Weaning

[lj11]

How do you do this???? Right now (at 10.5 months) my dd is bfed in the morning while waking, in the evening after her bath and books before bed (usually falls asleep nursing)and during the middle of the night. i'm pretty sure the middle of the night feedings aren't really hunger based, more a need to suck, and we are working on that by giving her a pacifier during those times. But how do we stop the other two real feedings? She uses a sippy cup for juice and water, but will not take formula. She's had some soy milk, but doesn't usually like more than an ounce or two. Which leads me to another question - is there a particular kind of soy milk that is better for babies? Anyway....any tips or advice would be greatly appreciated.

lj
mom to cooper simone 2/28/02

[egoldber]

Just my two cents, but if she's only nursing twice a day and not taking in formula to supplement, I wouldn't take away the night nursing. She may really be hungry. Most babies that age that are formula fed are still drinking at least 24 ounces a day of formula. They really need all those fat calories and nutrition. If she won't take formula, I would not cut out those feedings. Babies need breastmilk or formula until they are at least 12 months. Soy milk is not considered an adequate nutritional substitute for breastmilk or formula. In exceptional circumstances I have heard of peds OKing whole milk for babies less than one year, but not very often.

If you need to wean, I would keep trying with the formula. Have you tried other brands? You can ask your ped for samples while you try to find one that works for you.

HTH!

[lj11]

I probably should have given a little more detail - she does eat breakfast, lunch, dinner and have a couple of snacks a day along with the nursing. During the middle of the night she's pretty clear on whether or not she's really hungry - when she's hungry she takes the pacificer right out of her mouth, when she's not she leaves it in and goes right back to sleep. Lately, she's leaving the pacificer in, but still trying to grab and pinch at me. Also, I am planning on the bfeeding until she's a year old. I would probably go longer, but I'd like my body back for just a little bit before the next bundle of joy comes our way (we're not pg yet, but would like to be again soon).

So...all that being said....is soy milk a good enough substitute for whole milk after she's a year old? We haven't seen any problems with her when she's had milk products, but my dh is very lactose intolerant and I'd hate for her to go through what he does when he's had a glass of milk. And...when we're really ready to switch from breast to something else, do i just stop all together? Or stop one feeding at a time? And I've also heard that your hormones can go wild on you again after you stop, is this true?

Thanks again!

Lj
mom to cooper simone 2/28/02

[egoldber]

Whole milk is important because of fat content and it is a rich source of calcium. I would ask your ped if soy milk is an adequate substitute. But if your DD has had "regular" formula (not soy or lactose free), even small amounts occasionally, she is likely not to have a problem.

Most people find it easiest, for them and the baby, to drop one feeding at a time over several weeks rather than all at once.

Also, many people do go through an emotional period after they stop nursing. It may be hormones. My own emotional issues didn't occur until several months after I stopped nursing. I was very ready to wean when I did, but I later came to really regret choosing to wean so early.

HTH,

[sweetbasil]

lj,
We were down to two feedings per day with DS when he was almost 1 year, and that was when I planned to transition from nursing to whole milk for him. I dropped the morning nursing first, as he had cereal, fruit, cereal bars, or other breakfast immediately after waking, and nursing almost became a "to-do" in the morning (for us both). He didn't miss it a bit. By the time he was 1, we started giving him milk before bed (then brushing his teeth, of course!), and the nursing just stopped.

There were several nice things about our gradual transition to stop nursing- I was able to deal with it emotionally on a gradual level, so it wasn't really a problem when he stopped. Also, I was never engorged, in pain, or anything like that, because the feedings tapered off so gradually. I continued leaking for quite a while, but my doctor said that just happens to some unlucky girls :) ....

Good luck!