I need advice- RE:weaning :(

MrsPinkPeony

After a long bumpy road that never quite smoothed out, I've decided to wean from EBF DD. I am sad but also looking forward to getting to a happier place in regards to feeding time. 

I am starting to wean by dropping a feeding (for a bottle) every 3 or 4 days (just started yesterday) However, it seems that in the passed few days she has seemed so unsatisfied with all of our BF sessions so I've been offering more frequently than her normal schedule.  I am thinking she could be hitting her 6 month growth spurt.  I am so confused as to how to drop feedings if she is feeding more frequently than normal, but for less time per feed.  Shes super impatient, very distracted, and almost uninterested in nursing alltogther.  I know I can't just switch cold turkey, but I'm not sure how to go about it so that its best for both of us. 

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.  It's been a really tough day

hillek5

I think that you could offer bottles as often as you like.  If your LO is seeming unsatisfied with nursing sessions, offer a bottle instead or after the nursing session.  If your LO takes a bottle well, you may be able to go straight to bottles and stop nursing all together.

However, if you're going to drop the nursing sessions rapidly (or even completely), I would suggest pumping and slowly weaning yourself from the pump over a few weeks.  By slowly dropping the number of pumping sessions, you can wean from the pump without getting overly engorged or risking problems such as mastitis.  And, while you're weaning from the pump, you have milk available to feed your LO if you wish.