A little unsure of how to end bf....or if I want to.

[Praying4bebe]

My sweet little angel turned one last week and now the pediatrician has mentioned weaning her from the breast. I had always kinda figured we would wean at one...but when I tried what she suggested, I felt in my heart that we were not ready. The pedi suggested dropping one feeding a week by replacing the feeding with cow's milk. We went with goat's milk because my hubby is a little sensitive to cow's milk. But it failed horribly. Arden was not interested at all. She cried and lifted my shirt and signed milk forever...and I cried. So I decided I want to go longer. Now arden seems to not want as much milk. I decided to not offer her the first feeding like I used to, but not refuse if she asks for it. So I have a few questions for those with more experience....

1.Did you have to add in cow's milk to keep baby happy during the weaning process? How long did it take for them to accept it?

2. If you nursed for longer, how and when did your sweetie decide they were done?

3. Arden sleeps most the night, she wakes up once to nurse around 4-5am, but when she doesn't nurse as much during the day, I've noticed she tries to nurse more at night. How do I handle that if I don't really want to make it a habit?

4. How long did it take for your baby to completely stop asking to nurse or crying over it if you did initiate the weaning process?

I think those are all my questions for now...I'm sure I will think of more. I appreciate your replies. Sorry this was kind of long. Any tips or advice would be accepted.

 

[luna_19]

I don't have answers to most of your questions but I wonder why your pediatrician would even mention weaning. Many health organizations recommend bf until at least age 2. As baby slowly increases solid intake they will decrease nursing sessions. There is no need to add any other sort of milk if they are nursing 4-5 times per day. If you are ready to stop that's one thing but don't feel pressured by some doctor's outdated information

 

[Here_we_go]

I have a lot of the same questions. Due to having a serious surgery back in August, I never dreamed I'd be able to continue breastfeeding for as long as we have! Another month and it'll be a full year!!

My son had sensitivity to cow's milk so he wasn't able to switch to cow's milk straight away. I slowly offered it here and there to see how he'd do and then one day he didn't have a reaction

DD still nurses ALOT during the night but not so much during the day. She won't touch juice and will only drink water from her sippy cup. The only dairy I've tried giving her is plain yogurt and alittle bit of cheese.

Following this thread to see what others say...

 

[rachelleigh]

No experience here, but just wanted to say that I think you should definitely go with your gut. I might be clueless here, but why would a doctor recommend introducing the milk of another animal when you have milk that is perfect in nutrition and uniquely produced just for your baby? Seems like you should wean when it feels right to you and your baby.

 

[cat_reversing]

if you don't feel ready and lo isn't ready then don't change anything! Breastmilk is better for baby than cow's milk, as pp said why give milk made for a baby cow when you can make it, lo clearly prefers yours anyway!

 

[BunnyN]

The World Health Organization recomends BFing until at least two. If you have your own reasons to stop thats one thing but breast feeding really is still the best thing you can be doing well after the age of one.

 

[Perplexed]

I don't have experience and new to breastfeeding but I honestly think id go with my gut had I been in your shoes. If I felt LO and I weren't ready to wean I wouldn't!

 

[Hangin_On_AGS]

Agreed! WHO says two and there are so many great reasons to. And as much as I love peds.. I really think sometimes they talk out of a book and not realistic.

 

[Praying4bebe]

Thanks ladies. We are sticking with breastfeeding for now. Lo is a little less interested so I think I will just let her be the guide. We have a hard time with pediatricians here, they already looked at me funny for having her at a midwife clinic instead of the hospital. Lol.
Anyone with experience have info on my other questions?
And thank you for the supportive replies so far.

 

[bumpbear]

I was the same as you - thought I would want to stop at 12 months and tried to initiate weaning, but I couldnt handle refusing my LO something that she loved so much when there was actually no need to stop other than societal pressure. I thought I'd just follow her lead and tried dont offer dont refuse from when she was about 15 months old.

She carried on nursing first thing in the morning, before her nap and before bed.

I thought she'd never cut down of her own volition until one morning, aged 19 months she didnt ask in the morning. I was sure she'd ask at nap time, but again, no request. And at bedtime, she toddled off to bed without even a second thought about milk.

I was very sad about that as it came out of the blue (for me), even though I had hankered after the thought of being free for months! I missed my little girl. Eventually the hormones settled down about a week later and I am happy that she is so independent now, though I am somewhat bizzarely still producing milk two months later.

LO still will not drink any other form of milk, but she has plenty of yoghurt and smoothies and I top her up with calcium + vitamin supplements.

 

[Praying4bebe]

I was the same as you - thought I would want to stop at 12 months and tried to initiate weaning, but I couldnt handle refusing my LO something that she loved so much when there was actually no need to stop other than societal pressure. I thought I'd just follow her lead and tried dont offer dont refuse from when she was about 15 months old.

She carried on nursing first thing in the morning, before her nap and before bed.

I thought she'd never cut down of her own volition until one morning, aged 19 months she didnt ask in the morning. I was sure she'd ask at nap time, but again, no request. And at bedtime, she toddled off to bed without even a second thought about milk.

I was very sad about that as it came out of the blue (for me), even though I had hankered after the thought of being free for months! I missed my little girl. Eventually the hormones settled down about a week later and I am happy that she is so independent now, though I am somewhat bizzarely still producing milk two months later.

LO still will not drink any other form of milk, but she has plenty of yoghurt and smoothies and I top her up with calcium + vitamin supplements.

Thank you for your reply! And the info. It is so weird...I want to be "free" but then I love it. It's good to know that she may kinda just stop on her own.