weaning questions

[justkitty]

I haven't fully decided what I plan todo once dd is 6months.

I don't know whether to drop feeds as I introduce solids. And also how does that work? So by a year baby has boobie only in the morning and evening/night.

Or whether to start swapping a couple of feeds gradually over to formula except bedtime/morning or even eventually a bedtime bottle occasionally.

I have a toddler as well as a 15 week old and some days its so hard. I ococcasionally wish I could let my husband look after them both or have some time just with my son.

But as my son was ff and this is probably our last child I want to treasure this time.

What did you do weaning wise?

 

[Brieanna]

Probably a bit different than a lot of people, but here is what we did.

I let dd nurse whenever she wanted to since birth and started introducing solids around 6 months (we did baby led weaning). I always let her nurse whenever she wanted to and she really didn't start eating solids seriously until about a year (We went by the "food is fun until they're one" mantra).

Since we didn't actually have a set schedule she didn't really "drop feeds". It was more of a gradual thing and I would just notice she was eating less frequently. I never "replaced" breastmilk and she has only had it and water to drink (no formula, juice or cows milk, although she eats tons of calcium-rich foods).

I have already discussed with my OH and he is going to help out by looking after dd when the new baby comes because after researching and just personal beliefs I feel really strongly about breastfeeding this baby just as much as I did dd because I think it has been really beneficial for her.

I would ask your OH to help out more with your older child so you can focus a bit on your new little one. It really helps when one has a supportive oh.

I will say the way I did it is not for everyone and was hard and time-consuming (dd didn't like bottles so I couldn't even go out for a night "with the girls" and leave her with expressed milk!) but I am soooo glad I did it now because how healthy she is (she never gets sick and has always been in the top % for height and weight) and how much I think it helped with bonding and her general well-being, but I recognize it is not for everybody. I am lucky that I am able to stay at home and I have a VERY supportive OH who agrees with my style and helps out a lot.

 

[NoodleSnack]

I doubt weaning will affect breastfeedings very much in the beginning since they eat so little. I drop feeds with naps since we feed to sleep, and seriously, it's going to get so much easier for you when they go down to two naps.

I read that by 1 year, most feed 4-6 times. Mine feeds around 5-6 times, 3 of them at night.

 

[Celesse]

I've done TW with #1 and BLW with #2. Kept on feeding on demand. With both methods of weaning baby wanted to go to the breast just as often as before weaning started. With breastfeeding they self regulate how much they take at the breast so you don't need to do anything different when it comes to breastfeed, just give solids on top. As they get bigger, take more, feel more full, get better at drinking from a cup they will reduce the breastfeeds themselves.

 

[Rachel_C]

I wouldn't drop any milk feeds either, it's best to let LO decide when to drop them because they know what they need better than you do. I wouldn't expect any baby to drop milk feeds before a year. Some do, but I wouldn't go in expecting it, if you get what I mean. It's more the norm for them not to so no point getting your hopes up!

I did BLW with both kids and both took to food very quickly, eating decent sized meals within a couple of months. One was FF and one was BF and it made no difference to the frequency of their feeds. One thing I will say is that formula is FAR more hassle once you're past the first few months. I wouldn't decide anything yet, just wait until 6 months and see how you feel then. At 6 months, BF was quick, easy, really just a pleasure. Adding formula in would have made things harder, not easier. If you want to be able to leave LO for a while, maybe introduce a cup or beaker with expressed milk or formula (no need for bottles really from 4-6 months old) but I wouldn't aim to switch many feeds, just do enough so that LO will take the alternative to the boob, maybe one every few days or once a day if you want. For me, if I'd have switched to bottles after BF for the first 6 months, I'd have missed the easiest and best part of BF.