This past week I dropped Ezra's morning breastfeed. This is the one that would usually happen before breakfast at around 7am (if I could calm him for long enough, otherwise I gave in earlier). Which means we are only down to one per day, the breastfeed right before bed. I thought that weaning him off the first breastfeed of the day would be pretty difficult, because usually he is desperate for milk the second he wakes up. But, surprisingly he doesn't seem to really miss it at all.
Last weekend I started giving him his cereal before milk. So when he would get up we just marched into the kitchen and started getting breakfast ready, he was grizzly mainly because he was hungry, but he was perfectly happy to sit in his high chair with a piece of banana. For the first two days he came looking for milk about an hour after breakfast, and so I fed him. I just used the don't offer don't refuse strategy.
After those two days he just wasn't really bothered about it, so it gave me encouragement that he is ready for it. He also eats sooo much food (he ate 3 Salmon Patties for dinner the other week), and is such a great eater I am not really worried about him not getting enough nutrition during the day. I gave him some full fat cows milk to drink from a sippy cup before his morning nap just incase he was a little hungry, and he has been more than happy to drink that and eat a little snack.
By the end of the first day I felt like I was about to explode, and my milk is taking its sweet time adjusting to the new schedule. It reminded me of the new born days where there was just too much and nowhere to go.
After breastfeeding first thing in the morning pretty much as soon as I wake up every day for a year it is so weird to not be doing it anymore. I think it is more of an adjustment for me than it is for him.
I would love to hear about your weaning experience, I have no idea how I am going to drop the before bedtime feed it seems to be the one he's always been the most attached to. I think baby led weaning is an awesome thing, as is long term breastfeeding. For me I have some post birth personal medical problems (nothing serious) and I have been told that there is a good chance it will improve when I stop breastfeeding. Also because we don't want to wait too long before baby #2 I need to give my body a chance to recover, hence why I am weaning now.
Karen xx
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I have no advice to offer but I am definitely interested to read about how it all goes. Mia is almost 9 months and I still pretty much feed her on demand, which means some days she has more feeds than others, but it's usually never more than about 5 and most of the feeds in the day are short and sweet, the first morning feed and before bed feed are the substantial ones. If she's having a really sooky day, then it's a good way to keep her quiet and happy for 5 mins and she'll get a few bonus feeds when I need a few minutes of no baby crying! The days that I am back at work she only has about 3 feeds and I thought it would be difficult for her but I think the fact that I am not there, she doesn't even notice. I am going to start cutting back on her feeds during the day though, especially those to stop the sook as I do need to start finding other ways to make her happy so she doesn't want those feeds when it's time to stop (whenever that may be).
ReplyDeleteWe had to change to Bottles at 4 months due to some complications, so I don't have any advice about weaning sorry. Z still has a cows milk at night, but it is from a sippy cup, and where he used to have it as he went to sleep, it is now while we read a story.
ReplyDeleteI found weaning so heartbreaking with my first 2, it definitely bothered me more than it bothered them. With my 2yr old, he was a boob addict & very clingy but I was going back to work so wanted to wean him at 11 months. I offered snacks and cows milk instead of the breast and within days he lost all interest!
ReplyDeleteNot looking forward to weaning number 3, might put it off a little longer this time
Xx
Hi, just popping by from IBOT. I'd love to see how it all goes. My son is 9 months and displays hardly any interest in breastfeeding anymore unless it's before bed and ALL through the night. He's been waking 1-2 hourly since 3 and a half months old! Being new at this I have no idea what happens after 1...cow's milk? He is dairy intolerent so who knows where we will go from here. I'm missing that beautiful time we shared already!
ReplyDeleteI have a 14month old little girl and we are taking the same 'don't offer and don't refuse' approach. I found feeding her straight away when she wakes also discourages her from wanting mummy. She is happy to have cereal and a cup of water for breakfast now. Before bed feed is a must for her. It really settles her down and gives me a bit of a break from the witching hour! I think we have been through every cup on the market before finding the right one for her. Turns out she is happy with anything her big brother drinks from!
ReplyDeleteI have found it surprisingly easy to drop the feeds one by one, maybe because my child rarely stops moving, but he also loves eating solid food so that helps too. The tricky thing is definitely when he is all sooky and I know it would be easier just to feed him.
ReplyDeleteI think thats what I will do, story time milk, it is a nice transition!! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteIt is such an emotional thing, I am clinging to this last feed now feeling sad to let go, although the other night he bit me so hard I bled, so it is making it a little easier to stop!
ReplyDeleteI was told by the child health nurse that the toddler formula is just a marketing thing, they are fine to have cows milk, but with the dairy intolerance I'm not sure, I wonder how he would go with Goats milk or another plant based milk. But then there might be a specific toddler formula to help him get the calcium and nutrients he needs.
ReplyDeleteThe before bed one is so hard because they are so tired and needy. I'm a little scared about how it is all going to go. That is classic little sister, just wanting what her brother has, I was exactly like that!
ReplyDeletePerfect timing for your post, Karen. My little man is 18 months old now and I am wanting to drop a feed but wasn't sure how to go about it. I am going to take your advice and give him some food first thing in the morning and see how that goes. Thank you! :)
ReplyDeleteI hope that it goes well for you, and your little man. It is such a hard thing to do, hope he doesn't kick up a fuss about it!
ReplyDeleteHi Karen,
ReplyDeleteWe are about to drop the morning feed. How old was your little one when you did this? Sorry. I know this is an old post, but came at a great time!
This article is for working moms who need to realize how to breastfeed at work. Breastfeed
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