weaning exclusive bf baby

[molliemoo]

DD is now 5mths old and I have been weaning her for a couple of weeks purely beacuse she is exclusively bf and refuses any type of bottle or cup and I need a break! I have tried every suggestion going e.g. me in the room, out of the room, every cup/beaker on the market, she even turns her nose up at a doidy cup if it has breast milk in it but will take a small amount of juice if she feels like it Needed a break so have introduced purees and baby rice but not sure of how much to give - at the moment she is having half a bf and then 2 cubes of fruit or veg followed by some baby rice twice a day which she is really enjoying and bangs her feet for more, but is this too much too soon? When can I increse food and reduce milk? Also am due to go back to work 3 days a week in a month - can DD survive with bf morning, evening and night with puree and rice during the day?

HI
Its so hard to judge what they want isnt it. My little girl is 9 months so obviuosly a little older, she still her her morning feed and her night time feed but i have cut out the day time feeds. When i first started weaning her i just started off with a little rice with her bottles and then eventually worked up to purees. If shes taking the food and she seems ok with i then personally i think she will be ok, she will let you know if she wants more. Maybe try and get intouch with your health visitor and have a chat to her with your concerns. There are books out there for weaning baby which can be quite helpful. I bought one called 'The Contented Little Baby Book of Weaning' its by Gina Ford, i bought it in Tesco it was only about a tenner.
Good Luck!!

Molliemoo - I too have been worrying about this as I return to work in 5 weeks when ds3 will be 7 months. My first day will be 12 hrs away from him for a meeting at head office 100 miles away! He will be in nursery 3 days a week and with MIL for another one - luckily we are having 4 settlement visits with nursery and a couple of dry runs with MIL. I read this link below by Jack Newman (real bf guru - talks a lot of sense) and it really reassured me. I certainly do think carers 'overfeed' bf babies and foist every last drop on them when perhaps they only need a few ounces. As he says they could always have milk from a spoon or mixed with solids. DD wont't go thirsty - she will drink if you're not there and water or juice would be ok. Tank her up when you are there - morning, evening and night. Don't give too much solids too soon or your milk supply will drop and these calories aren't replaced by solids at this stage.

bf working mums

Thanks wherethewildthings are that link has been really helpful and makes a lot of sense. I have stopped stressing out so much now! But I am finding that my milk supply has dropped so I will have to get pumping to get it back up again!