How Do You Transition from Nursing to Partial Nursing/formula and Foods

Hello, I have two boys ages 6 and 1 1/2 years old that I nursed/bottle fed with breast milk until a year even though I worked full-time. What was most helpful was to be consistent with the times I gave food vs. the times I gave a bottle. I introduced cereal in the morning before the bottle so that the bottle did not make them too full to eat and then again at dinner time. Also, by following your doctor's recommendations by introducing rice cereal and/or other cereals, it was easier to get them to eat the solids. But I have to tell you, my second one did NOT like the rice cereal, it was not until oatmeal that he would actually eat the food. Also, I used my milk to make the cereal, not formula so the tastes were not too different for them. Hope this helps! And good luck!

A.

I am 36 years old with two boys (three, counting my spouse!) I am an attorney with the State

I always used pumped breast milk mixed with a little rice cereal for the first feedings. Making it thicker and thicker with each feeding. That was an easy way to trasition because the rice cereal has little flavor and they still have the taste of the breast milk they are used to. As for formula, I usually introduced that after they had tried several new foods. Seems easier if they are used to new flavors. I know some moms who mixed the breast milk and the formula for several weeks. Slowly adding more and more formula.
Some babies know immediately and won't even go there. Others are more flexible depending on their personality. I partial nursed/formula fed both my babies until they were 12 to 15 months. Some times of day they just don't want the formula. Usually before bed. Good luck.

I continued to nurse when introducing solid foods to ensure my babies received enough nutrition (about 3 times a day). I then went down to twice a day (nap time & bed time), then once a day (bed time only), then no more. Obviously, the amount of breast milk required by them will be determined by how many times a day they are getting solid foods. I also began using a sipper cup with water in it to make sure they were getting enough liquids & to help them transition from the bottle to the cup. By doing it this way with all 3 of my children, they all transitioned very easily. I know that everyone has different opinions about how long you should nurse so that will be your decision to make, but I think that at 12-18 months is enough. The reason I say this is because the women I know that nursed longer than that had a lot of difficulties weaning their children the older they were. Do talk to your pediatrician about all of this though, as every child's & parent's needs are different. Good luck!

I am also a working mom to a happy 8 month old boy. We recently started supplementing bottles (of breast milk - BM) with formula - 3 oz of BM + 2 oz of formula for feedings during the day. This introduces a different taste (formula) and reduces the stress on me of having to pump too much at work. We also feed him cereal + fruit or veg. 2 times per day. We started feeding a few teaspoons of rice cereal at night mixed with BM. He only ate a few bites the first few times but gradually ate more and more - up to 3 tablespoons after a few weeks. I hope this information helps - feel free to contact me if you want any more information.

J.

Hello, i nursed my 2 ddaughters for a year each and at 5 months the were begining to go to a cup never did i use a bottle they didnt know the differance. I had then the sippers and i also gave them food from the table and never jar food i know that sounds old school and it is but it is cheeper and easier so try the cup so you dont have 2 transitions
kj

I am also a working mom and breastfed my daughter until she was almost 13mo. This requires sticking to the demand and supply theory - you will supply the milk that is demanded so need to pump or nurse regularly to continue breastfeeding. You can't pump less at work and still give breast milk; it has to be timed with feedings at home. Gradually, as you introduce solids, she will nurse less often and you will pump less (I started with 3-4 sessions per 8-9hr work day and ended up with 2). You can also give milk in a sippy cup by around 9mo and get off the bottle prior to a year. I started giving whole milk at about 11.5mo due to less breastmilk supply because I was pregnant again. She never had formula. The few ounces of whole milk is perfectly fine prior to 1yr - you just can't give cow's milk as the sole source of liquid nutrition because it is not the same as breast or formula. Check with books for other guidance. Good luck with the transitions!

Hi K.-

I nursed both my children for just over 12 months each. I started solids, one meal every couple of months, thickening the food as they got used to it. It is important to introduce only 1 food every two or three days to make sure that your child has no food allergies. Follow your doctor's suggestions. I started with lunch (I stayed home) but you may want to start with dinner. I fed cereal mixed with breast milk for the first week only, then introduced yellow veggies. I also mixed the cereal very thin and watery at first, like 1 to 1 ratio of cereal to breast milk. I waited on fruits because I didn't want my kids to take only the sweet foods. As I introduced a new meal to my kids and they ate most of it, I stopped a nursing. I also introduced juice and water in a sippy cup at meal times. Good luck.

I am also a working mom of two beautiful, healthy boys. They are 4 and 1 1/2. I nursed my first one until he was 14 months old and my second one until he was 17 months old. I made sure my employer was aware of my rights as a nursing mother and took my extra breaks to pump. If your employer is not allowing you the time to pump, or they are giving you a hard time, you should educate them about your rights. If you don't know them yourself, you should contact the La Leche League. I'm sure they could inform you of your rights. Anyway, adding food to my babies' diet was pretty easy. I just started by giving them rice cereal (make sure you get the kind plus applesauce or something to make it go down easier) for breakfast and a fruit or vegetable for lunch. Once they started showing interest in our food at the dinner table, then I would start giving them little bites of that. The more food they ate, the less they wanted to nurse. However, the longer you can nurse your baby, the better. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends at least one year for optimal results. Good luck and hope this helps!