BLW / reducing BFs question

[curlyLJ]

DD is 21 weeks (ie 5 months next week) and I am planning to start BLW as soon as she is ready - I don't think this will be long tbh as she is already watching me intently and has had a few 'tasters' (brocolli, banana) already

My question is what to do about BF once BLW has commenced. I'm not ready to stop entirely, but would like to maybe introduce some formula for day feeds with the aim of only BFing morning and night by Xmas. Does this sould feasible? if so, how the hell do I start, do I just gradually swap a BF for a bottle?

Also, if I do give the odd bottle of formula here and there, but then say I want to BF more at weekends, will my supply be affected or will I be able to do this?

Any advice gratefully received!

personally i would say that if you are planning on blw then introducing formula kind of defeats the purpose of this?

baby led weaning is about the baby deciding at what pace they take to solids, which will be very gradual at first, so it is unlikely that you will see any reduction in breastfeeding.

dd2 is 10 mths and eating a variety of solids but still bf as much as previously, but looks for food on top of her bf.

can't help you with the formula bit as i never did that.

I cannot help you with the formula either but as Nightshade said they don't stop breastfeeding once they start eating solids.

DD is 1 year old now and still breastfeeding 3-4 times per day. She didn't drop any breastfeeds till more or less two months into solids and the ones she dropped where one in mid-morning and one in the afternoon after her nap. She is still breastfeeding when she wakes up, sometimes mid-morning (it is usually when I am getting dressed so I think she wants a feed because she sees my breasts), after lunch and before she goes to bed. I have to say the she already eats good amount of foods on top of her breastfeeds.

When I started weaning I do remember breastfeeding her first and then offering her food. I just cannot remember when I started offering her food and then a breastfeed.

The only advice I can give you is don't expect you DD to stop breastfeeding once she starts eating solids because it won't happen. She will decide which feeds she may want to stop on her own.

Good luck and hopefully someone with more info about formula will come soon to help you

I don't actually know anything about formula, but I know that Aitch on the BLW blog was formula feeding at least one of her DDs and she just did formula feeding on demand in the same way that you'd bf on demand.

You might get helpful advice on swapping feeds from breast to bottle if you post on the breast & bottle feeding board.

Thanks for the replies. I habdn't really considered that bottle feeding wasn't exactly BLW!

I just wanted to have a bit more freedom and be able to go out without DD once in a while... but maybe I am thinking just of myself here and not DD. I'm just feeling a bit down/fed up with BF all the time as DD is constantly pulling/squeezing/tugging at my boobs and so feeds consist of a battle to keep her hands still, she is also making my boobs sore .

I have posted on the Breast and bottle feeding board too, but I guess I need to think this through a bit more!

curly--- this could have been my post! i am in the same situation and thinking the same things....when and how can i start reducing my breastfeeds. my baby is also a pain to feed. i keep posting in the breast feeding section of what to do, but everyone seems to just say she is teething and they get fussy at this age 4/5 months. i think from info that i found on the kelly mom site is that you replace formula for a breastfeed slowly...starting with one bottle a day. but i am also unsure how it will all work. i want to keep breastfeeding but it seems so hard right now to think of another 6 months.

I actually think it might be easier if you consider the two issues seperately.

1. now that your baby is 5 months old you feel you would like to replace some of your BFing with formula during the day, to give yourself more flexibility and freedom

2. when your baby is ready you wish to do BLW with her.

I think these two are not necessarily connected, there is nothing to stop you doing both and I can't really see that the BLW will affect switching to the bottle for some feeds.

HOWEVER from what I have read in the BLW book (am just starting out myself!) I like the idea that my DD will just naturally take less milk from me when she starts to actually eat more solid food (as opposed to just spreading it around everywhere) - which could take months. No need to worry about how much milk I should be giving her as it will all just happen naturally. So it might be slightly trickier for you in terms of eventually reducing milk feeds.

You have done a fantastic job to BF her exclusively for 5 months, and I am a big believer in a happy mummy being a very important factor in a happy healthy baby, so if BFing is starting to make you feel "down/fed up" then I think you are sensible to think about reducing it. You are not talking about stopping altogether so she will still be getting the benefit of some breast milk. Hopefully your supply will keep going to meet the demands you are putting on it - lots of people just do morning and evening breast feeds with no problems.

I am sure you will get loads of good advice re how to start dropping BF's and replacing with formula, I started giving DD formula at her dream feed a while ago and it took my boobs 3 days to adjust (make sure you have breast pads to hand!). I imagine you would just drop a feed at a time until you are happy.

Sorry if I've waffled, and good luck! :)

To be honest I think you can over-think these things.

If you want to start switching to FF then do so gradually replacing one feed at a time. You can still FF on demand so it doesn't have to go against BLW principles.

As Gingerkirtsy says, you can then focus on the weaning as a seperate issue.