Possible Start of Weaning for Breasfed Baby???

No, that's probably not the beginning of self weaning. There are so many different reasons that he could be refusing to nurse tonight. Having nursed 3 children for around 3 years each, I can tell you that there are those occasions that each one of them has refused to nurse, and occasions where they've not wanted to stop for hours. There have even been nursing strikes for a couple of days, and then it's back to normal. You might want to get his ears checked -- sometimes an ear infection can make it painful to suck or swallow, particularly in little ones. If you can't figure out the reason, Just keep offering, and if you're worried about your supply or it gets uncomfortable, pump. Good luck.

When my son was nine months, he suddenly stopped nursing. He fussed at the breast and took an immediate liking to formula. Turns out, I was pregnant! He wouldn't take the breast because my hormones had changed, and thus, the taste of the milk changed... Could you be pregnant???

With the little bit of detail you have given, I would not say this is "the beginning if the end". This was one episode so I would pump and feed him that milk later if he needs it.

There are lots of reasons - you thought about teething. Maybe he is just dropping a feeding? Maybe he was overly tired? Maybe a bottle would have been better (from a pain perspective)? Did you try some tylenol and/or teething gel? I am sure other Mama's will have some other smart ideas.

I would continue to offer the breast on the "regular" schedule. This is just a little hiccup in the partnership. I have waited to transition my kiddos until after the age of 1 too. They seemed to do it gradually once I introduced cow's milk.

Good luck.
~C.

Keep trying!
One refusal is not weaning.
:)

I would go to kellymom.com and drjacknewman.com and look into nursing strikes. 1 y/o for many is a major one. My experience, which I've shared and it has worked for countless others, is to ALWAYS offer the breast as you would before... waking up, naptime, bedtime at the least. Bedtimes and overnight nursing is very common at this stage. Once he's over whatever causes the nursing strike, he will be back on at least twice a day.

Teething? I'd offer ibuprofen or other teething remedy and re-offer. Kellymom.com will also give you info on nursing strikes for the under 1. I think this is temporary, and a reaction to teething or something else. Babies under 1 don't usually self-wean. Sometimes the best times to nurse DD were first thing and last thing - when she was tired.

You can also try pumping and offering him a bottle and see if that still causes him to cry.

Could you be pregnant? Sometimes breast milk gets saltier when you're pregnant (but more-so in the second trimester.) Otherwise maybe you ate something funky and it changed the flavor which made your son not like it. Those are just the first 2 things that came to mind--I'm sure it could be many other things.
We started giving our 10 month old whole milk (at suggestion of pediatrician) because he started refusing breastmilk. (I was in my 2nd trimester of pregnancy.) I was glad that I didn't have to do formula.

If you aren't wanting to force him, then keep offering the breast at usual times, and gently. If he is teething, sometimes the teething baby needs something harder to chomp on and a baby bottle may have the resistance he's wanting to feel on his gums.

You could also try a cold-ring teether or a wet washcloth, frozen, for him to gnaw on before nursing. Baby Orajel (doesn't taste great) or Tylenol might also help. I was convinced I was only going to use Hylands teething tablets for my son until it was clear that they didn't work, and then Tylenol became my best friend during those teething times.

Keep offering the breast, as I said earlier, at the usual times. If he's showing no interest after a few days, perhaps he's done, even if you aren't. I have heard of quite a few babies who self-weaned. Mine wasn't one :), but then again, he'd still be on the boob now if he'd had his way! Self-weaning might not be as bad as you think...

I nursed until one too. Introduced cows milk during day nursed morning
Nights for bed. I would skip formula! Used zippy cups never had to
Break bottle habit. I always tried to nurse @ night if didn't want then
I just put to bed.

No way! There could be so many reasons why he didn't want to nurse tonight. Keep offering, if you still want to nurse him. I think its great you want to nurse past 1.

My first child did that at 7 months when I got prego, she didn't like the taste and I couldn't take the pain.... then when that baby came it weened at 6 months. Didn't want anything to do with me. So I let it go. I figure they know best. I had them off bottle by 1 on the dot, so I was ok with how things went.
I would think at nearly 1 formula is kinda pointless. He should be eating real food and milk is good enough.

Well nursing mommy, if he has never had formula before this could have been a digestion pain more than a teething pain. Was there any passing of gas or lifting of the legs? Generally nursing babies don't just walk away from the breast if they have been soley drinking breastmilk. When you are ready to when him off of breastmilk, especially if he is over a year old, you don't have to introduce formula you can give him real whole milk. Which is safer to drink than formula (hence the name).
I nursed both of my daughters, strictly (no bottles or formula), for two years and the best practice that I have found in weaning them off is taking one feeding out at a time until your down to one feeding. Usually the worst one is the night nursing, it will be hard to get them off of this one no matter how long you wait, you will have to force them to get off. This doesn't cause them any emotional injury, just a few sleepless nights and a strong desire to want to nurse him when he begs for it. but this subsides if you hold out for about three days. Congratulations and good luck