Weaning off the Brest

[Firsttimemum892]

So my baby is approaching 5 months and I want to stop or atleast start mixed feeding by the time she's 6 months at present she will only drink a bottle if she's really hungry and very often refusing it. The breast has always been a sure fire way to calm her down , get her to sleep etc I feel like I am the only one who can settle her or help her get to sleep so I am wondering if anybody else experienced this and how did the baby settle once the breast was phased out I feel like she will never settle without it or maybe she will be more settled as she knows it's not an option so doesn't fuss for it ? She's currently waking 4-5 times during the night but a few minutes on the breast sets her back to sleep I am worried what will happen when I stop will she sleep ? Any advice from anybody who has experienced any similar worries please :)

Breast *

This is what I want as well. My dd has just gone 5 months and I would like to start bottle feeding or do a combination of both. I am also worried about feeding during the night if I stop as it's so easy to breastfeed at the moment but I think in the long run it will help.
I have been trying to get her to have a bottle but she doesn't like them. Had a bit a couple of times but cries mostly when we try. So stopped trying for a few days. Might give it another go today or this weekend. I have tried a few different bottles but doesn't make a lot of difference. Not sure if I should buy a bottle that is meant to be good for breastfed babies or not.

Yes I am the same with the bottles she was very good with the mam ones then rejected them after a while I am not trying nuk she seems to like it the teet is supposed to be nipple like.i think we just need to persist and offer a bottle atleast twice a day but don't force it too much as I think that puts them off ever more i have read some people just go cold turkey and withdraw the breast completely i feel like it would be a shame to do that but it might be the only way eventually

Now * using nuk

I have mam bottles as well which seemed the best at first. She used to take them now and again when she was younger. But not so much now. I have also tried a nuk and an advent one as well as Tommie tippie and they are all quite similar and not much good so far.
I had the same problem with my oldest but can't just remember how we sorted it. She just seemed to get it eventually but took a while. I know I tried to make it fun and made silly noises etc. So going to try that a bit more. Just annoying having to wash and steralise bottles and make formula for it to be wasted.
Have you been using formula in the bottles? I can never really pump enough for a bottle and struggle to find the time for so little milk.

I'm still feeding my baby (10 months) but feeding to sleep stopped working recently and I just have to rock him to sleep instead.

Yes I feel your pain around wasted time and bottles ! I struggle with expressing I can never really find the time as she wants the boob pretty much all the time and that's even more frustrating when she doesn't drink it so using formula tried a few different kinds. I have to stand up holding her for any chance of her drinking it aswel as singing to distract her a little it's works probably 1 out of 5 times 😒 I sometimes wonder if she would take bottles maybe she would be generally more settled and not need the breast to be setttled or if she will just always need it

I will try standing up and singing. I normally sit her up on my knee as she won't lay down for a bottle at all. I was wondering if she would be more settled with bottles.
My cousins baby has bottles at set times of the day, drinks it all and sleep through the night....

Have you had any luck with bottles? I bought a new bottle that seems to be good. It is a lansinoh one with a soft teat. She has had breast milk from it twice so far, only got it yesterday. She wouldn't have it for her late night feed last night. I haven't tried formula in it yet but will hopefully try that tomorrow so will see. But not sure she will take it!!

Drop one of the daytime feeds and offer a bottle for that feed (I started with a midday feed). Mine refused the powdered milk to start with but would take the ready made stuff. Make sure it's slightly warm. I dropped one daytime feed each week until I was only feeding last thing at night and first thing in the morning which I stopped at 9 months when I was due to return to work, however if your baby is still feeding multiple times at night maybe she's just not ready. When she is you can also reduce night feeding by giving shorter feeds (less milk) so they become less reliant on feeding at night) I had read that some babies feed at night simply because it's habbit and they expect it not because they need it. We didn't start properly on bottles until 6 months and I don't know if it makes a difference but we used avent natural bottles.

Breast milk also contains something which makes babies sleepy so the sleep routine may change but shouldn't affect nights if you leave night feeding until last and then cut back gradually.