWIM . If I got too uncomfortable I would let him feed long enough for relief, but no longer. At that point he was not actually all that interested anymore and I sometimes had to persuade him to latch on! I think I fed him anouther half a dozen times or so in the fortnight after we had officially "stopped".
And much as I was well ready to stop (he was 13 months old) I did miss it for a while... But he gives lovely cuddles now even without the feed .
Hope it goes well for you.

Dogwood - my LO also doesn't seem that interested anymore too - so the time is right for both of us. I'll start phasing them out then, and fingers crossed no problems!!

Thanks for all your support and advice - MN is sooooo much more usefull than my HV how was completely at a loss when I asked her. As I couldn't tell her how many ounzes he was getting she had run out of advice!

Hope it goes well! Glad to be of help!