When did/will you wean? And how?

[SurpriseBub]

I'm just curious as to when you breastfeeding mothers completely stopped breastfeeding?

My baby is 3 months old, and we plan to introduce solids at 6 months. I am not sure whether to stop breastfeeding around then? 9 months? 12 months? Later?

i would like to take some medication that isn't approved while BF, but otherwise don't have any set reasons to stop at any set point.

I would be interested to hear what your plans are? Or how/when you did it?

 

[shinona]

With my older two I kept breastfeeding until they were both just shy of a year old (they both self weaned). It gets easier past 6 months and when solids are established. I just couldn't be bothered with bottles and what not. Will.do the same again this time x

 

[AK89]

Milk (breast milk or formula) is their main form of sustenance until they're 12 months old so you'll either have to wait until 12 months and then wean off (and onto cows' milk) then or you'll have to wean onto formula. They say solids are "just for fun" before they're 1 and that you shouldn't be substituting any milk feeds for solids until then. Saying that, my 7 month old eats 3 meals a day now and I practically have to force nurse her through the day! (She'd much rather do it every 2 hours through the night! )

We started with babyled weaning at about 5.5 months. That went really well but I wanted to be able to give her stuff like cereal too so we started spoonfeeding too and she took to that really well as well!

 

[bdb84]

My first was only BF was a few months. With my second, I started solids at about 5.5 months and we went on to BF until she was 2.5. I don't have a strong desire to nurse for that long again, but we will until she's at least one.

 

[staralfur]

I nursed my daughter until just after her 3rd birthday. We just gradually dropped feeds and I told her that my boobs didn't make milk anymore. It was super easy because she was basically ready, just needed a little push.

She didn't take to solids for a long time, she was still on mostly breastmilk when she turned 1. I didn't see any point in switching from breastfeeding to formula at 6 months.

 

[Sbmason34]

I nursed my LO till 5 months, although it’s not good idea to wean anytime before 6 months. He was gradually shifted to cow’s milk with bottle and then slowly introduced solid food by the 12 months in form of mashed potato, fruits puree and cooked veggies. Weaning is easier if a child has also taken milk from another source. So try giving an occasional bottle of breast milk to your little one once breastfeeding is well-established. Start giving her a cup with some juice at snack time, and a bottle instead of nursing once a day. When she is around 7-8 months, she could learn to drink straight from a cup.

One approach is to drop one feeding session a week until the child is taking all of the feeds from a bottle or cup. It is very important to Resist comparing your situation with that of other families, and consider rethinking any deadlines you might have set for weaning. Also make sure you express enough, otherwise you may end up with engorged breast.