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Cutting down breast feeds....? Also posted in BIA

Feebs76Feebs76
in Breast & bottle feeding
It's a very depressing thought but I go back to work in 7 weeks and, as well as getting weaning underway before then, I need to switch DD onto formula for her daytime feeds as I've decided not to express once I'm back at work.

Does anyone know what's the best way to go about doing this? Is dropping 1 feed a week about right or too slow? How quickly will my boobs adapt? I'd like to ebf for as long as possible but want to make sure she's happy on the bottle before I go back as she's such a boob monster and has been v fussy about taking a bottle in the past. I think I'll need to drop 3 daytime feeds in total as I'll continue to BF first and last thing and overnight.

Any advice appreciated! xxxx

Replies

  • pumpkinopumpkino
    I have just done this image I am going back to work in a few weeks and I started making the transition for FF during the day about 4 weeks ago, so about where you are now. I do think you should start now - it took 2 weeks for Toby to even take a bottle properly and I wanted him to be really used to it before the upheaval of me going back to work.

    What I did was to BF first thing in the morning (as I pan to keep doing this once back at work) and then offer the bottle before each BF during the day. For the first few days he wouldn't let the bottle anywhere near his mouth and it was really frustrating but I think it's important to not push it and stop once they make it clear they don't want it so it doesn't become a battle. Then I would BF as normal until the next feed when I would offer the bottle again. The bedtime and night feeds I just BF'd as like you I plan to keep doing that when working.

    So at first he was taking no formula but gradually he started letting me get it close to his mouth, and then he started playing with it and eventually after a week or so he would have maybe one or two sucks. I just kept persevering and then when he got cross I would stop and BF him. Gradually he started having more formula at each feed and less from the BF until I felt comfortable that he was having more or less a full feed when I stopped BFing during the day entirely. The effect was that I was gradually reducing the amount of milk at each feed rather than dropping a whole feed at a time iyswim? I had no engorgement or anything, I honestly didn't notice any difference.

    Don't know how old your LO is but mine was 7.5 months when we started and four weeks on he is very happy to FF during the day (he only has 2 daytime feeds) and BF at night so it works well for us.

    Good luck and feel free to ask any questions!

    C image
  • pumpkinopumpkino
    Oh forgot to say and it might be obvious but until your LO is taking a full FF just make up a half feed or even a quarter feed - I wasted so much formula in the early days!!
  • haydens_mummyhaydens_mummy
    Not sure whether you're interested but i've got a tea that reduces your milk supply from Earth Mama Angel Baby in my Ebay shop. Its at www.ebayshops.co.uk/boobiebabiesboutique (its on at ??4.99 but i've got 5 boxes that i could do for a tenner) xx
  • Feebs76Feebs76
    Thanks for your advice charlotte. I hadn't thought about offering a bottle before each bf but I might give that a try as she's only been taking a few oz from the bottle so far and I'm not sure if that's just what she's hungry for at that time or if its because she's not as keen on formula. I've worked out that its actually just 2 feeds I need to drop so am cutting the mid afternoon one first then will move onto the mid morning one in a week or so. She's 5 months btw.

    Hayden'smummy - I don't seem to have any probs with leaking or engorgement atm so will prob be ok without the tea but thanks anyway image

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