Any Advice and Tips on How to Wean My Son?

I weaned my daughter at 9 months. We started supplementing with formula and as it was obvious she didn't care which she received, we just gave her formula all the time. We didn't have any problems. We also didn't have any problems with her drinking cow's milk when we introduced that. My daughter is a very picky eater, but this did not bother her at all.

Good Luck,
D.

I weaned about the same time with my son. I had a difficult time because he did not like taking a bottle. It took about a month of mixing breastmilk and formula and I was really pretty happy when it was over. I have no guilt about ONLY breastfeeding for 8 month. It is a different experience for everyone and I enjoyed it while it lasted. When it came time to change to whole milk, I again just mixed until he was only on whole milk. I think it was quite successful. Good luck

You need to decide what works best for you and your son. However, I agree with several posts that my daughter went through this same phase around the same time. I was working full time and because of her lack of interest my supply really dropped when pumping. At her 9 month appointment the doctor told me she wasn't putting on weight the way she should. I had to supplement with formula during the day, however we kept nursing first thing in the morning and before bed. She kept this up until she was 13 months old and then she decided she was done. It was a great situation because she still got nutrition and support from me, which is so healthy, but she also got the quantity she needed from the formula. The best part was she never cried because I was denying her the chance to nurse. I think that would have killed me. Whatever you do, make sure you are comfortable with your decision. You love your son and will make the best decision for him and you.

You could call your local La Leche League Leader and get some ideas on how to encourage your son to nurse and bosot your supply. Babies don't self wean at 8 months. They become distracted and the nursing relationship changes, but typically moms have lifestyles and schedules which create weaning. Babies need breastmilk! Like another poster said, we're headed into cold and flu season and Breastmilk is the #1 prevention and medicine for a sick baby. Obviously the decesion is up to you, but I would fix the nursing relationship and continue nursing.

www.LLLI.org

Have you only breast fed baby? If he has ever had a bottle, you may pump the milk and feed him this way. You may also freeze the milk for up to six months. Once the milk is unthawed, run warm water over the bottle for a few minutes. The milk cannot be left unrefrigerated for any good period of time. Once baby was consumed all he wants, throw out the remainder-do not save it for later or re-chill it, always start with a new bottle. Is he eating solid food? I nursed my daughter for 13 months.
Been There too.

I'm not going to push one way or the other but I have to say I stopped breast feeding my son at 10 months and 2 weeks later he got his 1st ear infection. He got colds, ear infections etc one after another after stopping. I wish I had breast fed a little longer now. I had started dropping off at about the same time you did and followed advice from some people to drink Ovaltine, some said a beer a day (old time advice), and to take Fenugreek that I got at GNC (nursing books recommended this as well as lactation consultants) . It really helped for a while and then dropped again and that's when I weaned. At least he got two more months of breastmilk and I had two more months of no colds or ear infections. I'm due next month and will definitely nurse for a year this time.

Unless he has a special medical condition, I would just nurse him on demand. I would not pump. Babies will generally drink what they need. If you are nursing on demand, you milk should keep up with what he needs. I wouldn't want to pay the $300 plus that it will take to give him formula for a few months. If he knows he'll get a bottle of breastmilk, then he doesn't have to stay still to nurse. But he should be fine if you just offer the breast and no other options. www.kellymom.com is a great sight for breastfeeding. Sometimes people think their little ones aren't getting enough when they are. Babies can be quite good at getting what they need quickly. They say, as long as they are growing fine, and having enough wet diapers, not to worry about it. Just my thoughts:)`

I dropped one feeding each week and gave my son a sippy cup with pumped milk instead. He was fine with that. I did have some engorgement for about 2 weeks after i stopped completely, but it eventually went away. I used cold cabbage leaves to ease the pain. Just transition slowy for the baby so he has time to get used to a cup/bottle.

Hi M.,
Great job on breastfeeding! Your son is benefitting so much.

A couple of thoughts for you. 1) Your son is now a more efficient nurser than when he was younger. He is probably getting more milk than you realize because he is better at it now!

2) When they start getting more active and "nosy" about what is going on around them, some moms find it helpful to go to a quiet place without distractions, esp. for the most important feedings -- AM, midday, and before bed.

3) Frequency of feedings is imp. for keeping up your supply. Better to do more short ones rather than one or two long ones, if you have to choose. And he will still benefit from 2 minutes :)

Good luck! A.

I quit nursing my son at 7 months because I wasn't producing enough milk. What I did to wean him off was I would pump some milk (3 oz) and mix with 2 oz of formula in a bottle and feed him that way. It took a few days before he got used to the bottle but he eventually got the hang of it. He seemed to like the Breastflow bottles. It also helps if you have maybe your husband or someone else feed him from the bottle. Only because he knows what you have and might not give in to the bottle as easy. My husband had to feed my son for about a week and then he was able to take a bottle from me. If the bottle begins to be too much stress for him, maybe nurse one time and then the next try the bottle and then nurse again and then try the bottle. Good luck!!

