Ramping down BFing- which feed to drop next?

[GYo]

Am ramping down BFing my 7mth DD. I've now dropped the 12pm feed to formula and Im not sure which to drop next to ensure my supply doesnt drop too fast.

She currently feeds like this

7am BF
8am Breakfast
9.30am BF or EBM(really she is hungry for this!)
11.45am Lunch
12.15 formula bottle
3pm BF
6.45pm BF
10pm BF

Was thinking of the 3pm one (as it gives me a long stretch away if I need to go out)
Will my supply cope with going from 9.30am to 6.45pm ?

I want to keep doing the 7am, 6.45pm as Breastfeeds until she is 9mths or so and the 10pm for as long as she needs it.

We are BLWing so she isnt ingesting loads at meal times yet. She has water on offer at all meals.

Thank you

bump

anyone?

Dunno really but I would probably not drop 2 feeds in a row, leavng such a long time between feeds. Although if you want to keep all the night/morning ones for now, you've only really got the choice of two, the 930am and 3pm so take your pick, don't thikn it will make much difference!

Hi GYo. I ramped down slowly, preparatory to going back to work when dd was 6 months. I was doing 7, 11, 3, 5 and 7. I dropped 11, 3, then 5 over the course of 6 weeks. I've now been doing 7 and 7 for the past three weeks, and my supply seems to be coping. Tbh DD does now take very short feeds (around 10 mins), but seems happy with that, doesn't wake in the night, and we both enjoy it (me more than her, I think - she loves her bottles ).

So, in short, I think the 3 o'clock one is probably the best one to drop next for you. Hope that helps.

Why rush to drop another feed?
7 months is pretty young to be dropping feeds, esp if she not having much in the way of solids.
Sorry if it sounds like lecturing but milk should be the main source of nutrition for your baby's first year..

Hi
thanks for your replies.

Starlight- thanks for asking, I am going back to work full time in December and I want to ensure that I rampdown my breast feeding in good time to ensure that its not another hurdle to cross at that time.

Pannacotta, somehow didnt think I'd get away with posting a thread on this topic without someone telling me that I should be continuing to breast feed. Im fully aware of the huge benefits of BFing and I wish I was in the position to continue, if I was I'd continue to at least 1 year and not give her any formula at all.

I think you would be fine to drop the 3pm next then the 9.30am then the 10pm (I would think that will drop soon anyway as soon as he starts taking some food at tea time). You'll probably find that if you want to you can keep the morning and bedtime feeds going for as long as you like, even once you are back at work. I had no problem keeping on doing those two feeds once I had dropped the others . If you find yourself uncomfortable when you drop feeds then just express a tiny bit off for comfort at that feed time for a day or two to ease the process of dropping the feeds.

I didnt actually say you should continue to breastfeed, I merely said that milk should be the main source of nutrition for the first 12 months, I didnt say which milk!
It sounded as if you were planning to drop feeds and not replace with formula.
Anyway, hope you find a way that works for you and your DD.

Hi

Pannacotta- Sorry, I did realise what you meant at 2am when I couldnt sleep and was thinking of this Im clearly habouring guilt about stopping the breast feeding at all

Starlight- thanks for the suggestion. Think I will swap to formula and then go from there but i like the idea of giving a milky based tea instead. Will have a think about it.

Thank you everyone