We've hit the 1 year mark and ready to wean..any advice?

[fashionlover]

I have loved every second of breastfeeding my baby. But next month hits the 1 year mark. I really want to wean her as we are still co-sleeping and mama still isn't getting any sleep. AKA wakes up and wiggles until I feed her about 5 times during the night. If any one has any tips (preferably a step by step plan) on how to wean an exclusively breast fed baby it would be greatly appreciated.

 

[sheldonsmommy]

I started by replacing one feed per day with formula, you could do milk though as your lo is old enough. After a few days, I increased it to 2 bottles of formula. And so on. Right now I'm at 3 bottles of expressed milk or formula and things are going great! No engorgement or pain. I started with a morning bottle, then one morning, one evening, then introduced one at lunchtime. I plan to keep doing this until he's weaned, although we are still bf at night, I think that will be the hardest transition for us

 

[modo]

Just to point out have you thought about just night-weaning rather than totally weaning her?

I would deal with the night feeds like this:

1. I would wear a t-shirt that doesn't allow access to your boobs (you might find your self getting the boob out automatically).

2. Every time she wakes say the same thing. "Boobies are sleeping" and cuddle her even if she doesn't understand she will associate the phrase with going back to sleep.

3. If she get's upset maybe try tap her back? If she get's very upset I would just feed her to the point that she drinking then when she starts comfort sucking to repeat.

Do that for each wake-up. You might find she takes this well and just starts to turn over instead of looking for boobie.

Have you considered putting her in co-sleeper? She might be waking from your movements in bed. Before you come to bed does she wake often? If not moving her to a cosleeper might really help with her sleeping. It might cut down her wake-ups to once or twice a night which you might find is much better.

 

[aliss]

I started by replacing one feed per day with formula, you could do milk though as your lo is old enough. After a few days, I increased it to 2 bottles of formula. And so on. Right now I'm at 3 bottles of expressed milk or formula and things are going great! No engorgement or pain. I started with a morning bottle, then one morning, one evening, then introduced one at lunchtime. I plan to keep doing this until he's weaned, although we are still bf at night, I think that will be the hardest transition for us

This is what I did! By 17 months he ran screaming whenever he saw the boob I didn't expect it to go that far in the opposite direction but hey

 

[mrssunshine78]

I started by replacing one feed per day with formula, you could do milk though as your lo is old enough. After a few days, I increased it to 2 bottles of formula. And so on. Right now I'm at 3 bottles of expressed milk or formula and things are going great! No engorgement or pain. I started with a morning bottle, then one morning, one evening, then introduced one at lunchtime. I plan to keep doing this until he's weaned, although we are still bf at night, I think that will be the hardest transition for us

This is what I did too, we weren't co-sleeping though so not sure if it makes a difference. We put our DD in her own room around 6 months as we were disturbing her and her us, not sure if that helps you or not??

 

[Lizzybee]

I don't have any advice but .... Wow well done for getting to a year! Hats off to you.

 

[readynwilling]

i feel the exact same way - my little guy is 11m and im ready to be done night feeds. He WILL NOT sleep in his crib, we try and fail every night. I need to get him to drink milk from a bottle or something before bed, he is like "ummmm no, where's my boob?" SIGH.

 

[fashionlover]

i feel the exact same way - my little guy is 11m and im ready to be done night feeds. He WILL NOT sleep in his crib, we try and fail every night. I need to get him to drink milk from a bottle or something before bed, he is like "ummmm no, where's my boob?" SIGH.

I'm glad I'm not the only one struggling with getting baby in the crib. Let me know if you have any success, would love to know what you did!