End Breastfeeding

Karla - posted on 06/06/2010

Michele's advice above is exactly how I weaned my son at 13 months. I would just stick with it. If you offer her a cup/bottle and she refuses, just give more solids. Also, try Nuby sippy cups, they worked well for us.

And don't give a second thought to people who pressure/guilt you to continue to BF. You have done a spectacular job making it to almost a year. Your child needs a healthy mom just as much as breastmilk!!!!!

Erin - posted on 06/05/2010

good job on making it a year!! i would give her a cup instead of a bottle, or your going to have a whole new habit to break in a few months. just keep at it, it should be a slow process for both you and her. good luck, and congratulations on giving your baby the very best gift a mother could give, you should be very proud!

Sarah - posted on 06/05/2010

To wean is a very personal decision. Just keep in mind that the Word Health Organization recommends nursing until 2 years old. By that point, baby will be eating a lot of solids and may only be nursing a couple times a day anyway. Still, she will be getting immunological protection from your milk.

Perhaps what you need is more support, emphasizing your health, feeding yourself wholesome nourishing foods.

If you decide to wean, you might try goat's milk, which is more similar to human milk than cow's milk is. My first son didn't like it alone, but when I put it in the blender with a banana he devoured it. Milk is controversial food and many children have dairy allergies or trouble digesting it. Yogurt is more easily digested and provides the gut with beneficial probiotics. I will be giving my baby yogurt months before other dairy.

Debbie - posted on 06/05/2010

It is easier to breastfeed than prepare bottles...think a bit about your decision because once you wean it is for good...try a la leche league meeting in your area.

Anne - posted on 06/04/2010

i had to put my daughter on formula at 6 months. i started giving her a bottle first thing in the morning, because she was so hungry she was less likely to refuse it. then gradually would change another feed over to bottle. it took me 3 weeks to wean her completely. i found the reason my daughter was refusing the bottle was the type of formula i was trying to give her. i had to try 5 different ones until i found one she liked and wasn't sick on. also try different brands of bottle, some babies prefer a different type of teat. good luck!

Michele - posted on 06/04/2010

oh & if you have a sitter or an n-law that can sit for you once or twice a week for about 6-8 hours @ time, it'll help break the dependence your little one has on boobie.

Michele - posted on 06/04/2010

i weaned my baby @ 12 months by slowly replacing afternoon feedings strictly w/ sippy cup (& of course solids which we started introducing back when she was 4 months), then after about a week of that schedule i replaced morning feedings, then evening feedings, & finally her favorite midnight feedings. the more solids you introduce the easier it becomes. soy milk is also great for babies & children, so you might start offering a variety, alternating your babies sippy cups w/ milk then soy.

Melissa - posted on 06/04/2010

jayne - what exactly does your comment mean???? go maroons?????

To michelle- GOOD LUCK my daughter is going to be 2 in a month and I'm having a hard time with her on me all nite long..... so i know how you feel!!!!!!

Becky - posted on 06/02/2010

Ok here's my suggestion, I am on day 5 of not breast feeding,( I did it for 14 months)
2 weeks ago I started only feeding her 2 times a day instead of the 4-5 feeds a day, I personally felt she was still too young to be just given a sippy cup, so I chose to give her a bottle with toddler formula in it, anyway I'm not sure about you but I have 2 older kids 8 and 10 who I got to help with the bottle, and yes she hated it and yes it was hard, but she soon got used to it, I let her play with it and I pretended to suck on it and she would take it off me and then give it back ect, and now after nearly 3 weeks she is having it just fine, I make sure she has breakfast lunch and dinner, she never was a big fan of solids but now she is off the boob I make sure she eats, she has a 150ml bottle for her morning sleep around 11am and then one in the afternoon and one before bed, she is still sleeping right through the night 7pm-8am, My boobs have been a little sore, but nothing major, pain killers help if you need them, I hope this helps in some way, well done for feeding for this long, I agree it is a good time to stop, us Mum's need our bodies back at some stage. We still have loads of cuddles and some days she just wants me to hold her on my chest and then she is happy to be on her way playing again. BEST OF LUCK xo

Laura Zoey - posted on 06/02/2010

Keep moving, I mean if you sit down she will want to nurse, but the more you are moving and standing the less she will ask for it. It will be hard but you can't risk your health for hers, try to distract her, maybe go to the park more, or just play more with her while you introduce the cup. I'd also say to avoid the bottle because of the teeth problems but cuddle her more when you know she is full! Make sure she knows you aren't rejecting her, just loving her in a different way now. Goodluck and I hope it goes smoothly, as much as possible :)

Kathy - posted on 06/02/2010

I wouldn't bother with a bottle - that's just one more thing you'll have to wean her from. Weaning from the breast is best done slowly, to avoid any chance of engorgement and mastitis.

I wouls suggest removing the feed she's least interested in and replace it with a sippy cup. Perhaps someone else could give her this sippy cup?

Then wait a few days or a week and remove another feed and so on. After about 12 months you can give her cow's milk.

The main thing is to wean slowly - engorgement is extremely painful and can lead to mastitis.

Ashley - posted on 06/01/2010

Try a sippy cup. I'm assuming that she is on solids. so try giving her milk from a sippy cup after the meal she eats the most solids. I havent weened my bub off yet (hes only 6.5 months old) but that is what I am plaining on doing. Also if she has never drank from a sippy cup yet try one with a really soft tip. I like the NUK first sippy cup.

Jayne - posted on 06/01/2010

I'm sorry i have no advice, i just wanted to say....GO MAROONS!!! :-P lol

MELISSA May - posted on 06/01/2010

perservere!! give her a bottle in the morning when she is hungriest. and try a sippee cup! :) hope this helps!!! also try and have someone else feed her cause she associate you with the breast milk and if there is a breast there she'll want that no the bottle!!!