I'm thinking of stopping breastfeeding at the end of next month before I go back to work. i asked advice of a HV and she said to just stop and switch her on to follow on milk. I'm a bit worried to do it like that because I produce a lot of milk so would get really engorged, I was planning on just cutting out one feed at a time but how much formula would I need to give in replacement? Sorry if I'm rambling but I hate the HV's at my baby clinic with a vengeance, they're all completely clueless.

Hey there, i would just drop one feed at a time, giving at least 5 days between each drop. As for the amount of formula, there is a guide on the box to say how much they should have for their weight or age. I would probs try a 7/8 oz and see how she gets on. She may find it quite filling initially.

Is she already used to a bottle?

x x x

I would def cut down before stopping completely. I stopped bf-ing at 3months, expressed for a month and then went fully in to formula. (She was having the odd bottle of forumla from birth though) Good luck I cant remember how much i gave though maybe make a full bottle and just see what she takes.

Thanks, she's already used to a bottle, I expressed from a month old and recently swtiched to formula for her last feed so at least I don't have that battle. I'm a bit worried though because I use BF for comfort a lot so i don't know what to do instead!

Yeah I agree with Bumpwatcher, with Libby she naturally cut out feeds herself and by the time she was 8 months was only having 2 feeds a day (morning and bedtime), when she was about 10 months she cut out the bedtime one and then I stopped altogether when she was 13 months - by then she was having hardly anything anyway.

The only issue I had was that Libby just would not take a bottle, whether it was expressed milk or formula xx

I agree with what Bumpwatcher said. Try dropping one feed at a time, i recommend starting with lunchtime feeds, leave a couple of days between each drop and the side of the box there is a guide to how much formula for age. I'd say 7oz though. Hope it goes well. x

I breastfed Bethany until she was 15 months but I found that there is no advice out there to assist in stopping so I just mithered my friends who had B/F.

I went back to work when Bethany was 9 months old and what I'd managed to do by that point was to feed her just before her breakfast about 7am ish and then just before bed time. To get to this point what I did was replace feeds she had during the day (so when I would be at work) with snacks and she managed to adapt really well with no problems.

I then cut out her 7am feed but I can't remember when this was and I did this by just not offering her the breast and offered water instead when she woke.

So then she was just having a bedtime feed for say 5 mins maximum so I don't think she really needed it for a while.

I had always said that I would try and B/F up until Bethany had her MMR so that if she wasn't too good she could get comfort from me and she ended up having her MMR when she was 14 months and then we were going on holiday so it was actually 15 months and all I did was not offer it to her and she didn't seem to notice and again thankfully there was no problem.

I am all for B/F (but think it is a personal choice and wouldn't judge anyone who doesn't) and there is alot of information out there to encourage it but nothing at all for when you want to stop.

If you need anything else just PM me.

xx

That's reassuring then. I know what you mean about the comfort thing, i was concerned about this with my first DD (i stopped at a similar time), but i'm sure she will surprise you and adapt to it much easier than you think she will. I was really gutted that Immy didn't care a hoot when i stopped feeding her, i on the other hand was devastated! x x x