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Stopping breast feeding before starting cows milk?

Discussion in 'Breast Feeding' started by cooks2010, Dec 16, 2014.

  1. cooks2010

    cooks2010 Silver IL'ite

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    My daughter is a year old and I would like to stop breastfeeding her at night. The day time feeds have stopped ( I rock her to sleep or go for a drive in the car). For nighttime she feeds before going to bed and wakes up 1-2 times at night (sometimes 3 times).

    Two days ago I started cows milk (whole milk, organic), she doesnt like it much and drinks from a straw cup about 1 ounce throughout the whole day.
    She will take a few sips and then push the cup/bowl away. I tied different straw cups, sippy cup and bowl.

    The Dr. said to gradually give her 2 cups a day of whole milk and stop breastfeeding by refusing the breast.

    I tried not giving the breast at night and rocking her to sleep, she does fall asleep, but before that cries a lot (30min-1hr.) and protests and wakes up frequently. If I give her breastmilk, she sleeps peacefully for longer hours.

    I am trying to increase her daytime food intake so she doesnt wake up hungry at night, but I am not sure whether she is hungry or just wants to feed for comfort.

    My questions are:
    1) Should I keep breastfeeding her at night and let her decide when she wants to stop, I read that babies on there own may stop breastfeeding and dont take the breast. I would prefer to stop now as I am tired of getting up every 3-4 hrs.at night

    2) Should I apply something to the breasts, I read about fenugreek powder. I dont have neem oil (not sure whether I can use the store bought one) and dont have jasmine flowers either. Will applying something deter her from the breast.

    3) Should I first get her drinking 2 cups of cows milk first and then stop breastfeeding.

    I am just confused about how to do this and my baby is getting confused too, as some nights I give her the breast and some nights I dont (as I was trying to see whether she would fall asleep if I refuse the breast and just rock her).

    Would appreciate some advice from mothers who have been through this or any other suggestions,

    thanks,
    Cooks.
     
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  2. ramyaramani

    ramyaramani Moderator Staff Member IL Hall of Fame

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    WHO recommends breastfeeding until child turns 2. But it is a personal choice to stop feeding before that.

    1. You can try weaning her off in the night by rocking/patting her to sleep. I weaned feeding during the day before starting the night weaning. It took 22 days to wean off DD in the night. Lots of crying. I did not have the heart to follow CIO method so rocked her.
     
  3. ramyaramani

    ramyaramani Moderator Staff Member IL Hall of Fame

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    2. Unless you want to stop feeding completely, it is not a good idea to apply something.

    3. If she is not taking milk, you can give her cheese, yogurt etc. milk need not be the only source. Milk products can be!

    If you decide to stop feeding then it is not a good idea to keep offering her on certain days. It will only confuse her and increase the weaning time.

    In my opinion suddenly stopping breastfeeding totally is cruel. Eliminating 1 feed at a time is much better. This does take time but at least I am not stopping her source of comfort suddenly.
     
  4. cooks2010

    cooks2010 Silver IL'ite

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    Hi Ramya,


    thanks for your reply. I thought I would give an update on how things are going. She had already stopped day time feeds on her own, only night feeds were a concern.


    I continued the first night time feed, where she would fall asleep. She would wake up 2-3 times at night and I would just rock her to sleep. She would cry for a few minutes and protest, but then would eventually fall asleep. This continued for 4 days and then on the 5th day when she woke up, I would pick her up, she just cried for a few seconds and would snuggle and try to fall asleep. She didnt ask for the breast.


    Right now she sleeps all night (sleeps around 8-9pm), wakes up once around 4-6am, I /my husband put her back to sleep, wakes up at 7-8am.


    I still feed her once for the first night time feed, I think I will continue that for a little longer as she still finds that comforting. She feeds for less time, then delatches and then tries to snuggle, gets comfortable and falls asleep on her own. When she wakes up at night I try to limit the rocking and let her fall asleep on her own.


    For now this is working so will continue this, my next challenge will be to not pick her up when she wakes up and pat her to sleep in the crib, lets see how that goes.


    thanks,
    Cooks
     
  5. cooks2010

    cooks2010 Silver IL'ite

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    About the milk, she still doesnt like it, so I am not forcing her. I make her oatmeal in milk and add milk to her french toast. I also give her yogurt. She doesnt like cheese :).

    She has low iron, so the doctor has said to keep the milk intake less, as calcium blocks iron absorption.

    Will think of something else for the milk drinking, not sure yet.

    thanks,
    Cooks
     

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