Help with Weaning - San Antonio,TX

Hi F.,
I may not be the right person to respond here since I nursed my 1st son for 23 months and my 2nd for 30 months... but, maybe you could pump and still give her your milk? And maybe you could try putting something that tastes bad, like vinegar?, on yourself before she nurses each time. That might deter her from you and still give her your milk in a bottle... a taste she is familiar with. Then you could slowly wean her from your milk altogether. I don't know... just a thought.

My daughter just turned one and I had to abruptly stop breastfeeding because she would vomit everytime I fed her. I guess I ate something she was allergic to. She would not take a bottle and a sippy cup she would just 'sip' from. It was so hard to quit cold turkey, but I think she realized should wasn't going to get the breast and took the bottle. I was shocked! This was 4 days ago, and now when she sees a bottle she reaches for it! I'm not telling you to do it cold turkey, that's really hard on you both, but if they are given no other option and they're hungry, I guess they'll take it!

If she were to stop biting would you want to keep nursing, becasue you can teach her not to bite. Either stop that feed and tell her no, and sit her on the floor, or slightly pull her hair, she won't know it is you she will just think every time she bites down it hurts her head and she will quit.

Otherwise your best bet is to change routines, what are you going to feed her until she is 1, she still needs breastmilk or formula until one and some babies depending on their calorie intake need it after 1.

More babies won't self wean until after a year.

Good luck deciding.

Hi F.!
I am so glad that you asked this question, because we are going through the EXACT same thing. My 11 month old son (December 29th b-day) will NOT take a bottle or sippy. I have tried every bottle and sippy known to man! I pumped A LOT and can not figure out how to get the child to take a bottle! I finally asked my pedi for advice last week and this is what he told me. Have your baby spend 3 days with someone...give her no choice but to eventually give in to the whole milk sippy. My doctor said that they will not starve themselves and that if you are around it will be harder on your little one. As far as the biting goes, push her into your breast when she bites. It VERY quickly teaches them not to bite. I am scheduled after the holiday to have my little one spend three days with his Grandma...it will be hard, but I want my breasts back! Good luck!

You may have to be harder on the child than YOU want to if you don't let her wean naturally!
The truth is, when she gets hungry/thirtsty, she will eat. It's a battle of wills...
I did 1/3 to 2/3, then 1/2 to 1/2 with my son when we switched from soy formula to soy milk...
I am not a fan of breastfeeding when babies get teeth...
Good luck!

I feel your pain I was in that same situation with my daughter now 2. I breastfeed until she was 10 months and I was in my second trimester with my son now 10 months. Wow I had the hardest time getting her to drink out of a bottle, but due to early contractions I had to stop. At this point they really need only about 18 ounces of formula a day I am not sure if you even want to start that or just go straight to milk depends on what you doctor says to do. I started by offering her a bottle at her sleepiest time of the day and I also added a little sugar to her formula. I gave her next step Emfamil. I know people will freak out that I added sugar, but I only had to do it for 3 days. I would decress the amount every feeding. Breastmilk is so much better tasting than formula you have to spice it up just a little :). She did fine we did cry a little the first three days, but I had to do it. I am not sure what people mean when they say let her self wean I truly believe my dauther would still be breastfeeding if I followed that advice :). Another idea is use a sippy cup if she will drink out of that then you are good to go. I know for the first couple of days she will not seem to be drinking enough, but like my doctor said they will drink when they are thirsy. It is true they do so try to hang in there I know it can be difficult. Once you start keep going don't give in you will just confuse her more. Just remember millions of women doe this every year so you are not alone.