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Original poster

when to wean?

28 replies

hewlettsdaughter · 05/09/2004 15:01

Hi, I?m due to go back to work when dd is around 6 months (she is 20 weeks today). So far she has been exclusively breastfed, but now she is showing signs of being interested in the food we eat, and is also cutting her first tooth. Had I not been going back to work I would be in no hurry to wean her ? however as I don?t know yet if she will take a bottle (never got on with expressing and haven?t wanted to introduce formula before I need to), I wonder if it would make sense to start introducing 'solids' now? That way if she doesn?t take to having bottles (or cups) of formula in the day, she might be able to get by on solids and water, with breastfeeds morning and evening? What do you think?

OP posts:
Original poster
hewlettsdaughter · 05/09/2004 16:19

bump

OP posts:
Yorkiegirl · 05/09/2004 16:21

Message withdrawn

Yorkiegirl · 05/09/2004 16:24

Message withdrawn

Original poster
hewlettsdaughter · 05/09/2004 16:39

Thanks Yorkiegirl - I read the thread, it was quite reassuring - however some days I may be away from dd for maybe 9 hours. I would have thought this was too long to go without some kind of milk to drink, and that's why I plan to introduce formula. The idea of introducing solids now is so there's a kind of back-up, IYSWIM.

OP posts:
Yorkiegirl · 05/09/2004 19:29

Message withdrawn

Original poster
hewlettsdaughter · 05/09/2004 19:59

I have a mental block about expressing, I think because the only times I have tried it are when I was having difficulties establishing breastfeeding (with both ds and dd). I was tense, it was exhausting and I got hardly any milk to show for it.
Had a terrible time trying to get ds to take a bottle before I went back to work - he did in the end but it was stressful for all of us. One thing I didn't know then was that I could have tried cup feeding. At least I know that's an option now.

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Fennel · 06/09/2004 13:14

hi HD

it could be worth just trying expressing to see if she'll take that more easily than formula. and it might be easier anyway now. being stressed makes it much harder though, I find if I am rushing it takes longer.

some people have found a straw works better than a cup spout for getting a bf baby to take milk in other ways.

will she take water from a cup or bottle?

Original poster
hewlettsdaughter · 06/09/2004 13:33

Haven't tried a cup or bottle at all since the beginning. Might be worth remembering the straw if all else fails (she always did suck as if through one! lol)

OP posts:
Original poster
hewlettsdaughter · 06/09/2004 13:41

Oh, and I'm sure you're right re the expressing (that it might be easier now). I've thought about trying again - but I always find something else to do, it's a mental thing.

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Fennel · 06/09/2004 14:07

Try expressing when she's due a feed and you are as full as possible, but not stressed and with plenty of time so perhaps with her asleep (but not with her yelling nearby, that's offputting I find).
am a bit embarrassed to admit this but thinking of my sweet baby doesn't always create a let-down, but thinking of something sexual does.

lots of people can't do it at the start but do it after a few months.

Original poster
hewlettsdaughter · 06/09/2004 14:15

Thanks for the encouragement (and the tip ) Fennel!

OP posts:
mears · 06/09/2004 14:28

I never had any problem with introducing a bottle when going back to work. Baby just took it, except D2 who was interested so I just put him on the breast, when the milk flowed i took him off and popped the bottle back in instead.
Mine were younger when I returned to work. Definately agree there is no need for a bottle if baby will not take cup.
Have a go at expressing again. I would do it when your breasts feel quite full just to give you confidence. The milk wiill defiantely come out. Massage your breasts from the base to the nipple first. If you can, try and get the milk to let down first by hand expressing. If you don't like to do that, remember to have patience to wait for the milk to let down, which it will. When the flow of milk slows, switch to the other breast and keep doing that. Expressing is much faster that way, that sitting on a pump for 10 mins a side and not getting much. It really is mind over matter. Your baby gets the milk out so, so can you. The incentive for me would be to avoid formula all together.
You have done so brilliantly well exclusively feeding up until now. Would be a good idea to try the expressing route to see what happens - you may click easily this time.
Could you extend your maternity leave for a month at all?

Original poster
hewlettsdaughter · 06/09/2004 22:50

Thanks for the advice mears. Why do you suggest extending maternity leave? In order to wean at the recommended 6 months and have dd on solids by the time she goes to a childminder's? I really should try expressing again, I know (even if it's just for an evening out...).
When ds went to a childminder's I remember we supplied 4 large Avent bottles of formula - in fact once he was on formula full-time (at 9 months) I remember we prepared 7 bottles every night for the next day (4 for the childminder and 3 for home). If dd wants to drink that much will she be able to, just using a cup? Do I need to buy 7 cups?
Sorry, am rambling. And dh is hovering wanting his turn on the PC...

