Trying to Wean from Breastfeeding

Unless the recommendations changed, it's formula/breastmilk until 1. Also, you might try introducing a sippy cup for formula instead of a bottle.

Hi K.. Is there a reason you have to wean now? Otherwise it would be really good for your daughter if you can see her through the first year. Better for her immune system, and in the long run, you'll end up with a stronger, healthier girl, so it'll be easier for you, too. If you have to wean for reasons outside your control I think you'll have to add formula. Most people pump breastmilk and split the first bottles or sippy cups so they're 3/4 breastmilk, 1/4 formula, and then start increasing the formula incrementally. If it's in your control, though, I highly recommend you go at least a year!

K., your pediatrician should help you with all of those questions. Of course, your 9 month old baby will have to drink formula or pumped breast milk from a bottle, unless you can start training her with sippy cups. If she is hungry enough, she'll eat.
Why are you weaning from breastfeeding? Your daughter can not eat baby food exclusively.
Good luck!

My daughter never took a bottle either... around 6 months I started giving her sippy cups just with water and when I wasn't around she'd eat baby cereal, etc. By 9 months she was great at a sippy cup and was working on a straw cup too. I however nursed her until 2.5 so I can't answer the milk/formula question :)

Good luck!

breastmilk or formula is still the primary source of nutrition for babies until 1 year old. try to cut down on your feedings gradually over the next weeks and feed him formula in a bottle or sippy cup instead. i would suggest diluting the formula first so the taste won't be too strong for your daughter. you can also try to give your breastmilk in a bottle just to get her to take the bottle.

WHy are you weaning so early? WHy not let her self wean? Go to the le leche league web site for many sources, they have some great books on weaning you can get from the library. If she won't take a bottle what do you plan to do? Will she take a bottle when you're away? Drop one feeding every couple weeks so it's not too tramatic for her.

Introduce bottle or sippy cup. If you are going to wean she needs to be on formula untill age 1. And than she can go to regular milk. She should also be eating solids in between meals. The amount of formula she should intake varies by weight. So there is no set amount. A heavier child will drink more than a thinner child. Around this age though, most children drink between 4-6oz at a feeding with solids in between. Cut out one nursing session at a time. Untill you are down to none. Good luck.

My son never took a bottle either. Try a sippy cup - the most accepted cup by babies seems to be the Take and Toss cups (buy at Target or many other places.) Ask your pediatrician what to give your baby in place of breastmilk, but you will probably have to give formula until she's a year old. I started meaning my son very gradually when he was 15 months old because I was pregnant and he was weaned at 19 months, earlier than I had planned. I started cutting out the morning (upon wake-up) feeding and went from there. I introduced cow's milk, but your baby is too young for that. The last feeding to go was the bedtime feeding and by then, because I was pregnant, my milk had pretty much dried up and my son had no problem with ending the breastfeeding. He pretty much weaned himself at that time. Some people wean by cutting down the time spent breastfeeding at one feeding. Like 10 min., then 9, 8, 7, etc. I did this with the bedtime feeding. But I would do this all very gradually,(don't cut down the nursing time at every feeding).

I am not going to judge you for wanting to wean at this age. I think you have done a great job for breastfeeding this long, some moms don't do it at all, so good job! First of all if she is not taking a bottle don't force it now. She will be transitioning to a sippy cup soon so just go with a sippy cup now. Weaning is a long process if you are doing the weaning, some babies will wean themselves. Start by eliminating one feeding at a time. Like your mid-day or afternoon feedings, replace with a new snack and game. Do that for a week. Then the next week Lose the morning feeding. Your little one will put up one hell of a fight if she really wants to feed. Be patient. Distraction, distraction, distraction! New things of all types, games, snacks, songs. Go for a drive, anything for her to be distracted from being close to you. Wear clothes that are not as easy to access for feeding. As you drop off feedings your supply will decrease. Make sure you talk to your doctor about what other nutrition you are giving to her. She will be going through some major growth spurts over the next couple of months so she will need it. Also, buy and try all sorts of different sippy cups. I just found one called Tilty cup, after buying every cup on the market, this is the only one my son will pick up. Also, breastfed babies are able to suck better than bottle fed babies, cause they have to work to get their food, so try a straw. My son was able to drink from a regular straw at 9 months. Remember it can be a slow process and she will fight so make sure you give her more cuddle time. Breastfeeding isn't just about feeding its is also a time to be close and to bond with your baby. Best of luck.

Your baby will probably be starting table foods soon, but here's what my pediatrician just gave me for my son:

No more than 24 ounces of breastmilk or formula a day.

-6-8 ou breastmilk/formula early morning (or middle of the night!)
-Breakfast 2-6 ou baby vegetables plus 2-4 ou breast milk or formula
-Lunch cereal and 2-4 ou breast milk/formula
-Dinner 2-6 ou of baby vegetables plus 2-4 ou breast milk/formula
-Before bed 6-8 ou breast milk/formula

We've been doing this and it's worked pretty well...good luck!

