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How do you wean off BF?

Max is almost 1 and has always been breastfed. But now I think it might be time to start weaning him off.
The problem is, I'm not sure how to get from fully BFing, to giving him formula or cow's milk.

Should I give formula, or cow's milk?

Bottle, or cup?

Should I swap 1 feed, or all of them?

Do I go over to formula/cows milk straight away, or gradually?

I'm so confused!!!! I think I'll be BFing forever! :\( :\?

Replies

  • If he's almost 1 I would go straight to cow's milk, no point paying for formula if you don't have too! Afraid I don't have any other advice as Millie weaned herself at 10 1/2 months and wouldn't drink any milk at all, but I guess you would be best swapping one feed at a time to give your supply (and lo) time to adjust.
    xx
  • hey

    I would also bypass formula and introduce cows milk. I take it he has cows milk in his diet already?

    Also does he take a bottle? if not i would go straight to a beaker

    Regards cutting down feeds I would cut out one feed a week to get him used to it and to stop you getting mastitis, i found cutting out the day feeds easy but the morning and night feed were the hardest so for a while I was offering a beaker of cows milk then letting them have a short time on the boob and found that as my supply dwindled they prefered having milk from beaker as it was less effort

    good luck xxDBxx
  • Hi
    Great advice Doublebubble that sounds like a plan I could try.

    My dd is 16 months now and i'm still b/f her through out the day and morning and bedtime.

    I just cannot see her ever coming off the boobie she just loves it so much.I am going to find it so hard to wean her off.!!!!
    The trouble is that she try's to lie down for a feed and climbs on my lap for a feed so I will have to start refusing her - which I will find hard as it seems a bit cruel?!?? as thats where she as always got her milk and then I will suddenly be saying no.
    Has anyone else got experience of weaning a toddler off breastmilk??
  • hi

    I have a 11month old girl and want to wean her off breastmilk and onto fresh cows milk in bottle. But she just not taking to it. my friends have said be patient and keep trying bottle and not to give in but i do give in to her as she gets herself in a right state and i can't see her cry.

    I give her breast milk in morning as a top up after breakfast. then inbetween meals and night before bed and at night she wakes up a couple of times for feed. she sleeps in same room as me in cot to begin with then after couple of hours joins us in bed. I dont think that helps I know but once she off breast milk she is moving into her own room which again will be another situation to deal with when time comes.

    Please help! am going out of my mind......

  • Medically it's best to wait until your daughter is 1 year to start giving cows milk as a drink. If you really want to wean her off bm then it's probably better to offer formula instead. Maybe try moving her into her own room first (where she can't smell the bm in the middle of the night & then try to wean off off your milk once she's settled in her own room.

    At 18 months I wanted to wean my daughter off breast milk as I was going away for 2 nights away from her. She hadn't been keen on cows milk however I tried to mix it with breast milk & we ended up giving our daughter Soya milk at that stage in a cup (she hadn't drank from a bottle of expressed milk since she was a year) & she took it no problem. Then a few months later she eventually just started drinking cows milk.

    I don't think there are any fixes that work for everyone. I think it's just a case of choosing 1 thing that you're going to change (not putting her in with you, moving her into her own room...) to help reach your goal, try it for a few days & if it doesn't work try a different strategy. Good luck x

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