Quitting Nursing Cold Turkey

Hi K.,
Congratulations on your pregnancy! What a joy. Your children are bound to be very close in their lives. I want to encourage you to seek other advice about nursing. You might consider contacting your local La Leche League to get their help. There are things you can do to increase your milk supply. Is your daughter eating table foods yet? I have some that did at that age, and others who didn't much until after their first birthday. If it were me, I would hold on as long as I could, but also ensuring my daughter was getting other nutrients if possible.

Cold turkey might be difficult for both of you. What you can do is gradually decrease her breastfeeding sessions and supplement with formula. She likely won't drink from a bottle if YOU'RE the one giving it to her. Have someone else do it while you leave the house for a little while - take a walk, run an errand. It may take a few tries, but once she realizes that her usual drink of choice is gone she should be more co-operative. Then, once she's taking the bottle without a fight from other people, you can try giving it to her yourself. By then you might have stopped nursing and it will be easier.

Also, what other foods is your daughter eating? By 8 months she should be having some solid foods as well: fruits and veggies, finely pureed meat, baby cereal, etc.

Don't do it cold turkey. That won't be good for anyone. Plus, you could continue to breastfeed and then supplement with the formula after the nursing session. Is it really helping her to stop nursing if she's not eating from the bottle either?? Have you tried having your husband or someone else give the bottle?? Sometimes that works a little better.

I don't think you need to quit cold turkey, but I do think you need to find a way to get her to take milk from either a bottle or a cup in addition to what you can provide from the breast. You need to have someone else give her the bottle when you are not around so she cannot see, hear, or smell you. If she refuses the milk, try again an hour later. DO NOT give in and give the breast until after she has used the bottle/cup. Otherwise, she will continue to resist, knowing she can get the breast if she holds out for it.

Can you pump at all? If you can, mixing pumped milk with the formula might make it taste better to her so she might be more likely to take it.

good luck.

I too weaned at about 16-20 weeks pregnant, mostly because I was uncomfortable though. My babies were over a year, so it was easier to just switch to milk/cup.

I'd try to keep nursing a little instead of going cold turkey. At 8 months you could start introducing more solids, and have your husband feed her a bottle instead of yourself. My kids never took a bottle, so I know how hard that can be. Just keep trying. If your milk is drying up and baby really needs more calories/nutrients you will have to get her to take a bottle. Try leaving for more than a few hours... maybe 6 or 7, and see if she'll take one then. Try a few different nipples. I have a friend who had luck dipping the nipple in sugar water to get her son to take a bottle when she was getting ready to head back to work.

She won't starve herself, keep trying. You're doing great!

jessica

I had the same problem, not enough milk to satisfy my son. At 8 months old, he refused to drink from a bottle. One day I just quit cold turkey. He refused all day, but I stuck to my guns. At the very end of the day, his hunger got the best of him and he started to drink from a bottle. He found that he was much more satisfied with the bottle, once he allowed himself to drink from it. The first 12 hours was difficult, but once we got through it, he was fine.

Stop with the daytime feedings and do morning and night feedings, then skip the morning, then finally the nighttime.

I quit cold turkey and had crazy psycho post partem depression from it for a week. Your hormones don't like cold turkey.

Went through the EXACT same thing at the same time. I got pregnant, while I was still nursing, when my daughter was 6 months old. I quit totally when she was 8 months old. I agree with Marci about how to do it. Get rid of the daytime feeding, down to just morning and night, then you can go cold turkey and it'll be easier for both of you. And as far as the refusal of the bottle, also went through the same thing. My husband offered it to her for days until finally she drank 2 oz one day. It may take a while but keep introducing it, but not when she's frantic or hungry. And, yes, you may have to try a gazillion different ones over and over until she finally gives in. But then, I promise it'll all be a piece of cake (and SO much easier for you when you can just give her a bottle). Good luck to you in getting over this hurdle and congrats on your pregnancy. It's going to be interesting for you! My daughter is now 18 months and my son is 4 months old....and it's not as bad as I thought it would be, but I did already give up nursing as it was WAY too crazy to have him on me while I was running around after her. Good luck again.