I think I want to wean in the next month or so. I really wanted to try to make it a year, but my supply is tanking and honestly, I'm just kind of tired of BFing. I love the snuggles and the time with her, don't get me wrong, but I just feel ready. Also, I'm really tired of pumping at work.
Any advice? I know how to make it easier for myself, for the most part - but how do I make it easier on her? She loves to breastfeed. She often pulls at my shirt and divebombs into my chest. It makes her comfortable and I hate taking that away. Any advice is appreciated.
You are AWESOME! I would have never made it that long if I had to pump, and that is coming from someone who nursed 2 years, lol.
I would start with cutting pumping. Nurse morning and night, and whatever other feeding you are giving her on the breast. Keep that until you are both comfortable. Then drop to just morning and night. Then drop to night only.
The way to drop the morning one is to send your H in to pick her up when she wakes instead of you, and have him distract her and bring her down for breakfast right away so she forgets to nurse.
Same thing for night. Have your H put her down with a bottle. It will cut on your snuggle time initially, but it will cut on the crying and pulling your shirt.
You can keep the bedtime one as long as you want, don't worry about supply. As soon as you feel ready, cut it.
Are you planning to wean her onto formula? I'm just worried that you will then have a problem getting her to drink milk in a few more months. I'm not trying to pressure you, but I would just go until you can transition her to milk.
Re: this, I don't know what the current recommendations are, but when Anna started daycare at 10 months, we went straight to cows milk. I didn't pump and I didn't want to give her formula for just a few months. So we did 3 nursing sessions a day, and she got cow milk during the day at daycare.
You are AWESOME! I would have never made it that long if I had to pump, and that is coming from someone who nursed 2 years, lol.
I would start with cutting pumping. Nurse morning and night, and whatever other feeding you are giving her on the breast. Keep that until you are both comfortable. Then drop to just morning and night. Then drop to night only.
The way to drop the morning one is to send your H in to pick her up when she wakes instead of you, and have him distract her and bring her down for breakfast right away so she forgets to nurse.
Same thing for night. Have your H put her down with a bottle. It will cut on your snuggle time initially, but it will cut on the crying and pulling your shirt.
You can keep the bedtime one as long as you want, don't worry about supply. As soon as you feel ready, cut it.
This is what I did with ds. We were down to only nights comfortably one week in and then I just dropped that web I was ready. Good luck!
papie, it's a little tough to have H do all of that now because we have such different schedules. He starts work at 4am, so I am alone with her in the mornings. He works two jobs, three nights per week, so I am alone with her at night three nights per week. :/
@quesera, she already has formula in her daycare bottles. I have to supplement because my supply has dropped a lot. She usually has two BM bottles and one formula bottle. When H gets up with her on the weekends, he gives her a formula bottle.
I have dropped my pumping sessions at work down to one. Maybe I should drop that one completely, and just continue to nurse in the mornings and evenings for a while? Or at least until I can transition to her to cow's milk? What do you think?
I weaned at 6 months and the boys did okay. I dropped a session a week, which more impacted pumping, and kept the night nursing until the end. We had 1 or 2 not great nights but they were okay after that.
It is sad but it's a good step, too. My body confidence and self esteem greatly increased not too long after I weaned, it was nice to have my body back.
Post by daisybuchannan on May 31, 2013 8:55:35 GMT -5
I'm sorry, I don't have any advice since I haven't done it yet, but I have a question for those that have weaned as well.
When you drop a nursing session or pump, how do you avoid clogged ducts? I was away from C a few weeks ago overnight, and even though I pumped regularly I got a clogged duct. When we were back together and he nursed it was literally sucked right out.
I'm mostly afraid of weaning bc I don't want to get mastitis again. Even the clogged ducts are SO painful.
Ok, thanks guys. I think I'll start with dropping my pumping session at work (freedommmm!), and just nurse at home when I feel like it. I'll continue with using formula for her daycare bottles, and then figure out the next step after she turns one year.
Also, question. After she turns one year and moves rooms at daycare, will I still send formula bottles (toddler formula)? Or WCM and food? I guess I should ask DCP, but I haven't thought about it until now. I know it's a stupid question, but I don't know these things, lol.