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Fennel · 07/09/2004 20:51

HD - childminder might be prepared to wash the cup up. you'll probably end up buying 7 different kinds of cup anyway to see which one she likes best!

how many days are you going back to work? It makes a difference if it's 5 days or a couple of days a week in terms of how much milk they'll miss out on while in childcare (if they really don't want to take it from bottle or cup).

dd3 got better very quickly with bottles once she started spending the odd day with dp, many of them do come round with a bit of hunger/another carer.

Original poster
hewlettsdaughter · 07/09/2004 21:31

Fennel - I'm likely to be working 5 days when I go back .

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mears · 07/09/2004 22:53

Yes that is exactly what I was thinking hewlettsdaughter. When I started DD on solids at 6 months, she was on 3 full solid meals a day by 7 months. You would then be able to feed her before you went to work, leave juice/water for midmorning and lunch then breastfeed her when you got home. There's no way she needs the amount of milk you left for ds IMO. If you can manage to express that would be good and you could leave as much milk as you could get. 2 lots of 4 oz EBM would probably be fine. However, at 7 months old on solids you could get away with leaving no milk at all.

Original poster
hewlettsdaughter · 08/09/2004 08:52

I did think ds got through a lot of milk. I may be away from dd for up to 10 hours some days - do you think 2 x 4 oz milk would still be enough?

OP posts:
Fennel · 08/09/2004 09:00

HD - 2x4oz milk is unlikely to be enough. as you know dd3 is the same age as your dd and she's just started nursery, she takes 3 bottles of 4-5oz in the 7 hours at nursery. roughly a bottle every 2-3 hours. I think within a couple of weeks she'll be on 3x6oz bottles as she's rapidly getting used to taking more from bottles at one time.

Original poster
hewlettsdaughter · 08/09/2004 09:03

How many times a day do you express Fennel? (have just asked you a question on two threads now!)

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Fennel · 08/09/2004 09:10

hi HD (again!)

on the days when dd3 is at nursery or with DP I feed her at 7am, and 8am, then I try to express every 2-3 hours a 4-6oz bottle. roughly 11, 1 and 3. then feed her again myself at 5ish, and 7ish.

with dd1 and dd2 I didn't try fully bf/expressing when back at work and then used to express just once a day. but am getting used to it, it takes only 5 mins at best (depending on how relaxed I am). it's not too bad really.

Original poster
hewlettsdaughter · 08/09/2004 09:11

I'm in awe

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Fennel · 08/09/2004 09:15

HD, I was inspired by friends who did express and bf fully til about 10 months with their babies. one of them had real trouble with expressing, she could get an ounce or so at a time only, but she kept trying and did manage it til 10 months with baby in ft nursery from 4 months (mother had allergies and excema so was motivated).

I am lucky in finding expressing easy but it's a lot to do with persistence. like establishing bf for many of us in the first place. that's partly why I keep going, it was so much hassle in the first place

mears · 08/09/2004 23:16

Well done on your milk production Fennel .
If you can produce that amount easily then that is great. I would say that at 7 months though, if babe is on 3 solid meals a day, that amount of milk is not actually needed on a daily basis. I was trying to reassure hewlettsdaughter that her baby will be OK, even if she has a couple of 4 oz feeds of EBM along with solids.

I was able to express loads of milk and donated to a SCBU. However, as DD got older I scaled down how much I was expressing. Sometimes my stock was a bit low and I would find that I couldn't express as much as usual for an evening feed when I was at work. I used to leave 7 oz for a bedtime feed. If I only managed to express 5oz, I would top it up with 2 oz water so that DD got the same volume she was used to. I breastfed whenever I was at home and the number of feeds varied per day. On my days off I breastfed and didn't give any bottles at all. You will eventually find what suits you and you baby though.

Original poster
hewlettsdaughter · 09/09/2004 09:39

Thanks all for your comments. It hadn't occurred to me you could top up EBM with a bit of water if you needed to. I'm still sorting out childcare at the moment and so don't know exactly what date I will be going back to work. Once I know when that is I shall figure out what to do re the milk/weaning.
You have encouraged me to at least have a go at expressing though!

OP posts:
Fennel · 09/09/2004 12:54

yes, my baby is on just breastmilk at present (like HDs).
HD I suppose you (or dd) will have to choose in the end between expressing, formula or extra solids. after 6 monhts I guess it's not such a big deal which.