another weaning question
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Topic: another weaning question
Posted By: gypsynita
Subject: another weaning question
Date Posted: 25 November 2009 at 1:22pm
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cian's been down to 2 bfs a day (first thing in the morning, last thing at night) for several months and is quite happy, but there's been a lot more comfort sucking lately and i really want him weaned before no.2 arrives...
he's a really good drinker and will have 1-2 cups of cows milk a day plus water if it's offered, so just wondering the best way to go about stopping his bf. do i only give it if he asks? or do i just stop and replace his bf with a cup of milk before bed? ------------- Anita Mum to Cian (Aug 08), Josh (Jun 10) http://lilypie.com"> 
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Replies:
Posted By: weegee
Date Posted: 25 November 2009 at 7:47pm
There's a couple of different ways of approaching it. You can actively refuse to BF him, and offer an alternative when he asks, but I think the approach I'll be taking when the time comes is "don't offer, don't refuse" to let it come to a natural conclusion. That said I'm not sure it will happen here before number 2 arrives! (I either want him weaned before, or after, iygwim, I don't want him to associate the arrival of a sibling with removal of booby privileges  )
That said, while I'm following his lead as much as possible, this weekend I am embarking on night weaning him whether he likes it or not - I'm just getting too tired to get up and don't want to still be getting up to a toddler when there will be a newborn to get up to! There's more info on the http://www.lalecheleague.org.nz/resources/articles-a-information - La Leche League website (scroll to the bottom of that page for the weaning articles - the "to wean or not to wean" one is actually the most practical despite the title) or feel free to PM me as I have a fair bit of useful info on approaches to weaning in my peer counsellor folder  (or funlvn or fattartsrock I'm sure would be happy to help too)------------- 
Mum to JJ, 4 July 2008 & Addie, 28 July 2010 |
Posted By: blondy
Date Posted: 25 November 2009 at 7:59pm
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I weaned Natalie about a month ago - I really wanted to let her self-wean, but as in your case, she really wasn't getting much from me, and the dietary restrictions were getting too much for me!
For dropping the morning feed, I just got her up, offered a bottle while getting her dressed/napy change and then kept her busy/distracted and did breakfast quickly. She didn't seem to worry about missing the morning BF at all. We started giving Natalie a bottle at bedtime - just after her bath, then would do stories, and then BF and then bed. Eventually (when she was drinking a fair amount), we got DH to do stories & bed, so she didn't really have a chance to complain about no BF, and then finally I was able to do the whole bedtime routine again. However, for a while, she wouldn't go to bed without being BF, so we would end up doing a bedtime BF every 2 to 3 days. I think that helped drop my supply off too, so it wasn't as dramatic to my boobs!
I think part of the weaning process comes down to your DS's personality. Natalie dropped all her day feeds by herself, but wasn't going to do the last couple for a while yet, so it was more me deciding. However, if you think he won't *ask* to be fed, maybe the no offer, no refuse thing might work for you? also wanted to add that the only reason we give Natalie a bottle is because she has food allergies, and without the bottles, she'd get almost no calcium at all! I think if your DS is a good eater/drinker, there's no reason to change to a bottle. I think it was Bizzy who suggested maybe a cup of milo before bed instead? -------------  
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Posted By: gypsynita
Date Posted: 26 November 2009 at 5:22pm
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thanks for the input - yeah i think i'll go with the don't offer, don't refuse theory... and see if it works at least. we dropped his middle of the night feed about a month ago - i just made DH get up when he stirred in the night so there was no BF option, and it only took a couple of nights for him to adjust so i think he'll be fine...
good luck with dropping your night feed weegee - cian started sleeping through about a week after he had no night feeds  made me wonder why we didn't do it earlier!------------- Anita Mum to Cian (Aug 08), Josh (Jun 10) http://lilypie.com">
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