Weening...

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Hi all,

I've decided that it is time to start weening my almost 11 month old...She has begun to use her teeth during feedings and it is starting to get unbearable.

Right now she gets milk about 4 times....morning, two naps and bedtime.

I don't know how to go about weening her off....could anyone please offer some advice?

Thanks so much

Replies

  • kcasey155
    kcasey155 Posts: 968 Member
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    Weaning is not complicated. Firstly make sure she is eating a good range of healthy foods. Secondly, stop offering her your milk and wait for her to ask for it. Thirdly, you may want to offer her a follow-on milk or even cow's milk instead. If she associates milk with sleep maybe warm the replacement milk through. She doesn't have to drink from a bottle at her age, so use a teaching cup or sippy cup or whatever she's comfortable with.

    If you plan to stop all of a sudden you may still produce milk for up to two months and be uncomfortable, leaky, sore and full. If you can replace one feeding at a time it may well be easier on both of you. Just remember when feeling full that pumping it away to feel more comfortable is tempting, but only prolongs the process as it works on supply and demand. Good luck!
  • chickybuns
    chickybuns Posts: 1,037 Member
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    Does she take a bottle? Maybe you could pump and bottle feed at least until she makes it to closer to a year for cow milk. At this point you would probably be fine pumping 4 times a day.
  • rosy003
    rosy003 Posts: 251 Member
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    When I weened my older two I replaced one feeding a day for one week at a time with a sippy cup of milk.
    Week one: 7am feeding replaced by sippy cup of milk, nurse at other feedings
    Week 2: 7 am and 11am replaced, nurse at other feedings
    Week 3: 7, 11 and 3 replaced, nurse others

    Etc.

    I was never uncomfortable and the kids never fussed about it. I left the bedtime one for last b/c I felt like that was more for comfort and we actually just phased it out rather than replacing.
    Good luck!

    Oh, and I started when they turned 11 months so we were weened by the time they turned 12 months.
  • Jillsie11
    Jillsie11 Posts: 249 Member
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    When I weened my older two I replaced one feeding a day for one week at a time with a sippy cup of milk.
    Week one: 7am feeding replaced by sippy cup of milk, nurse at other feedings
    Week 2: 7 am and 11am replaced, nurse at other feedings
    Week 3: 7, 11 and 3 replaced, nurse others

    Etc.

    I was never uncomfortable and the kids never fussed about it. I left the bedtime one for last b/c I felt like that was more for comfort and we actually just phased it out rather than replacing.
    Good luck!

    Oh, and I started when they turned 11 months so we were weened by the time they turned 12 months.

    ^^ This is exactly what I did the last time, and it's what I plan to do this time around as well. Taking it slow eased any discomfort I might've experienced, and I had enough frozen milk to use mostly that. Jovie is just now 11 months so we will be starting that process with her soon. Good luck!