young mommy looking for help!

Krystal - posted on 01/30/2009

i gradually weened my daughter. i stopped the mid morning feeding for a few days, then the late afternoon one. after that it was lunch and then breakfast. the nap was next to go (she took just one nap a day). the last to go was the night feeding.  i think it took about a month for us to stop. the nighttime was hard to let go of - for me, not her!

know that making it to a year is a great accomplishment! congrats to you! and good luck!

Meagan - posted on 01/30/2009

I, too, had the same goal. My son is now 14 months old and was officially weaned a week after his first birthday. I dropped one feeding every 3 days, but before doing so, I made sure his feedings were every 4 hours. He was such a good nurser that I didn't want to abruptly stop. I started with an afternoon feeding, leaving the nighttime feeding the last to drop. I supplemented milk in a sippy cup for the feeding I dropped. I also incorporated a small snack during the afternoon with his milk. Something that helped both of us, was that the day I would drop a feeding, I made sure that we were busy and that he was completely engaged during the "drop time." I hope this helps! Oh- whenver you're down to no feedings, put cabbage leaves in your sportsbra and take Tylenol. It will work like a charm to dry you up. Good luck!

Zara - posted on 01/30/2009

i too wanted my baby weaned by 1 yr so i dropped all feeds gradually and just kept the bedtime feed, when she got to a year i realised that it wasn't ME who wanted to wean her it was more sociaty in a way. she is now 14 months and we still have the bedtime feed, im gonna leave it up to her to decide..........just as long as she stops by 5 lol x

Callula - posted on 01/30/2009

Quoting Jenna:

I don't think we should ask someone their reasons why they want to wean at a year old . Personally I feel that would be a huge accomplishment to make it that far. Alot of people don't want to nurse past a year, including myself. I feel as much as you probably ask out of curiousity, it may be putting her on the spot. It is a bit personal I just know it's not something I would want to answer if it were me. I do know that you all probably mean her well. Just my POV.

i agree with jenna, when u wean ur baby is down to you. you will probably find that as she starts to eat more solid food she will start to wean herself. I had to introduce the bottle at 9 months when i went back to work but still used to breastfeed at other times, she stopped completely when she was about 10 1/2 months.  if you don't want to bottle feed you could always try introducing sippy cups at certain feed times.

As for the biting, don't pull her away as you'll hurt yourself, just press her into you and she will let go. make sure you let her know it is naughty and she will stop. Amelia bit me twice and then never again.

Good luck

Kathleen - posted on 01/30/2009

all i am asking is good ways to ween. that is all. thanks again to those who offered helpful advice.

Amanda - posted on 01/30/2009

I don't think anyone was attacking you, in fact, no one said anything negatively. I think others were just trying to see if there were other problems that could possibly be solved to help make your breastfeeding experience a better one.

Kathleen - posted on 01/30/2009

thank you everyone for your encouragement and helpful advice. and thank you jenna for standing up for me. i did kind of feel like i was being attacked for wanting her weened by her first birthday. but thank you everyone for the positive  help!!

Courtney - posted on 01/30/2009

Quoting Kirsten:

I dropped about a feeding per week, starting with feedings not tied to nap/bedtime. The last to go were right before bed and first thing in the morning. If you don't go slowly, you might get engorged. Also, listen to your baby. She may need a longer weaning period. Nursing is an emotional bond too. Make sure to give her lots of cuddles as you drop the feeds and slow down if you need to.

I agree with Kristen!! the best way to wean when you and the baby are ready to to start my dropping one feeding a week. Make sure she can drink from a cup well. If you are not already giving her a cup I would start with one. so that she is use it when the time comes for no more breastfeeding.  3 of my 4 weaned themselves. the 4 th I am still nursing ( 6 months old). You and the baby will know when it is time. Just enjoy the time you have with her. I hope this helps.

 when she bites you say ouch loud enough to scare her and say No biting mommy ( or something like that ) then start nursing her again. This should help! She may be working on other teeth as well you could try to put orjel on her gums first. 

Dianna - posted on 01/30/2009

I understand having a big baby and the pain of a bite. What I so is have him on a regular pillow or even sitting on my lap. As for the biting we took care of that with a close tight pull in so he would have to let go to breath - this only takes a second so there is no danger just a bit unconfortable for him. He learned with just one or two that biting equals uncomfy. A while later he tried testing me by looking in my eyes and just starting to bite so that I could feel his teeth, I responded by just starting to pull him close, he stopped, I stopped - this went on for a couple of times and he knew that I meant business. We have not had any problems since. I hope this helps and you are able to breastfeed until your little one is ready.

Theresa - posted on 01/30/2009

That is wonderful Emily.Your welcome. Good to hear you made a decision based on what YOU feel is best for you and baby.

Emily - posted on 01/30/2009

just wanted to say thanks to Theresa B for posting the Breastfeeding Basics site. i've been going back an forth on weaning or not weaning my 15 month old for months now. my husband has wanted me to let it go for a long time and i want to continue nursing our daughter for as long as she wants. anyway the article was great and i feel much better about continuing until she is ready to give it up. so if you are reading this Theresa thanks again.

