How do you wean a baby off breast when he refuses formula or cow's milk?

[connyrabbit]

I am gradually reducing the number of breast feeds a day for my 11 month old but can't seem to replace it with any form of substitute. He ony accepts water and pulls away in disgust when offered anything else. Has anybody experienced this and what did you do?

Thanks all!

My DD was the same - never took to a bottle of anything, and still at nearly 5 refuses to drink milk, have it on cereal etc. I had the added problem that she would hardly eat either!. I stoppped her last feed (bedtime) at 15 months and just tried to make sure she was getting calcium from elsewhere. She was by that stage drinking water from a cup if thirsty. Now I'm pleased to say her eating has finally improved (down to school dinners!) and she doesn't appear to have suffered as a result.

DS was breastfed untill 13months. at 12 we introduced cows milk which didn't go down well at all.
So i would add a little sugar to the milk. Breast milk is so sweet. So cows milk must taste so unapealling in comparisson. Over a week or so i decreased the amount of sugar until their was none. He had a taste for it and was happy on cows milk. A few weeks later he was slowly weaned off the breast.

Hope that helps.

I never gave my DDs anything but water but bfed to about 18 months both times. They ate cheese, yoghurt, vegs, fruit, fish, meat, pulses etc
You don't need to give them cow's milk or formula, just a good varied diet. There are loads of foods rich in calcium and many of them are far better sources than cow's milk.

i just stopped.

he wouldn't take water either (or anything else from a cup/ beaker/ bottle)

i was tad desperate. he was less picky within days few lol and decided that on balance he would take what was on offer.

No need to replace it with milk TBH. As long as they are getting calcium etc from other foods such as milk in cereal, cheese, yogurst etc, there is no need to drink milk at all. 3 out of my 4 children did not drink milk because they didn't like it.

Thanks everyone - this is all very helpful and encourageing!

Thanks everyone - this is all very helpful and encourageing!