Need to learn about weaning a baby off the breast!?

Question

Please help me ladies. I basically taught myself how to breastfeed. I had no help from a lactation nurse or anything so i am not sure when to stop or how to stop? My daughter is now 5 1/2 months old & has breast most of the day except for when i am at school. sometimes i supplement with similac ( maybe once a day) she eats baby food once a day & does not drink juice or water yet! my fiancé is planning on taking the baby to florida during xmas. I can't go so i need to do it by then!! ???????

Answer 1

Congratulations on succesfully nursing your infant. You gave her the best start in the world as far as nutrition!
I also was a self taught breast feeder for 17 months. At this age your daughter should be fairly easy to wean. Just give more supplements. Add water and juice to her diet. It sounds like she is already accepting the bottle feeding. NUK nipples are the most natural replacment (but you probably are already using them.) Remember to hold your baby close when feeding a bottle just like you do when nursing.
For your own comfort warm showers or compresses should help with discomfort until your milk production stops.
Of more concern is sending an 11 month old baby far away from her mother, but you didn't ask that so I'll mind my own business.
Good Luck.
You can also contact a local chapter of La' Leche League for more weaning suggestions, but I believe I covered the bases.

Answer 2

Why can't you go? Why does baby need to go with you? Isn't continuing to breastfeed more important than baby going to Florida for a trip she won't remember? You've done an amazing job nursing her this long. It would be a shame to end something that is so good for both of you so she can take a trip that she won't ever even remember. Did you know that the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends breastfeeding for *AT LEAST* 12 months. I'd encourage you to find a way to continue nursing. Either go with, don't let baby go or, depending on the length of the trip, pump milk while the baby is gone and attempt to get her back to the breast when she returns. Your baby will be around 9 mos old in December? Honestly, in my opinion, that is too young to be away from mom overnight even if the child is not breastfeeding.

There is a very good section on weaning at the link below if you do decide to go that route.

DO NOT WEAN COLD TURKEY! Don't stop nursing all at once. This is stressful on mom and on baby. It can also lead to painful plugged ducts and a breast infection in mom. Weaning should ALWAYS be done very slowly and gently. Cut one feeding every 3-5 days depending on how well you and baby are both coping with it. Your little one will let you know if you are going too fast. If you are still feeling engorgement from the feeding you cut, then you need to wait another day or two before cutting the next one.

Answer 3

Sounds like it'll be fairly easy to wean your baby when you're ready. To help with your breast soreness start out slowly by taking out one of your nursing sessions, and give her formula or juice. If she's a little older you could give her fruit or cereal if it's at a meal time. Then about a week later take out another nursing session and do the same thing. Keep doing this until you're no longer nursing.

Answer 4

I breast feed my son until he was 5 mo. old. I had him off the bottle completely at 6 mo. He still needed formula and was given that through a sippy cup. If your baby is breast feed you can start on a sippy cup it was the only way i could make the change. He was so excited to drink out of a cup and i usually put a sweet tasting juice in there for him, he liked the juice thus drank from the cup. Later i put all liquids in the cup, cause he had the nack. If you experiance a reluctance for change, if they are thirsty and hungry they will eventually take the nurishment how its provided. Don't give in to their wants you are the parents

Answer 5

Since she is 5 months old I do recommend starting her on solids and juice... that will help her a bit.. but you can check the link I provided below on information in weaning from the breast. Good Luck

Answer 6

You can wean your baby from the breast at anytime. But you need to do it gradually or you will end up with very sore/infected breasts. Eliminate one feeding session at the breast at a time over a period of several weeks by replacing it with a bottle feeding or by introducing new foods. As long as you do it slowly you should be fine.

Answer 7

From my experience I would be willing to nurse for up to a year or so. My son just kind of lost interest to tell you the truth. I would sat to try to gradually add more and more formula as long as she seems to be OK with it. You don't want to do it too quickly since you will end up with engorged breasts and that really hurts.

Answer 8

You say that you are already giving her formula...just start giving formula instead of breastfeeding...I slowly cut out the feedings...Till I was only feeding before bed...then we just stopped that one as well. You are lucky if your baby will take a bottle with formula...mine wouldn't...he went to a sippy cup with 1/2 jusce/1/2 water. I can't get him to drink milk...so he has yogurt drinks now (he's 2)

Answer 9

Sounds like baby is ready already. If she takes a bottle, then try going all day without breastfeeding. Only offer it when she refuses anything else. In a few weeks, she will just "forget" about her walking food supply.

Answer 10

6 months is usually when people begin to wean... but some people wait up to a year, all personal preference and doctors have different ideas on what's best. but by month 6 the baby will have the antibodies from your milk that it will need to have a healthy immune system!