My husband & I are going to be going on vacation this June w/o our son & I'm trying to figure out if and how to wean him.
Right now he takes breastmilk in a bottle while he's @ the sitter's and then I nurse on demand in the evenings & on the weekends. He's already started on solids & has no issues eating or at least trying what we give him (potatoes, carrots, apples, melon, oatmeal, cream of rice, etc.).
I was planning to nurse for the first year & then wean, but since he'll be just over a year when we leave I'm wondering if this will be as good a time as any to go for it. Plus I'm worried about how I'd stockpile enough milk to cover that much time. We'll be gone for 17days total & he'll be w/ his grandparents so I'm not worried about him being well taken care of, but now that I think about it I'm starting to wonder/worry about him eating. Any suggestions?
Well it took us about 2 weeks & some crying, but the lil guy is now completely off the boob. Hooray :) Now if I could only figure out how to make him hold his bottle <hehehe>
I agree to cut out one feeding at a time. I would also start mixing a small amount of milk/formula with the breastmilk in his bottles so he can start getting used to the new taste. I started with just an ounce of cow's milk, and slowly increased the amount. You may even want him to start trying a sippy cup with this? Just a thought. Have a great vacation!
When I weaned I did it one nurse time at a time, waited about a week or two then cut out another. But I still held my little ones when I gave them a bottle so they still had the extra cuddle time. If you cut out one nurse section at a time it is easier for the baby & your body to adjust to the change & you will feel less pain. I left the morning and night feeding for last - since the morning is when you have the most milk & the before bed feeding seems to be the hardest one for me to brake my kids of. If you are plaining on vacationin in June - make sure you start early enought to cut them all out one at a time... cold turkey will cause a lot of unneeded pain for you.
Good luck & congratz on the little one & nursing for so long :)
Like the others I did it one session at a time, cutting back 1 session/week- and yes the bedtime session is always the hardest to loose (i think both for baby and mom). If you don't think he wil be weaned from breast milk within about 2 weeks before you leaving, i would recommened pumping some in (those nursing sessions your cutting back on would b the perfect time since the supply will be there)- it may also provide him some comfort to have you milk while you are away. Also you can "dilute" the breast milk with whole milk to help the transission go easier being brest milk is sweeter than cow milk, slowly decreasing the breastmilk and increasing the cow milk (i started half and half).
Hope this helps and enjoy your trip :)
Start dropping nursing sessions slowly. I'd start probably 2 months or so before your trip. Eliminate the "least important" sessions first, leaving the most important for last. When I weaned our first daughter, I dropped the mid-morning session, then a week later the mid afternoon session, then a week later another... the bedtime nursing session was the last to go. Since you're going to start weaning early, you might want to consider replacing some of the feedings with formula since he won't be quite 1 yet when you start the weaning process. Weaning slowly is important for him and also for you, to help prevent engorgement and other issues that may come with it.
Good luck!
Hi M., first - CONGRATULATIONS on nursing your baby for the vital first year! YOU ARE AWESOME!
I am a softie and I can't imagine the feelings your baby would have at you and daddy not being there all of the sudden AND no more good stuff. I think you should either be done before you leave or wean after you get back. I bet you're going to be emotional about it too, I know it was emotional for me. Here is a poem someone gave me...I still think about it and my baby is almost 7 - but it still holds true.
Wean me Gently - Cathy Cardall
I know I look so big to you, Maybe I seem too big for the needs I have.
But no matter how big we get, We still have needs that are important to us.
I know that our relationship is growing and changing,
But I still need you. I need your warmth and closeness,
Especially at the end of the day When we snuggle up in bed.
Please don't get too busy for us to nurse. I know you think I can be patient,
Or find something to take the place of a nursing;
A book, a glass of something,
But nothing can take your place when I need you.
Sometimes just cuddling with you,
Having you near me is enough.
I guess I am growing and becoming independent,
But please be there.
This bond we have is so strong and so important to me,
Please don't break it abruptly.
Wean me gently,
Because I am your mother.
And my heart is tender.
My weaning situation sounds exactly like yours. I weaned my daughter at 14 months. I made plans to go out of town with some girlfriends. My husband and I thought that was a great time to wean, since I wouldn't even be there. Working up to that weekend I only nursed her twice a day, once in the morning and once before she went to bed; all other feedings were supplemented by formula. She was also a pro at eating the solids you mentioned. At one year we had moved her from a bottle to a sippy cup, and from formula to whole milk, so she was already over the need to suck. It was a piece of cake. She never wanted to nurse again. Truthfully, I think it was harder for me than it was on her. I hope that all goes well with you.
I agree to cut out one feeding per week. When I weaned my older son, I tried going cold turkey but it was painful. So I decided to just cut out 1 feeding every 4-5 days. He was completely off breastmilk in about 3 weeks. He transitioned great to whole milk! I started weaning him a week before he turned 1.
What I did for my daughter was four weeks before I wanted to be 'done' breastfeeding, I started to cut out 1 feeding per week. The first week, I cut out pumping 1x a work. The next week, I cut out the other pumping session at work. The third week, I cut out an evening feeding. The last week I cut out the morning feeding session. I did end up feeding her before bedtime at night for about 2-3 weeks just because I didn't want to give that up just yet, but as far as my milk diminishing and having pain, I had NONE! I suggest this as the easiest way for you and your son to transition away from the boob. Depending on how often you feed him per day, I would start that many weeks early (if you feed or pump 6x per day, start six weeks before vacation). That way when you go on vacation, he's weaned and you are not engorged on vacation!
I would not worry about him eating (even if he was on breastmilk/formula). He'll eat when he's hungry!
How exciting for you to be getting some time away!