I have dropped my pumping sessions at work down to one. Maybe I should drop that one completely, and just continue to nurse in the mornings and evenings for a while? Or at least until I can transition to her to cow's milk? What do you think?
That's what I would do. Since she already takes some formula at daycare, switch her to only formula there and keep the BF at home for now if you feel comfortable with that.
I'm sorry, I don't have any advice since I haven't done it yet, but I have a question for those that have weaned as well.
When you drop a nursing session or pump, how do you avoid clogged ducts? I was away from C a few weeks ago overnight, and even though I pumped regularly I got a clogged duct. When we were back together and he nursed it was literally sucked right out.
I'm mostly afraid of weaning bc I don't want to get mastitis again. Even the clogged ducts are SO painful.
I did it very slowly, like dropping one feeding a month almost, as a was letting them moslty self-wean. I did get some clogged ducts during the process, but I was able to massage them out over a few days.
I'm sorry, I don't have any advice since I haven't done it yet, but I have a question for those that have weaned as well.
When you drop a nursing session or pump, how do you avoid clogged ducts? I was away from C a few weeks ago overnight, and even though I pumped regularly I got a clogged duct. When we were back together and he nursed it was literally sucked right out.
I'm mostly afraid of weaning bc I don't want to get mastitis again. Even the clogged ducts are SO painful.
This scares me too. I missed one feeding when my son was 2 months old and the next day I had mastitis. I would agree with what someone said about spacing them out longer before dropping them though.
I'm sorry, I don't have any advice since I haven't done it yet, but I have a question for those that have weaned as well.
When you drop a nursing session or pump, how do you avoid clogged ducts? I was away from C a few weeks ago overnight, and even though I pumped regularly I got a clogged duct. When we were back together and he nursed it was literally sucked right out.
I'm mostly afraid of weaning bc I don't want to get mastitis again. Even the clogged ducts are SO painful.
I did it very slowly, like dropping one feeding a month almost, as a was letting them moslty self-wean. I did get some clogged ducts during the process, but I was able to massage them out over a few days.
I'm pretty sure we'll be nursing as I send him off to college if this is the case, lol.
M likes her bottles, too. But she can also use a sippy cup pretty well right now, and I'm sure she'll be better at it by 12 months. I just give her a little water in it now, but she has learned how to hold the handles and how to tip it back to get the water out. Hopefully getting rid of the bottle won't be a huge pita.
Also, question. After she turns one year and moves rooms at daycare, will I still send formula bottles (toddler formula)? Or WCM and food? I guess I should ask DCP, but I haven't thought about it until now. I know it's a stupid question, but I don't know these things, lol.
Every center is different. I used to be a director, and the toddlers got milk in a sippy and whatever was on the lunch menu for the day once they left the baby room. We provided all the food and did not allow outside food to be brought in though, so if your DCP has you send in food, you may be able to just provide whatever you want her to have.
I think I want to wean in the next month or so. I really wanted to try to make it a year, but my supply is tanking and honestly, I'm just kind of tired of BFing. I love the snuggles and the time with her, don't get me wrong, but I just feel ready. Also, I'm really tired of pumping at work.
Any advice? I know how to make it easier for myself, for the most part - but how do I make it easier on her? She loves to breastfeed. She often pulls at my shirt and divebombs into my chest. It makes her comfortable and I hate taking that away. Any advice is appreciated.
How did/is this going for you? I am starting to wean my 10 1/2 mo and I would love to know!
I think I want to wean in the next month or so. I really wanted to try to make it a year, but my supply is tanking and honestly, I'm just kind of tired of BFing. I love the snuggles and the time with her, don't get me wrong, but I just feel ready. Also, I'm really tired of pumping at work.
Any advice? I know how to make it easier for myself, for the most part - but how do I make it easier on her? She loves to breastfeed. She often pulls at my shirt and divebombs into my chest. It makes her comfortable and I hate taking that away. Any advice is appreciated.
How did/is this going for you? I am starting to wean my 10 1/2 mo and I would love to know!
It's going well. I stopped pumping altogether about 3 weeks ago and my body adjusted fine after just a couple of days, minimal soreness. I am still nursing at home, but we are down to one session in the morning and one at night (more on weekends). I think my supply is dwindling though - sometimes we give her a bottle just an hour or so after a nursing session and she sucks it right down. I hope to completely wean in the next month or so.