Breast feeding 12 month old

[MCMP13]

I am returning to work when my baby is 13 month old and want to stop breastfeeding by then but I have no idea where to start.

How much do your breastfed babies drink / how often do they nurse at that age? I think I’ll probably have to pump as he has a milk allergy and he’s not a fan of any alternative

*he will be go into hospital for them to introduce milk at the age of 1 but it’s a process and he won’t be able to drink whole milk by 13 month

thanks for any tips/ advice x

I went back to work at a similar time. I phased out the daytime feeds by offering a cup of milk, or water or a snack when I felt like DD was wanting to breastfeed. We kept up the first and last breastfeed of the day though as I work a standard 9-5.

Mine has a cup of oat milk at nursery but doesn't really drink it, gets by on food and water and then just breastfeeds like crazy when he's with me. After the first couple of days I don't actually need to pump at work at all. I have no advice as to giving up though... I can't see an end in sight! So interested in the replies you get

My daughter was down to one feed before bed then. She didn't drink milk just water. Never had a bottle or anything but started sippy cup at about four months. She self weaned herself really, as she ate increasingly more food she did less breastfeeding. Then one night it was offered sbd she stuck her thumb in her mouth instead and that was it!
Just drop one feed at a time, offer more food instead.

I worked office hours too so fed morning, on pick up and at bedtime.

How often are you feeding now?

When mine was 9 months we were on a rigid 5 feeds a day. I spent the next three months slowly cutting them down (he dropped his mid-pm feed himself soon after), so it was pretty much drop a feed every 3-4 weeks. At 11 mo we were on 1 feed before bed. On his birthday I just put him to bed without a feed (he had a cup of cow's milk), and that was that.

Thank you for your replies

Those who are feeding before and after work, is your supply keeping up or is it dropping? I really don’t want to have to pump at work or have uncomfortable boobs

I am currently feeding at breakfast, lunch, dinner, bed time then twice during the night still but he’s definitely not feeding as long as he used too x

Supply was fine by the time I was back at work. They were flat as pancakes tbh but she still fed! I think by that point there's not much that can mess it up unless you stop cold turkey.

I switched my just two year old from help yourself bf during the day to only at night when she started preschool and it was fine. No issues for me, she was a bit cross. She has quite bad cmpa so that’s why I kept feeding her for longer as it easier.

Your supply with be well established by now

By that age I just fed morning and night and it was fine. I fed her until she weaned herself at about 2.5 when I got pregnant with DD2, so it didn't affect supply at all.

I have a 13mo and she is mostly breastfeeding just morning and evening. Occasionally I'll do a breastfeed if she's upset or struggling to nap during the day, but she can manage without it. I didn't structure dropping her feeds, they just dropped naturally as she ate more solids through the day. Doesn't drink milk during the day, just water.

Exactly this! Mine never wanted any other sort of milk during the day at nursery but ate plenty of food/drink plenty of water and made up for it in the evenings.

I know you said you want to stop breastfeeding... is that just because of the practicalities or are you done-done? (I only ask because I struggled so much with feeding and that was about when it was a nice easy bedtime thing instead of a stressful thing for me!)

On the supply issues... I had a few days where I felt like my boobs would explode (and so expressed for comfort) but it settled down really quickly and was much easier than I thought it would be!

I want to cut down drastically because he is so demanding with it, I can feel his teeth on my nipples and I can't adjust his latch because as soon as I unlatch him to try he GRABS my boob and puts it back in himself. He demands it constantly by pulling at my top and slapping my chest. He used to feed, have his fill and then unlatch and we'd both get on with our day, now he never unlatches of his own accord. Basically I've lost all control over it and it isn't pleasant any more. Sorry I needed to rant and get that out somewhere! We've always had a routine of feeding to sleep or to drowsy so that's going to be difficult to lose, I might try and keep that for a bit. Any tips welcome