Getting breastfed toddler onto cows milk

[Zephram]

How do you get a breastfed 18 month old to start having cows milk instead? Does anyone have advice?

I'm thinking about weaning my 18 month old from breastfeeding soon as there is a possibility I'm going back to work for the first time in 4.5 years (!!!!!) soon and my supply is already pretty low. It's actually so cute as even at 18 months my DS2 talks really well and the supply in my right boob has totally died - he has preferred my left boob since being an older baby, I think because it always let down quicker and my right boob takes ages for some reason. I've been starting his feeds on my right for ages so he'd have anything from it at all, but the last two nights at his bedtime feed the supply on my right has obviously got so low that he has pulled off, said, "Help!", and pointed to my boob and then said, "All gone". So cute, that he can communicate that to me, but a bummer from my end as we're now down to left boob that is low to middling in supply also.

Anyway, if I do go back to work I'm happy to keep feeding him before/after work and at night, except that I feel with only one boob on board going all day without any feeds will just tank my supply so I may as well think about stopping. He currently only has a nap time and bedtime feed during the day and then 2-3 ish at night. I would be keen to night wean too if I went back to work as I can't take the crap sleep and then work all day too. So my supply is doomed, basically.

I'm a bit disappointed as I fed DS1 until 26.5 months (I was pregnant and went dry as the Sahara) and I was hoping to make it to age 2 with DS2 as well but I just don't see it happening. By memory my supply was fairly low with DS1 too after 18 months but we made it work.

Anyways, long story short (ha!), I guess he needs cows milk if we stop since he's not even two yet, but he doesn't like it currently and won't drink it. He does eat cheese and yoghurt, but can't get much cows milk into him. I haven't tried many times to be honest, but I don't really know how to approach it. My eldest never drank much cows milk after we weaned, but since he was older I didn't particularly worry about it, so I don't really have any experience in this!

How much cows milk does he need at 18 months, by the way?

 

[Berri]

Just the same as your body adapted to cutting out some of the other feeds so too will it adapt to just before/after work. Both my boys started daycare around 11 months. I pumped like a mad woman and my first drank it but my second wouldn't have anything to do with it. So I stared sending cows milk for him (he'd had it on cereal and stuff so I knew he could have it). My rationale being that if they chucked cows milk out because he didn't drink it was fine (unlike pouring out my hard gained expressed milk).

Aaaanyway, he continued to feed another 9-10 months before he self weaned.

As long as he's getting a good amount of nutrition from food he should be fine with or without cows milk.

You may find he feeds a bit more often or for longer at night to make up for it.

 

[gamegirltina]

im still feeding my 2 year old so not much help im afraid but i hope you manage it

 

[gingmg]

My son won't drink it either, he refuses. My pediatrician has said it's fine. He eats cottage cheese, yogurt, and cheese. I add milk to smoothies and scrambled eggs but that's it. If your son likes it great, if not don't stress. I have found my son will drink almond and coconut milk on occasion. We still nurse twice a day, but like you, I'm not exactly even sure what he is getting.