Hi,
DD is 6 months and I would really like to stop or at the very least cut down on breastfeeding - ideally I want to just give a morning and night feed for the next few months then stop altogether. Although I would like to leave her with my parents overnight occassionally (good friends weddng coming up and another friends 30th party) so maybe keeping those feeds won't help. The problem is DD doesn't agree and refuses to take a bottle unless she is really hungry, she will just happily go without food all day .
She feeds at 7am, 11am, 3pm, 7pm and 2am. We started her on solids 3 weeks ago - mostly blw but we give her porridge or muesli in the morning, made with formula and hand her loaded spoons. She is doing very well and manages to eat more than I expected. She drinks water from a sippy cup with her food but won't take milk from the same cup.
This is what we have tried:
I first tried missing out her 11am feed and trying to replace that with a bottle - she just refused the bottle and happily waited until 3pm for a feed. She rooted a bit when I picked her up but didn't cry or seem too bothered when I didn't feed her. I changed to missing her 7am feed to see if being hungry would encourage her to try the bottle but she just waited or ate a huge bowl of porridge if it was offered - tried both for a week.
DP suggested cutting down to just the 7am and 7pm feeds for a day to see if she would try the bottle during the day - again she just waited and wasn't upset, never cried for more than a minute for a feed then just went back to playing (I stayed upstairs and DP looked after her, he offered the bottle every hour but she pushed it away and cried if he tried to put it in her mouth). She took a big feed in the evening but didn't want an extra feed.
The next day I didn't feed her in the morning and just offered the bottle - she refused until 12 when she took 2oz then didn't have anything else until 7pm when she happily took a full 7oz. Again she wasn't upset and she was taking solids, some porridge with formula and water but I was worried about her fluids. The next morning she took 1oz at 8am, 3oz at 3pm, 2oz at 7pm and 2oz at 3am but that was it and she was starting to have dry nappies so this morning I offered the bottle once more - she took 2oz - but then breastfed her. She had another feed at 11am. The last few days have been horrible - I feel terrible not feeding her even though we knew we would stop if she was upset (she has been in a great mood all weekend, giggling and playing).
I don't know what to do now, I'm really upset and stressed. What will I do when I go back to work fulltime in 8 weeks - will she be okay just feeding before I go and once I get home? How long am I going to have to feed her - I feel guilty and selfish for feeling this way so please don't make me feel worse but I REALLY don't like the idea of feeding for more than another 2-3 months. As much as I love her I'm ready for a little more flexibility - she has so many people who love her (dad, grandparents, aunts and uncles) and want to look after her but I feel so tied to her just now. I love spending my days with her but a day or two off every month would be lovely.
I guess I have to go back to feeding fulltime for now - I would just feed morning and night but I'm worried she will make herself ill by not eating all day. I am shocked she ate so little for 3 days without even getting upset and crying for a feed. I assume she will need fewer feeds as her solids increase but how do I know if she isn't too bothered .
Sorry for the long ramble, just a bit upset and stressed right now.