How to wean off bf

[Lizbef]

So we've been trying to wean my ebf 7.5mo off the boob and it is really not going well.
We tried a few different bottles and she refuses them all so we started to use beakers - we started with a Tommy tippee and also a nuby soft teat one. These both started ok and then she started to refuse after a couple of days. We then bought a doidy cup which again she refuses after a couple of tries. We can get her to drink about 10ml at most before she starts fighting us over it.
When I spoke to the HV she suggested weaning off feeds one at a time which is what we've been trying, but as soon as I pick her up she starts fussing for boob and then refuses formula (like pushing the beaker away, turning head away, screaming). HV also said about potentially going cold turkey with it and she would eventually just take it and atm knows the boob is just there.
Am I being a soft touch? Do I just go cold turkey? I can't work out how to get her to drink more formula when she knows I'm right there.
She's currently on 3 meals a day and is loving it, she drinks a few sips of water with these. I go back to work soon and I know she won't be hungry but I also hate the idea that I'm taking away something she loves.
Any ideas? 😩

If the only reason you're trying to wean her is you're going back to work, I'd say forget trying to wean her completely.

She will adapt when you're not there. It's much harder for both of you when you are there.

Do you have a DP? How about getting them to try with a bottle when you're not there.

I worried about how DS was going to cope when I went back to work, but he was fine, he just adapted. And BFing when I returned from work was a lovely way to reconnect after a day apart.

Biologically speaking, 7.5 months is young to wean completely, you're fighting her instincts. I'd say just give up fighting and go with the flow.

How long have you got till you go back?

I wouldn't take advice from HVs on BFing as gospel by the way.

Surprisingly, HVs do very little training on how to support BFing as standard, and are far too quick to recommend stopping IMO, reflecting our culture (which is has one of the lowest BFing rates & is one of the least supportive to BFing women in the world) rather than evidence based medicine.

For advice I'd recommend the National Breastfeeding Helpline. They really know their stuff and are very supportive. They're on 0300 100 0212.

I'd start with your original issue, that you're concerned about what happens when you go back to work, given she's not currently drinking lots from a bottle / sippy cup, that you're concerned about taking away something she loves, and go from there.

https://www.nationalbreastfeedinghelpline.org.uk/

I've got about 8 weeks, but we've been trying since January with hardly any success.

Thank you for the link, I'll give them a call and see if they have any advice. At the moment I'll try anything!