Please please don't wean. He's entered a normal phase of development and your milk supply has responded. It will respond again when he goes back to weaning more later.

With the impending flu season, you would be very wise to continue nursing him as LONG as he is willing. You pass on immunity to him as long as you are nursing, and he will benefit from this greatly as the flu season gears up. Please don't wean due to activity... And don't wean him just because he turns one, either. Toddlers benefit from breast milk just as much, if not MORE, than babies.

Just offer a tidbit...You need to do what's best for you...Breastfeeding until this point has been great...Don't let some of the other posts force you into doing something you don't have to do. You have given your son several benefits already...If he is naturally stopping then this may be a good time for you to move on. Do what is in your heart...best for baby and yourself.

While I would continue breastfeeding, start introducing whole milk in a smaller sippy cup this way you don't also have to do the formula change and lose the bottle.

I think it's too early to wean. I would wait until at least til he's 1 year old. Maybe he's squirming because he's constipated or maybe you just need to wait a little longer between feedings. He should be hungry after 3-4 hours. How often were you feeding him? My milk supply is down since he started eating solids but still there. If he doesn't nurse as much, it must mean he's getting what he needs.

I'm glad that you've decided to continue.

When you do think again about weaning, here are some resources that might be helpful for you...

http://www.llli.org/NB/NBweaning.html

http://www.askdrsears.com/html/2/t026400.asp

I remember when one of my sons went through a stage like this. He was so active that I would get tired just holding him while he was trying to nurse. I finally would just lie down to nurse. Even then he couldn't figure out what position to nurse in. He would turn round and round, all the while keeping latched on to the nipple. Sometimes as I lay on my side he would end up latched on to the lower nipple, standing on his head, with his waist draped over my opposite ribs, and his legs hanging down my back! Eventually he would wear out and fall asleep. Later on, he grew out of that.

Hang in there,
J.

At around 8 months my son, too, hated to sit still in order to nurse. It was a battle (primarily over nursing at particular times in the day, such as 9am and noon) -- and we both were miserable. But I stuck it out. Because he hated formula and it seemed to early to move to cow's milk. He wasn't very into nursing for about 3 months. And then, at 1 year (just at the time I hoped to wean), he decided that he loved nursing. Finally, at 15 months, I've fully weaned him.

I am weaning my seventh month old now and so far it has been successful. She was nursing four times a day and each week I replace one time with a bottle. In four weeks you will be finished and not have to deal with soreness or engorgement. Good luck- the decision is yours and do what you feel is right.

M.,

I had a similar situation with my son at 7 mos. and now my 8 month old daughter. I did pump with both during the work day but went from 2 pumpings down to one and then none. I introduced 1 formula bottle per day and then gradually kept swapping one formula for 1 milk until it was just bedtime feedings. I felt guilty about the bedtime feeding with my son but he adjusted fine.

I'm in the midst of ramping down with my daughter and so far the approach is working with her. She won't pay attention to feedings either. As I stretch out the feedings my supply is dropping as well. The hardest one to quit is the last one as far as engorgement is concerned. You can always pump a little to relieve it and the supply won't stay at the same level.

I didn't have any trouble switching from formula to milk at 1 yr old. I gave it to him in a bottle which he just sucked down--I question that he tasted it!

Good luck.

A little about me: mom of a charming 3 1/2 yr old boy and amazingly happy 8 month old girl.

I'm glad you decided to continue. I wanted to let you know that at that age I have had to struggle with almost every single daycare kid taking a bottle, so it's not just you and breastfeeding - it's an age thing!!

Does he like the bottle or sippy? I would just offer those more and more and gradually he will be weaned. Also, does he like formula? I started all 3 of my boys on milk at 10 months, they never had formula. I was still nursing until their 1st birthdays, but only in the morning and at bedtime at that point. i think you'll just have to see what works for the 2 of you. For the final weaning, my husband had to put them to bed for a week or so, otherwise they were wondering where the milk was!!

When my son was 8 months, he started walking, and started cutting back on breastfeeding. However, a few weeks later, he was back at it full force. he kept it up until about a year, when he again seemed to start weaning himself, then ramped back up again until I weaned him at 16 months. It was more abrupt that I wanted, because I had some medical issues. I had three days where I only breastfed at night and in the morning, two nights where I only breastfed at night, then we were straight to a bottle. He occasionally asked to breastfeed, but I just told him that they didn't work anymore, and he seemed to accept that.

Good luck.