How to stop breastfeeding 15 month old who hates cows milk-help!

[Egyptiangirl]

Hi all,

My lo is 15 month old will only drink water and seems to hate cows milk especially. I've tried flavouring it but he will only accept plain water. He currently still has a breastfeed at bedtime. I don't feed to sleep but I'm still feeding for fear that if I stop completely he will not receive adequate vitamins from diet alone as he is getting rather fussy with food as well. He is also feeding sometimes during the night still, although that seems to be more just comfort sucking, definitely not hunger related and I always offer water in the night if he wakes and doesn't settle again straight away.

I want to stop breastfeeding him now as it's messing with my hormones and I'm also not having any success conceiving again for number two.

Any advice for how to get lo to take some other form of milk and how does one totally stop breastfeeding?

Thanks!

 

[Here_we_go]

Following as I am curious how to begin to stop as well. She takes a sippy of water throughout the day, refuses juice, won't drink milk from a sippy at all. She breastfeeds before naps, before bed and comfortsucks during night.
I only breastfed son for 4 months

 

[missk1989]

I found that for a long time lo would refuse cows milk until i offered skimmed milk one day when we had no whole milk. Its thinner like bm and he seemed to like it. After a week or two i gave him semi skimmed and now he drinks whole milk. Nowhere near as much as bm but you can make up for what he doesnt drink in milk with other dairy such as cheese and yogurt.

 

[Noodlebear]

Will LO drink expressed breast milk? You could try combining the 2 and gradually put less BM in there. I don't think I would offer semi skimmed as it'll fill him up on something that doesn't have the nutrients and calories he needs. Giving other dairy products is the best way to get that into him

 

[Egyptiangirl]

missk1989, that's defo a good idea and I'll try that but lo doesn't want to drink anything but water at all....won't even taste it now!! Does yours drink things other than water?

 

[Egyptiangirl]

Noodlebear, I did consider that a couple of months ago so dragged out the old breast pump but the amount I get now is pitiful!! We're talking a teaspoon or two!!! I never did get much milk from expressing and so that's how I ended up exclusively breastfeeding as anything else just ended up a disaster!

 

[Noodlebear]

Nightmare! It's likely that you'll have thought of everything I'll suggest lol. Have you tried adding the tiniest drop of milk to his water? You could try and slowly increase it. Sounds like you're going to have to have the patience of a saint lol.

 

[Celesse]

If she won't take milk as a drink then just get extra diary into her diet. So milk on her cereal and yogurt and cheese everyday.

 

[Egyptiangirl]

Celesse, I've tried introducing yoghurt and cheese but he won't eat yoghurt except the cow and gate fruity ones that aren't refrigerated...not sure really how much yoghurt is even in those. And he'll only eat cheese if it's with something, won't have it on its own. In fact...I'm getting a very fussy toddler I think!!

Noodlebear, thanks for the tip, I'm going to try a drop and see what happens!!

 

[NoodleSnack]

Maybe consider vitamins drops plus other forms of dairy? Since you're down to one feed, I think you can stop anytime.

A serving of cheese aren't that big, if he'll only have it with something else, I would go with that. Cheese spread on toast or soft bread is a great option for toddlers.

 

[Noodlebear]

Hope it works! I also have a very fussy toddler at the moment, drives me mad lol.

 

[Skittleblue]

I've found that temperature makes all the difference for my little girl. She's only ever had my milk warm, and I guess cold cow's milk must seem very strange to her. If I warm it a but, she'll finish 4-5 oz.

 

[Egyptiangirl]

Skittleblue, I've always offered cows milk warm and will keep trying.

Might try a drop of skimmed in water and work up from there like has been suggested