addicited to the breast!

[tina_k]

i need to start to wean my 10 month old, as i am returning to work...the problem is, i think she is addicted! She doesnt know how to fall asleep without the breast..no matter how many times she wakes up overnight (sometimes every hour or 2) she needs it everytime otherwise she will not go back to sleep...
She has always refused the bottle, even with expressed milk in it....oh and she wont have a dummy either!!!

I just dont even know how to go about the weaning process at all....any suggestions would be greatly appreciated...

[Rosie's Mum]

I hear you! I am weaning my 18 month old as we speak (my boobs are about to explode!), my DD would never touch formula, expressed milk or a dummy either and solids were a big problem because she only wanted breastmilk.

I am offering advice that was given to me but I didn't take it so no promises, maybe get someone else (mother, husband) to feed her a bottle of expressed milk with you out of sight. It will take a few times but your baby won't starve itself. My sister in law used to send her husband in when her baby cried at night and eventually he learned it was cuddles and no milk so he slept through.

Good Luck!

[ChrissyT]

Oh I hear you!!

My first was weaned at 4 months and could self settle no problems!! My son however, is a boobie monster.
He is partially weaned for daycare reasons but cannot fall asleep for the night without my breast in his mouth. I now sleep with him as when he wakes it's the only way to get him back to sleep!!

I am just going with it all for now

[Oorki Galoorki]

You dot have to wean just because you are returning to work (unless you really want to), she will be ok to not have bm while you are at work and she can have solids and water, if she is going to childcare her carers should be able to get her to sleep with out a feed. Babies figure out really quickly what they get out of each person who cares form them ie dad will give a cup of water and mum has boob and granny has songs and cuddles.. and it works for babies.
She can then just have BFs when you are home, it will save you from weaning before she is ready and will keep that comfort that bfing offers both of you.

[Jennifer13]

You can continue to bf while you aren't at work and you'll probably find that she'll be okay during the day while you're not there with food and water. Some ebm might be handy for her carers, but when away from you it's unlikely she'll need as many milk feeds as she would have while you are around. She'll probably make up for it with a big bf as soon as you pick her up!

What kind of hours are you planning on working? Did you have any other reasons for wanting to wean? Will you be able to express while you are at work?

[Fleur]

You dot have to wean just because you are returning to work (unless you really want to), she will be ok to not have bm while you are at work and she can have solids and water, if she is going to childcare her carers should be able to get her to sleep with out a feed. Babies figure out really quickly what they get out of each person who cares form them ie dad will give a cup of water and mum has boob and granny has songs and cuddles.. and it works for babies.
She can then just have BFs when you are home, it will save you from weaning before she is ready and will keep that comfort that bfing offers both of you.

:yeahthat:

[Barb Glare]

Hi,

It seems like you have got a really normal little 10mnth old! You've done a great job. As others have pointed out, returning to work doesn't have to mean the end of breastfeeding. Many mothers find that they are easily able to combine the two. It would be pointless to wean her onto a bottle at this stage (you would just need to wean her off in a couple of months) She needs food as a complement to the breastmilk, not formula.
It's you she wants - that's why she feeds so frequently. When you are not around you will be amazed at how quickly she will work it out. And it's likely she will work out how to go to sleep *just fine* without you. She doesn't need a bottle to replace all those feeds you gave her. She just wanted to hang out with her mum!
When exactly do you go back to work? If you still want to wean, do it slowly. After 12mnths she doesn't need formula (and while she is still breastfeeding she can just have cows milk as a drink)

[tina_k]

thanks to you all for your replies...

ive tried getting my hubby to go in instead, but she won have a bar of it! She makes her "i need boob" noise, and she wont rest until she gets it!!!!

I actually started work this week, just for 2 days. im lucky enough to be able to take her along with me (and my mum to look after her!), as i work in my husbands practice...I tried to just leave her with mum the whole time and not go near her to see how long she could go with out a breast feed...she got to after lunch and went crazy till i went in to feed her....

Barb, you mentioned that she will work out how to go to sleep without me...please tell me how!!!!!!!!!!! She has never fallen asleep on her own in her whole life! if its not on the breast its in the car or the pram...

[Jennifer13]

Wow, it sounds like you have a really supportive going-back-to-work environment.

I often work from home and have been doing so since my DD was 8 mths old. The hardest transition for her was when at about 20 mths I started getting a nanny in for two-three days a week. I was there almost all of the time, where before that she had been used to going to her godmother's for a day a week, completely fine without me. Having me in the house and not being able to be with me took her a good few weeks to get used to. It was harder for her than it had been when I left her. The bonus was that I got to spend time with her at lunch time and put her down for a nap and once she settled into the arranagement I was able to pop in and have a cup of tea and see her if I wanted to.

I know she was a bit older than your bub, but I just thought I would let you know that it was definitely a more difficult transition for my DD to get used to than me not being there at all. Of course, in the longer run it was so much better and she loved having me around and at hand if it was needed. She just needed time.