finding it soo hard to wean breast fed baby

[danita]

i think i have posted this in the right spot sorry mods if i havent


you may have read my earlier post about starting to wean my brest fed DD i was a little sad about it at the time but i think im ready now at least to drop all her day feeds maybe just one in the am and at night....

im finding it soo hard to wean her she just wont drink anything else as a substitute and shes at an age where is she wants it she just tries to pull my top down and feed anyway. DH is not home so i cant get him to do the feeds so she cant smell my milk....she is not sleeping through the night im still up about 3 times through the night. i would still feed her through the night as that is whats easier at this point

i just dont know how not to feed her....any tip suggestions or advice......in the beginning i thought if i can feed for 6 weeks thats thats perfect as my son would never take and here i am 11 mths later and now i dont know how to stop....

please send yur advice my way

[Kmn]

I think that you might have a bit better luck if you work on encouraging her to have more food and water (including yoghurt and cheese and so on) and keep her as busy as you possibly can.
Most babies will want to feed if they see Mum sit down - it's almost a reflex. So get out and about, mix as much as you can with other kids, and see how you go.
Dropping lots of feeds rapidly is a recipe for blocked ducts and so on - take it gently.

You might want to try some not as accessible clothes too.

[sloane]

i agree with kmn - if you can keep busy, then she'll be distracted and won't think about it as much. and def go slow - i think the recommendation is no more than dropping one feed per week (but double check)...the ABA would be able to help as well, they have a help line & online forum. i think they generally promote a 'don't offer, don't refuse' policy (if weaning isn't baby-led) as being the most gentle method...but if your DD is determined then getting out & about seems like the best idea to me!

[onthefly]

How old is your DD? 11 months?
You might find it easier if you wait a few months, in the mean time encouraging more food and water in her diet. It's tricky, but it may be that right now she needs milk more, whereas in a few months that could change (and make the weaning process a lot easier for you).
Definitely go slow - 1 feed per week idealy. It's easier on her that way and safter for your breasts.

[MantaRay]

Hun, when you say it's hard, is it because she won't drink other milk, or because she really wants the breast? Once she hits 12 months which doesn't sound far off, there is no need to replace breast feeds with other milk so that might be easier for you. If you are not replacing breastmilk with other milk (which many mums don't), you can still make sure she has enough calcium from the solids - obviously dairy products like cheese and yoghurt, and also there are lots of other foods that are high in calcium - this list might give you some ideas - Vegetarian Network Victoria - Complete Nutrient Summary.

As the others have said, it is best to drop one feed at a time, with at least a week in between where possible. This is not only easier on your little one, but also reduces your risk of mastitis.

Many mums find that talking to their little ones about dropping the feeds helps too. Your DD is on the young side, but it is still surprising how much they understand. GL.

[Ryatha]

I just recently weaned my BF DD2 and like yourself, she really didn't want to wean but neither did I. But a work trip meant I had too

anyway... I started to wean one feed a week like a pp said. we started offering feeds at only specific times, not on demand like I had been. I also used to distract her as much as I could at the times that she tried to get into my top. We made it a game as well, so when she pulled down my top, I tickled her and then we went to do something else.

Once DD2 realised that the bottle actually was ok, she also realised it gave out milk quicker than my bb's. After I got back from my trip she tried a few times to feed, but by then my milk production had really dropped, so she was happy to have the bottle. 2 months later, she still pulls my top down to look at my bb's and puts her arm down there for comfort, but doesn't try to feed anymore.

I hope some of these suggestions help

[danita]

thanks you to everyone for your reply...i to dont have specific times to feed, i feed on demand aswell maybe ill have to make specific times and give it a try.

ill just have to do it slowly and stick at it

[Just Me]

Is your baby teeting at all? My kids all decided they didn't want solids but milk instead while they were teething. I don't really have any advice except that it might be a bit harder to wean if she is teething and maybe wait until she isn't.

Good luck

[trishalishous]

i agree with kmn - if you can keep busy, then she'll be distracted and won't think about it as much. and def go slow - i think the recommendation is no more than dropping one feed per week (but double check)...the ABA would be able to help as well, they have a help line & online forum. i think they generally promote a 'don't offer, don't refuse' policy (if weaning isn't baby-led) as being the most gentle method...but if your DD is determined then getting out & about seems like the best idea to me!

this is what id do