Jenna - posted on 01/29/2009

I don't think we should ask someone their reasons why they want to wean at a year old . Personally I feel that would be a huge accomplishment to make it that far. Alot of people don't want to nurse past a year, including myself. I feel as much as you probably ask out of curiousity, it may be putting her on the spot. It is a bit personal I just know it's not something I would want to answer if it were me. I do know that you all probably mean her well. Just my POV.

Theresa - posted on 01/29/2009

Gradually drop the feedings. http://breastfeedingbasics.com/html/wean... Lots of info there.If she is biting now and that is playing into your decision to wean her BY one then try correcting the biting issue  NOW and see if that changes your mind. Then maybe you can just let her self-wean when she is ready.

Biting: You can either unlatch her when she bites and sit her down. Dont Bite Mommy. Wait. Pick her back up and try again. Repeat as neccesary. Or you can plug her nose as soon as she bites forcing her to open her mouth releasing her bite. Babies dont like this and usually catch on quickly- biting gets this action.

Regardless if you wean her or she self-weans you plan on at least going till one yr and that is great!!! Good Luck!

Kirsten - posted on 01/29/2009

I dropped about a feeding per week, starting with feedings not tied to nap/bedtime. The last to go were right before bed and first thing in the morning. If you don't go slowly, you might get engorged. Also, listen to your baby. She may need a longer weaning period. Nursing is an emotional bond too. Make sure to give her lots of cuddles as you drop the feeds and slow down if you need to.

Bethany - posted on 01/29/2009

I have to echo Dianna... why do you want her weaned by a year?

Kathleen - posted on 01/29/2009

i'm not trying to stop now, i want her weened by her first birthday when she can have cows milk. and i'm not trying to rush it she's just getting so big and biting me all the time. thank you all for your responses but i'm really not trying to rush it i think you missunderstand she's eight months old now i dont want her weened now but i know its a gradual process so i was going to find out how to do it now to have it done by her first birthday.

Shannon - posted on 01/29/2009

My daughter weaned herself for the most pat by the time she was 9 months... but only for daytime feedings. She still nursed before bed and sometimes when she woke in the morning till she was 18 months. She ate regular meals, and only took sippy cups once she hit 9 months anyway.. however due to her hating of regular milk, and the fact that she was very petite and needed the extra calories.... she stayed on step 2 formula till she was 2....

I wondered the same thing though... is there a reason as to why you want to stop??

Julie - posted on 01/29/2009

Hi everyone

My children are grown up now.  My eldest is 17 and my youngest is 12.  I breastfed all my children (not always very successfully!)  My son (the youngest) took to it best and I breastfed him for a year.  After that he weaned himself off and immediately took to a beaker for juice and other drinks.

I do actually agree with Dianna - your baby is only 8 months old.  Why rush?

Your baby will decide when the time is right to give up the breast.  Your child should already be eating solids so milk is just a supplement to that.  By the time my son stopped breast feeding he was only having a feed in the morning and evening before bed.  When he stopped beast feeding, I carried on as before, but supplemented breast milk for cows milk.

He is now a very healthy 12 year old who still likes milk. but prefers it out of the fridge!!

Hope this helps.

Best Wishes

Maria - posted on 01/29/2009

Hiya,I' breast fed my little bot for 14 months and thinking about getting him completely off the boob filled me with dread but it was actually really easy. I just bought some nice new (non'breastfeeding) bras and just literally stopped giving my boy the breast when we were out. Then after a week or so of that I cut it down to just one before bed time and then a week or so after that I had stopped completely. My boy really liked to breast feed as well but it had absolutely no detrimental effects on him at all. He just didn't miss it. I did though!!!

Elizabeth - posted on 01/28/2009

Usually the baby will ween themselves when they are ready. My friend's baby weaned himself at 10 months. He just started pushing her away and within a few days he was done. Another friend's baby did it on his first birthday all by himself. I have a 21 month old daughter and I still nurse her. She says "mama milk" whenever she wants it. lol. I wasn't ready to ween her at a year so I'm happy she didn't push me away. Now I'm just curious to see how long she will go. I just talked to her doctor about it and he says after a year and with a good diet, they shouldn’t even need formula anymore. Nursing her this long has just been a bonus. You can also start tapering down if you want to wean her sooner. Nurse her 4 times a day instead of 5 and space it out more. Then after a week move to 3 times a day and so on. That’s how my lactation consultant told us to do it. Good luck! : )

Dianna - posted on 01/28/2009

Why do you want her weened?

Anna - posted on 01/28/2009

I stopped breastfeeding my first child at eight months.....I pumped and got her using the bottle, then introduced formula.....once she was one, the pediatrician said she could start drinking whole cow's milk (like we do) so I started mixing it with the formula and within a month she was on cow's milk and off the formula

Jodie - posted on 01/28/2009

i am using baby rice my son loves it you just mix it with breast milk so it has the same taste but you can make it thin or thick lumpy or smooth then just move on to fruit and veg pureed i got a book called the contented little baby book of weaning by gina ford its good she has a day by day feedin plan it helped me lots good luck