I am weaning my 6 month old breastfed baby. She will not take a bottle even with breastmilk in it even when my husband offers it. I have tried a sippy cup and that seems to work a little better and now she's not really even eating solids. She has barely eaten anything in 3 days and i don't know what to do. The idea of she'll eat when she's hungry isn't working. I believe she is also teething. I am still breastfeeding her at bedtime because I am so concerned about her lack of eating. I have a dr's appointment scheduled just wanted some help before then!
Why do you want to wean? I know there may be a good reason but I would not recommend it unless you have to. Usually weaning takes place over a longer period of time.
look at this site
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/weaning/index.html
or this
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/pumping/alternative-feeding.html
I am not sure if anyone else has written this but are you sure that you need to wean her this early? If she doesn't want to give up nursing then I would still nurse her. If you have to work, send her to daycare with a bottle and have them offer it to her. Eventually she will take it. She is much more likely to take a bottle from someone that she doesn't associate with breastfeeding. In the mean time she will get all of the benefits from nursing with you. I have also read that if you are home with her you can have your husband or someone else give her the bottle and to keep trying.
I just want to leave you with a little more information. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends breastfeeding to at least 1 year. The World Health Organization recommends breastfeeding at least 2 years. I weaned one of mine at 15 months and he was so ready he just stopped. I am currently breastfeeding my 18 month old and he shows not interest in stopping. I am cutting him back so that he will be weaned by 2 but we are in no hurry!
Just curious as to why you are concerned about weaning so soon. Going back to work, etc.? The studies have found that the longer you breastfeed, the likelihood of your child developing a strong immune system increases. If there's no concrete reason to wean just yet, why not let your baby have a bit of a say in the matter.
I breastfed well past the first year, and my child, now 14, rarely gets sick and has NEVER had an ear infection.
You have made a major change in the way that she gets milk. It sometimes takes time for some babies to adjust. And if she's also teething she may not have much of an appetite. I wouldn't be too concerned.
It is true that babies will eat when they're hungry. Three days with "barely eating anything" is such a short period. You will find that she will have more days like this as she gets older.
My 6 yo grandson still sometimes goes days at a time with apparently not eating much and then chows down "like crazy" several days later.
It is good that you have a doctors appointment so that you can be reassured. In the meantime try not to fret.
She may be having difficulty accepting an alternate way of nursing in part because of your tension and anxiety. Babies are very good at picking up on that tension and becoming anxious themselves.
I don't mean to be to harsh, but at 6 months she is obviously much too young to wean. If it's for convenience, then I suggest that you continue breastfeeding. A child's immune system isn't mature until 2 years old and much of it's antibodies are gotten from breastmilk. Babies that are weaned early are more inclined to get sick more often, develop allergies, among other various psychological issues of weaning too early. So I apologize if you have a medical condition that is making it necessary for you to wean early, but otherwise, I think we should pay more attention to our babies wants & needs and not try to control their every milestone. My point is that I think your child will benefit more from not weaning so early, she is trying to tell you this by not taking the bottle, why force her?
I can understand wanting to wean. at 6mo breastmilk or formula is still the primary food source so I would not worry about the solid food as much as milk. Is your baby having enough wet diapers? my son would not even try baby food until about 7mo. Have you tried different shaped nipples for the bottles or different kinds of bottles?
You can try different types of nipples on the bottles - my oldest preferred a different kind of nipple than my youngest (who preferred silicone).
Did you offer bottles of breastmilk before you tried to wean her? That is, were there times when your daughter was younger that you were out of the house for longer periods and your husband fed her from a bottle? Too late now, but maybe other breastfeeding moms could benefit from having dad offer a bottle of breastmilk every now and then at an early age.
it seems like it might be a lot - starting real food and weaning at the same time...perhaps you should tackle one at a time - not sure what the dr. is going to come up with - doesn't seem like you are describing any real problem other than a change in routine...keep trying!
When my daughter was teething or sick she would often not eat or eat a lot less. I knew as long as she was nursing she was getting just what she needed. Breastmilk is the perfect food for your baby. My daughter just self weaned at 4 years old.
Our pediatrician’s advice on nutrition really works for us.
Our job as parents is to offer nutritious foods at regular times.
Their job is to decide how much to eat.
Even if they only have a few bites you know the food they are getting is good for them.
I think it is great that you are going to see your doctor and asking for advice. I wish you the best.
Is there any way you could go away for a weekend? Not having you available may make her more likely to take a bottle from Dad. Also try different nipples and flow rates. Some will try to tell you your baby will be healthier if you continue to breast feed, but the baby already got that all important colostrum, and the formulas out there today are very good. I weened my boys at 3 months, and they are hardly ever sick and have never had an ear infection. How long to breast feed is a very personal matter, and you have to do what you feel is right for your family.
Best of luck
I was told when I weaned my first child by my ob, not my ped to wean gradually, for my sake, so I wouldn't gorge and be in pain. You do the first bottle or feeding in the morning and after a few days, move to next, so the last feeding to be replaced is the nighttime one. I do not know if they still do this or recommend this, my kids are older. But it seems that it is not all at once, and gives baby some adjustment time.
I am concerned about dehydration. If your daughter "has barely eaten anything in 3 days," I would call the pediatrician's office ASAP. She may be sick. How many wet/dirty diapers has she produced in the last 24 hours? Is she alert or lethargic? Even if she was teething, she wouldn't refuse food for so long.
Well at 6 months studies show that babies have gotten all the benefits they will from breastfeeding...but continuing is not a bad idea. It honestly sounds like she isn't ready to wean. Is there a reason you have to wean? I know nursing is a lot of work (month ten here), but most times they don't want to wean until the 10-18 month area. My son has just started to show signs he's close to done. Starting solids is a good idea, but you should nurse to help her adjust to how different it is. It took a month for my son to accept the sippy (we skipped bottles - I didn't want that battle). Teething in the mix she wants comfort, which till now was nursing. Be sure she's having enough wet diapers - which is probably what your doctor will say. It may just take a bit longer than you planned to wean. Best of luck!
Hi C.,
I have to bottle feed my baby because I had milk problems, and I tried them all. The best one we found that was most like the breast is the Playtex drop-ins because they are big like the real thing. Also, she prefers the natural latex instead of the silicone nipples. This really makes a difference. Good luck!