-M

K.,

Babies need either breastmilk or formula as their primary source of nutrition until they are at least 1 year old. If your baby won't take a bottle, try a sippy cup. If you can't get your baby to take the formula, I'd seriously reconsider weaning until she's over 1.

To wean you simply start replacing 1 feeding at a time with a bottle or sippy of formula. Once that is well established and you aren't getting too "full" drop another feeding and so on.

I weaned my kids when they were over 1 but basically I started by dropping which ever feeding I liked the least and kept going from there. The last to go were the first thing in the morning and bedtime nursing sessions.

Good luck.

T.

If you need to start weaning then replace one feeding a day with formula. My daughter was drinking eight ounces I believe at that age. I am still weaning her (she is a year old) but she has always had one bottle a day. Anyway, I have been taking away a feeding each week. I am still nursing once a day due to swine flu. But also wanted to say at nine months my doctor said she should be also eating three times a day of baby food too as well as a couple of snacks. Good luck! Good job on nine months!!

Hello there, well I have weaned 6 now. All of them at different times for all sorts of reasons;) any where from 6months-13months 1st I quit feeding in the day time, easiest...running around busy quick to give a sippie cup (NEVER did bottles)I gave formula for the first one, but after that I did cows milk...I did not put breast milk in the sippie, I wanted no issues on the breaking from that one too...2nd I quit either morning or night time feeding's, over a week I weaned (night or morning, then over another week or two I weaned the other.Gradually made them shorter then stopping one day, feeding one then stop for 2, and depending on child and my milk flow...quit. Every child is different and so is every woman. What worked for me, may not work for you..I give a sippie at night/place it in the crib so he/she can grab it or I can give it instead of getting up and then trying to convince us all why I was quieting and that it really was the best thing (while baby is trying to convince the house of something else.lol) I usually give water, sometimes a herbal tea watered down. During the day, Baby should be eating 3 meals w/cup of drink too. Just like you!Every baby is different as far as how much to give he/she will show signs when full it is not that hard to figure out. Be careful, as some things will take the system some time to get use to may cause gas or other things...have you only breast fed till now??Hats off to you!! You might want to start w/ simple rice cereal to get the system use to harsher things than mothers milk...oh the diapers you are in for now...:) Good luck!

Hi K. O,

That's pretty early to start weening, but I know sometimes we don't have a choice. I would see what kind of baby milk agrees with her, regular or soy. One of the best ways to get her to drink from a bottle is have someone she likes stay with her, maybe her papa. Then you need to go for a little walk or drive, if you are to close she will know. Have this person feed her the bottle when she is hungry. It may take a few minutes or so to get her to take it, but usually they will settle down when nothing else is coming their way. If she is really stubborn just make sure Papa or whoever has your cell so you can go on back. I don't believe in upsetting a baby for no reason.
Also you may consider waiting a few more months. By the time they are a year old they are usually ready to try other things. I started weaning at 15 months, by then she wanted anything she could get her hands on that was different, and by 18 months it was all over. Remember, they grow up so fast you don't need to rush into things that are unnecessary . They will be in college before you know it, so hold them and hug them as long as you can.

(sorry I didn't read all the other responses yet).

1) For the 1st year of life, a baby's PRIMARY source of nutrition is from breastmilk or Formula....NOT SOLIDS and NOT OTHER LIQUIDS.

2) A baby, for the 1st year of life, should STILL be fed on demand (this is per our Pediatrician)...the 1st year of life is a "building-block" time where a baby needs all the nourishment they can get for brain and physical development.

3) You REALLY need to consult your Pediatrician on this.

4) Since your baby will NOT take a bottle... you have to see IF she will take a sippy cup or straw cup. IF she does NOT take ANY of these things... then that will cause a problem... because then, she will NOT be getting the required nourishment from either breastmilk or Formula.

5) THEN, you have to see if she will even drink Formula. MANY babies don't like it, because they rather have their Mom's milk, and they won't drink anything else.... thus, you have to "see" what your baby WILL drink in lieu of breastmilk... because THIS will decide, if she can be weaned or not off of breast.

At this age, Baby Food, does NOT make-up for breastmilk or Formula.
-you also need to make sure, that if she is NOT drinking breastmilk or Formula...then you have to watch that she does not get 'dehydrated'.

- Water... does not constitute as a 'replacement' for breastmilk or Formula either, neither does juice or solids.

If anything... you have to ask your Pediatrician, what can be used, to "replace" your breastmilk or formula... there are MANY different views on this.... so consult your Doctor first... and in light of your daughter's growth/development/weight gain.

All the best,
Susan