when to stop breastfeeding..and how???

[madmish]

hello,i haven't posted for absolutley ages, due to house move and a new baby(now 6 months!! ) and having 4 kids altogether it's been a bit hectic!!!anyway , jamie is now 6 months old,and doing really well on solids. my problem is i feel it's time to stop breastfeeding him now, but i am having trouble cutting it out altogether. for around 2 months he has been having both vreast and bottle, and his solids, but i just can't seem to get him of my booby (he will only feed from my right breast!)during the day he has a bottle,but first thing in the morning and before bed he has breast, which actually i don't mind.but the problem is when he is really upset, and really screaming, for no apparent reason, he will only stop crying if he is on the breast. he doesn't have a dummy, and will not take one,and i know he is using me as a dummy when he needs comforting, but i can't seem to stop this from happening. any suggestions please? thanks in advance!!
(sorry for rambling on...)

 

[angela-]

hi hun,
i only have one child and she is nearly ten months and i still breast feed her now so dont really have any tips but i do know what you mean about the comfort thing, i have tried giving Niamh a comfort blanket (which i slept with in my bed first so it smelt of me i read it in a mag) i give it to her when its not possible to feed her and it seems to work. it's only a pink muslin square and i have more than one so am able to wash it and swap for another. she doesn't have a dummy either so i am a dummy too
sorry couldnt help more hunny.

 

[budge]

hello,i haven't posted for absolutley ages, due to house move and a new baby(now 6 months!! ) and having 4 kids altogether it's been a bit hectic!!!anyway , jamie is now 6 months old,and doing really well on solids. my problem is i feel it's time to stop breastfeeding him now, but i am having trouble cutting it out altogether. for around 2 months he has been having both vreast and bottle, and his solids, but i just can't seem to get him of my booby (he will only feed from my right breast!)during the day he has a bottle,but first thing in the morning and before bed he has breast, which actually i don't mind.but the problem is when he is really upset, and really screaming, for no apparent reason, he will only stop crying if he is on the breast. he doesn't have a dummy, and will not take one,and i know he is using me as a dummy when he needs comforting, but i can't seem to stop this from happening. any suggestions please? thanks in advance!!
(sorry for rambling on...)

hi! you have to do it gradually. dropping a feed and substtuting it with formula or whatever. don't just stop as you will beocme engorged. what you could do is formula feed then top up with breastmilk and eventually your boobs will not prodce as much milk and then eventually non at all.

by the way i know how it feels with 4 kids!

oh and another thing if you want to stop breastfeeding stop. its up to you. you've done a really good job doing it for 6 months! i am going to wean rachael off just as soon as i can get her to have a bottle

 

[Tina & Gabs]

Hey There

As Budge says do it gradually. When Gabriella was 6 months I introduced a formula feed and gradually (once a week I think) I dropped a feed and it worked really well, I think I had one day where my boobies felt a little umcomfortable but generally it went well.

I found it quite hard stopping as I was emotionally attached but it felt like Gabriella was weaning herself off anyway.

Good luck and well done on doing a great job