NO Weaning! - Help!

sounds like she wants to continue breastfeeding. Are you open to this? There are still plenty of benefits she can get from breastfeeding-

While weaning try pumping some breast mild and putting it in the sippy cup. After the first feeding of only breast milk start mixing breast milk with formula with the breast milk being the larger concentration and gradually increase the formula ratio until breast milk is completely replaced by the formula. I did this with my daughter and it worked great after I found the right sippy cup with the spout/nipple that worked for her - the one with handles worked great because it gave her little hands something new to try.

Don't give up... Reality is that eventually your baby will get hungry enough to take it from the bottle or sippy... you and her will just be a bit miserable till she does.

Put her on a sippy cup. As long as she is still drinking enough formula/milk to sustain her...it doesn't matter how she drinks it.

Any way you'd be willing to nurse her, at least to one year? Especially if she's milk intolerant? Is something changing for you (like a job)?

If you really need to wean her I found that it was helpful to never sit down - as that brings up nursing for the child.

Just keep nursing her; it's what is recommended in the medical community and as a long-time nursing mom of two little guys (2 years for each), it's well-worth it for her health. She's old enough now that you can introduce solids to her and she does not need to have only breastmilk, so you can continue to be able to leave her and do errands, meet with friends, etc. Breastfeeding is an excellent source of not only nourishment, but bonding and even though this baby-stage seems like it goes on forever (especially during those tough moments), it really flies by so quickly. Just take her cues and keep up with the breastfeeding, my bet is that one day you'll look back at it and miss that quiet time together.

Sounds like your daughter knows what she needs.

The longer she drinks your milk, the less problems she will have down the line in the way of food sensitivities and immunities. Lots of studies have also shown a boost in smarts for kids who nurse past a year. Once you hit the year mark, your milk becomes an even more concentrated source of immunities, provided protection for your daughter against any bug you come in contact with.

Do you have it in you to give a little longer? You are beginning the long dance negotiating the individual's needs in your family. What you provide now, is the foundation, esp. up to age 3.

See if she likes sippy cups. I know many kids never tooks bottles really they went straight to sippy cups. Mine did. "

I had the same problem. I worked at it for a couple of months...tried every bottle out there too. I finally decided to switch the brand of formula and my daughter took it right away. At first, the only way she would drink from it was with me walking around or bouncing her at the same time. You can also try giving it to her in her highchair....that worked for me too. Good luck!!

I would just let her drink from a cup - either sippy or the spill proof ones with straws. Have it readily available for her so that she can take frequent sips throughout the day.

Have you tried Soy Milk? The vanilla Silk is what my son drank for the first couple of years. We made kind of a big deal out of going to the store and letting him pick out his own sippy cups. That seemed to work for us. Good luck! :o)

I'm not sure what your asking. Did you wean her off the bottle at 7 months old or off breast feeding? Are you saying that your daughter no longer wants the bottle? Are you using a sippy cup? How about those sippy cups with straws (playtex, etc.)?

It sounds like she knows that you are trying to take breastfeeding away, so she is clinging on to it! Have you ever tasted formula? I personally think it tastes awful, so if you go from sweet breast milk to yucky tasting formula, that could definitely be a reason for some refusals. It might be a real attachment thing and she's not ready to let go.

What do you want?
For her to cease drinking a bottle or to breastfeed?

If you were trying to wean her off both at the same time, well, that's not gonna work. One thing at a time.

WHat do you mean by you being "out of the house for hours and given by several other people?"

Did you try to wean her cold turkey? Weaning is supposed to be gradual.

I don't know for sure, but I have five children and if I remember right (my youngest is 2), the WIC Nutritionist recommended that we stop using the bottle at 8 months completely and go to sippee cups. I also breast fed and by that age it seemed to be only for comfort and at bedtime. So, water in the sippee and solids for most of her nutritional needs sounds good. But since you don't switch to whole milk until one year of age, I would consult with a pediatrician just to be on the safe side. I don't know if they would recommend alternate sources of calcium or what. My third son had milk/soy allergies so I had to get very creative with alternate sources of calcium. When my friend's daughter was underweight they prescribed pediasure (strawberry), but it sounds like weight isn't an issue for you. Hope you find your answers. Take care. Oh, I just read your "fertility post"...um well, obviously I had problems on the opposite end of the scale I had five children in 8.5years, but I have heard that breast feeding may influence the body's natural ovulation cycles. Maybe by scaling down your feedings...your hormones will kick in and do the rest. Good luck.

Hi D.!

I think you're having trouble weaning your daughter because she might be a little too young to stop the bottle completely. If if she just has one a night, she'll adjust.

Sometimes you can't "follow the books" because they don't pertain to your child. Go with what she wants and needs. She'll let you know when she's ready to go without the bottle :o)

N.