Weaning off of breastfeeding

[supermumorsuperwoman]

Hi, don't know if this is the right place to post... but here goes anyway.

I'm thinking of stopping breastfeeding my almost 13 month old baby soon so could do with some advice as I've never had to stop breastfeeding before. She feeds whenever she wants, but will only go to sleep at night time when breastfeeding. Also, how do I stop? I did reduce her feeds down by following her lead and only feeding her two/3 times a day... but we crept back upto milk on demand and more than 2/3 times a day again. I'd say she has milk 5 times a day- not lots, but enough. She also wakes in the night and wants milk too to get her back off to sleep, just like a baby would with a dummy I guess, but she hasn't had a dummy before. She used to sleep through until around 10 months. I think it's a comfort thing rather than the milk.

Anyone got any tips or tricks that work to help babies sleep without breastfeeding? Or even having the same troubles.

I would love some advice too on this matter, my DD is 23 months and won't stop breastfeeding, and the worse thing is she has totally gone off food so my milk is her only nutrition sometimes, and she doesn't take a bottle. I m literally going crazy.

@wajiha25 oh no I can understand completely! Sounds like you may have to re introduce foods slowly again as though you're weaning.

My little girl has a good diet and eats all foods given to her luckily so I'm hoping that doesn't change. It's just hard when I'm the only one able to settle her on a night, and I never re searched stopping breastfeeding until now. Hope someone else comes with advice for us both 😊

I stopped breastfeeding at around this age OP, and I have to say it was much easier than I was expecting. I just stopped! I didn't bother with bottles (he wouldn't take one anyway) and went straight from breast to cup. It may be different for you because my DS was already down to only two feeds a day and none in the night, whereas it sounds like your DD is more reliant on it. But you could try going cold turkey like I did? Offer milk or water from a cup instead. My DS had a dummy so I used that too. And cuddles etc. Good luck!

@Pineapplefish I think that's the bit I'm struggling with or worried about. Leaving her and going cold turkey with it. She loves milk to get her to sleep. There's only been one night where I haven't got her to sleep by breastfeeding her. Once she's tired she only wants me so it's the night part I'm worried about mainly. Throughout the day she should be ok as i could just give her cows milk and her usual foods etc.

She must be having a growth spurt or something lately as her milk intake has really gone up in the day and night. She does drink from cups, but doesn't have a dummy which leave me with not many choices in the night if she wakes up. X