Anyone have any brilliant advice on weaning from breastmilk to regular milk once we pass the one year mark?
As much as freedom sounds great, I think S and I will continue past her first birthday at least for bedtime for awhile.
But we are reading and hearing from mom friends and want to make this the least traumatic we possibly can for both of us.
Thanks mamas!
I have a little advice to give on weaning. I'm working on it now with Emma with her birthday approaching & I weaned Jack at 1 and Mia around 8 months. Jack & Emma never took a bottle, so we went right from nursing to a cup of milk. I would recommend cutting out a nursing session and sort of feel it out...give your body a few days to adjust to not feeding/pumping. Try not to cut back to abruptly or you will feel uncomfortable. Be kind to yourself and let someone else help you when S would want to nurse for comfort. It might be a good idea to do this on a weekend when your husband can help or another time when you have extra loving hands around. Some parents mix cow's milk with breast milk...but my kids were ok drinking cows milk straight. At first they were funny about the temperature and would spit it out if it was too cold. So, I would let it warm up to room temp to help. Don't worry too much about the quantity she drinks at first, still offer water, fruit and yogurt or other dairy if she's not thrilled about milk. As for you, the hormonal change when you stop nursing can make you feel anxious, or emotional or crazy, or all of the above or none of the above. Remember that is normal, and you really aren't crazy and before long you will feel like yourself again. Sleep to make you feel better & my ob/gyn recommended taking Sudafed to help dry up your supply and make you feel a bit better when you are through with nursing. Congratulations on getting to a year of nursing & doing all you have done for your baby girl. She is bonded to you for life and is about to enter an exciting new phase. Love, Allison
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