weaning-and-breast-feeding
I have so far been exclusively breast feeding until we started weaning. Now my LO is on foods I think I would like to introduce her to some formula too. I don't want to completely stop breast feeding yet, but would like to slowly reduce the amount of breast milk that she takes. I'm hoping this will give me a little more freedom and chance to let Dad (other people) look after Annabel some evenings. I have had a rough ride with breast feeding, I had Mastitis 8 times and was on antibiotics for virtually the whole of the first 4 months after my LO was born. Because of this I will have to go very slowly with reducing her milk feeds. I have an over production of milk so am at increased risk of developing engorgement or Mastitis again (which I really don't want thank you very much!) I would love to hear how/when you reduced your breast feeding and how this impacted on weaning, did you wait until one year so that you didn't have to introduce formula?, did your baby stop breast feeding on their own?, did weaning not really make a difference to breast feeding? Did you feel guilty about stopping/reducing or were you relieved?.
Any tips/experiences would be great to hear about. Thanks.
Replies
Thats great you have continued to breast feed after suffering with mastitis so many times! I am still breast feeding marley (now 9 1/2 months) I tried him on formula as I was planning on stoping breastfeeding at 6 months but he just didnt take to it. I loved the experience of feeding him myself so didnt push it with the formula and just continued to breast feed. Im now thinking of just waiting till his first birthday and then weaning him off the breast. I know I will really miss it but know I have to do it at some point and im really pleased I have fed him for so long. Is it okay to go straight onto cows milk? What bottle or cup should I be using when we make the switch?
Hi Nicola, Poor you! I had Mastitis a couple of times breastfeeding my youngest Mia and it was awful! I continued to breastfeed both my LOs up to and past a year whilst weaning. I started using a little formula in their cereal around 7-8 months, but both refused to actually drink it, when I tried to offer it and still would not entertain the idea! Mia is now old enough to drink cow/goat milk (and loves it!) so I now only give here a little breastfeed for comfort before nap/bedtime and she does not ask for it any other time so I an gradually stopping. I would suggest just offering your LO a little formula now and again to get her used to the taste and then see how she gets on and take it from there. Good Luck!
jodie-lou - you are right, it is best to wait until your LO is a year old to give him cows milk, as this is what guidelines suggest, but then it is fine to go straight from breast to cows milk, but try and introduce it gradually too. Use any cup your LO feels comfortable with ( I have been through so many with my LOs!) My LO uses a sippy cup (she has one with handles and one without) and a sports like cup with a soft straw (for when out and about, and it does not leak), she will also take little amounts from a normal cup, but if you dont think your LO is ready for such cups, try a simple one with a valve, until he is a bit more of a confident, independent drinker. Hope this helps and Good Luck!
Thank you
we have a selection of cups that we use for his water so when the time comes ill try them all and see what works best. I will reduce his breast milk over a few months as im in no rush to stop feeding him.
I still breast feed my little one, he is now 9 and a half months. I have tried to give him formula, but refuses. I started making up his baby rice and cereals with baby milk to try introduce the taste. He will eat it, but never drink!
Like Jodie-Lou, I love feeding him so don't mind. But, when I go back to work and he starts nursery he will be 11 and a half months so he will either have to take formula or drink cows milk.
Hi all,
My lo is coming up 12 months next week. She started to reduce the amount of feeds she was having at about 8-9 months, athough occasionally (this weekend!) she has nursing marathons! I am back at work, so she has a first feed when she wakes, a feed when I get home and a feed before bed. She is offered a bottle of formula at luch time, but rarely has it. She mainly has solids during the day.
I intend continuing to feed her until she self- weans or until the next one comes along (if we're lucky enough!). But I figure she will probably continue to reduce slowly and after 12months it won't matter if she misses the odd feed (for a night out, or an early start at work etc) as I don't get as engorged now as I used to before introducing solids.
Well done for feeding through all that! I had mastitis once and caught it early- it was still pretty bad! I wish all those people who gave up for silly reasons would appreciate what you went through xxx
Thank you for all the advice ladies. It is a massive decision to decide when and how to stop BF. I am still undecided, I love bf and have struggled so much to continue to be able to do so. Having Mastitis was very hard and I became almost obsessed with refusing to let it make me stop Bf. I didn't know I could be so stubborn I even refused hospital admission as I knew that I wouldn't be able to take Annabel in with me and wanted to continue to BF rather than express. (not advisable but I had good support from family and my GP). The advice for Mastitis is to continue BF but if your baby is older than 6 weeks most hospitals won't let you take the baby in with you (infection control). I was hospitalised with Mastitis when Annabel was 2 weeks old so she was allowed to stay with me then, but at 10 weeks old when I was very ill again I really couldn't bear to be parted from her.
I have tried Annabel on some formula which she will take but she really enjoys the breast and the closeness it provides to both of us. She wouldn't take a bottle when she was younger but now that we are weaning she is use to trying new foods and textures so finds it easier. I think most babies will find the bottle easier from about 6 months. Also as my Mum says ' if she's hungry she'll take it' - which is true.
I think I am likely to continue BF for some time yet but will slowly introduce one formula feed a day as I will be starting to do a few 'keeping in touch days' at work from October. We are feeding on demand so not sure which feed I will drop yet as I suspect it will be a bit adhoc. I didn't think that I would feel sad about stopping feeding but actually I do. I am glad that I can leave Annabel for a few hours now that she will bottle feed, it gives me a bit more freedom and chance for me and my partner to go out in the evening, but silly as it is when I do, I miss her!
I think if you just take it as it comes with weaning. Don't set yourself a time scale and it will probably happen naturally and neither of you will notice x