Stopping breastfeeding

[Picklesbaby]

Hi I’m not sure if this is the right place but I’m looking for some advice on how to stop breastfeeding my little boy . He’s 14 months now and still waking up to feed anything from 3-10 times a night . He now (recently )(most of the time 😂) goes to sleep on his own at night in his cot 7ish untill 9.30-10pm when he refuses to go back into his cot, I go to bed & co sleep the rest of the night with him. it has made no impact on his “night” sleep not feeding to sleep for that first sleep. He has milk from a sippy cup when at nursery but still feeds in the day on my days off work. I’m aware I’ve probably caused the problem myself but as much as I have loved feeding I am desperate to stop but not sure how to go about it.
A very tired mummy!

Could baby's Dad take over the nights for a week or so, to enable night weaning?

Yeah I'd night wean first, then gradually replace the daytime feeds with cups of milk/snacks. When you are night weaning, try to get as many calories in him during the day as possible - I used to give porridge for supper.

He works away a lot & he leaves for work at 4am when home but has offered to help me.Do you think leaving him to dh all night would help ?

@TooMinty He is a rubbish eater tbh very beige foods. He’s in the throw it on the floor stage still. I am trying though ! He has a sippy cup of milk at 6pm and it takes him an hour to drink having the odd sips and then a breastfeed before bed. perhaps I should try some toast/ weatabix or something aswell?

Weetabix mashed up in full fat milk, with mashed bananas in too - nice and filling! I spoon fed though rather than baby led weaning so I had more control over food going in! And mine were both (still are) very fond of food...

My first actually wouldn't take milk to drink at all after I weaned at 13 months but I gave him lots of cheese/yoghurt etc to compensate and he eventually changed his mind about drinking milk about six months later.

When I stopped feeding to sleep I did controlled crying.

It's not for everyone, but it worked for me. It took 3-4 nights for both kids to sleep through.

@Twizbe we have stopped feeding to sleep for the initial bedtime now but I’m just a bit unsure about in the middle of the night . Unfortunately leaving him to cry he would wake the 4 year old.😫

[quote Picklesbaby]@Twizbe we have stopped feeding to sleep for the initial bedtime now but I’m just a bit unsure about in the middle of the night . Unfortunately leaving him to cry he would wake the 4 year old.😫[/quote]
You'd be surprised. My eldest wasn't woken up by my youngest during it at all (they weren't in the same room)

If yours share a room, put the eldest in with you for the few nights it takes.

Also have a BF 14 month old here. I am
Not sure when to stop the BF! It’s such a convenient and easy way to give her comfort.
I feed to sleep at about 7/8pm. She often wakes at 10/11 Ish. But my husband rocks her back to sleep. He plays some white noise as well or something like that. It’s quicker than me feeding her, and easier to put her down. She has been sleeping all night recently. So I’m not going to change anything yet!
We do give her weetabix or ready break before bed.

Was going to ask @Picklesbaby when you say milk in a silly cup, is that just normal cows milk? I’m so out of touch. My older ones are over 10yrs old. I can’t remember if with them I was giving them anything other than cows milk at this age.

Sippy cup not silly 😆

@Twizbe no no he’s in our room still but she’s right across the hall , she does wake when he is unsettled normally.. Did you just leave them to cry in the night? Did you sit with them or not ?

@Flippyflops2021
I think we will go with sending dh on the first wake up while I hide in the lounge and see how we get on. He wakes every 45mins for dh when I’m at work. I’m just ready to stop with the hourly night feeds I don’t mind in the day either. And yes whole cows milk 😁

What else does he have for comfort other than boob? He needs a dummy or blanket or teddy to suck/cuddle instead probably.

I did controlled crying.

So, when they cry. Go in, run their tummy / put back on their back. Say shhhh.... it's night night time. But don't pick them up.

Leave and wait 2 mins. If still crying go back in and do as above. Leave

Wait 4 mins and go back in if still crying. Do as above and leave.

Keep going in at 6,8 and 10 mins. If still crying after the 10 min interval go in again after 10
Mins.

On the first night they might cry for about an hour with these intervals. With each night they get less. They know you're there and will come in, but they aren't disturbed by being picked up.

After 3-4 nights they won't wake and cry. They've learnt to get themselves back to sleep.

Honestly, best thing we ever did. No probs with my eldest when we did my youngest and their rooms were next to each other.

If you're very worried though perhaps dad can do it and you can take their older one away for a few nights.

@TooMinty never had a dummy , he has a favourite bunny teddy perhaps I should introduce it into bedtime!.Thank you

We made from 9.30pm till 2am without a feed last night. Longest since he was born. Lots of cuddles and bum patting. I think we will do no feeds till 2am then 4am then 6. I may get fed up hand him over to dh and go cold turkey when he’s home at the weekend ,depending on how it goes this week 😂. This parenting stuff is hard .

I refused night feeds unless at least 4 hours had passed from the previous feed, and none before midnight. Self imposed because happily goes 4+ hours in the day and previously slept through before the dreaded 4 month sleep regression.

I guess you could call it sleep training.

No feeding to sleep at all, so start waking before putting down if they do fall asleep.

Cuddles allowed of course but no boobies.

Within a few nights we went from 8-12 wake ups to 1-2 which was far more manageable and allowed me to continue feeding happily.

Yes bunny teddy sound like an ideal bedtime companion 😊

Mine didn't have dummies either, I used comfort blankets and bears.

How do you get your baby to sleep without feeding to sleep? In same boat with 13 month old... Desperately want him in cit but stuck cosleeping and feeding to sleep since he just wakes up otherwise!

@BeansMeansBeans. It was a longgg process. I started with naps stopped feeding to sleep for those . I got him used to getting himself to sleep in his pram to begin with , then the cot. At night I got my dressing table stool and sat next to the cot . Stroking his back, patting bum he cried but I didn’t leave him. It took about 35 mins the first night then less and less now 8/10 times he just goes off at bedtime by his self and sleeps till 9.30pm. It hasn’t made any effect on his nighttime sleep yet but I am still refusing feeds between 10-2 now . I feel for you it’s hard💐