Hi all, just after some tips and advice on how to go about weaning my 1 and a half year old. I'm still breastfeeding him but to be honest I am very much ready to stop. He feeds when he's tired and wants to go to sleep and has a couple comfort feeds here and there during the day. But at night he will sometimes have up to 5 dream feeds just to soothe him back to sleep. He eats very well and will drink cows milk from a bottle when I'm not around but refuses bottles if I'm there or unless he asks for it. He doesn't have a dummy either. Also I'm not the most patient person so I'm not sure how I would go slowly cutting out one feed at a time..
Tia x
3 Replies
I had this same problem with my first child who also had no problem having cow's milk from anyone else. I ended up taking a 4 day holiday in which time my milk dried up. I came back and allowed bub to comfort suckle which he wanted, but with no milk he got over it and was completely weaned within 2 weeks.
I'm in the process of weaning a comfort feeder myself. So far we've been pretty successful, touch wood we continue to progress. I just started by cutting out day time feeds and offering whatever I ate during the day, as well his regular solid meals. I also wore clothing that was less accessible, and used the "don't offer, but don't refuse" method. Then moved on to night feeds, which have been a little harder. I have just in the last two weeks got him down to one feed in the wee hours of the morning. (mainly because my breasts become uncomfortable if I don't) When we started the night weaning process hubby took it upon himself to get up to DS and I suggested he offer him a bottle of water, it started out really well, but DS is very much a mummy's boy so I ended up having to take him and give him a cuddle. But, I can now successfully give him his water without any drama. Over the next few weeks will slowly wean him off that last early morning feed, so keeping my fingers crossed. He DOES use a dummy, but whether or not that has influenced his weaning is doubtful. Hope this has helped a little. Good luck Mumma
I'm hearing you. Distraction, and not sitting down on the couch were the big things for my first. And cold turkey on the overnight feeds - so hard but that's was did it in the end. Plus the fact I was pregnant with my second - it helped me be more determined to have a 'wean by' date, and also my supply dropped noticeably so she was more open to having different food or drink when she realised my boobs gave her no milk. But pregnancy is a rather extreme weaning measure lol. Second time round I'm having trouble weaning again... she's almost 3, eek! Need to take my own advice haha. Good luck xo