help on weaning a 13 month old?

[riogirl71]

I love that we are still bfeeding at 13 months but I am turning 39 next Spring and really would like to do another IVF, we have no frosties so it will be fresh. My DH has very low count and I don't want to wait too long so that I don't develop some age related issues and things are even tougher. My son asks for it by sign language and is very comforted. He refuses any kind of milk (whole, 2%, 1%, ovaltine, strawberry, cold, warm) he drinks plenty of water so liquids is not an issue. He also eats ok. If I don't give him bmilk when he asks (thank God he only asks at home) he has a fit. I feel terrible denying him.

any suggestions from women who had to wean a baby past 12 mos? Thanks!!!

[Warren Dew]

We were in a similar position a year ago, of wanting to get started on a second IVF but not wanting to stop the breastfeeding. A possible difference was that my wife had already been pumping at work since three months after the birth, so our daughter already took breast milk from a bottle during the day. We did the following:

- First, we started mixing formula in with the pumped breast milk, while freezing the extra pumped milk.

- Then, we pretty much went cold turkey on the actual breast feeding during the night. She either had to take the bottle or go without. This was pretty rough for my wife at first, but after a week or two, she was okay with the bottle.

- Then we reduced the fraction of breast milk mixed with formula as we ran out of stored breast milk.

This all happened at about 9 months.

You may or may not be able to do something similar. At 13 months, you could also start increasing the solid food to be more than just tastes, if you haven't already. Fruit puree, baby yogurt, and bacon were all accepted well by our daughter.

[children]

agree with your commenter but just add few more things about next round of ivf

I was also in the same boat as you are now two years ago. I was told that I did not need to stop bfeeding until the day of embryo transfer, so I was not in a huge hurry. What I did was the following,

Feeding bmilk with bottles during the day - I went back to work full time after 4 weeks postpartum. normally, I bfed 4x/day, once in the morning bf work, once in the evening after work, once before bed time, and once at 4 am.

at 6.5 month, add 25% formula to bmilk, for day time feedings.

one week later, add 50% formula to bmilk, for day time feedings.

one more week later, add 75% formula to bmilk, for day time feedings.

at 7 month, used 100% formula when bottles were used during the day.

at 9 month, complete stop bfeeding in the middle of the night (I needed to bfed the baby at night (4 am) frequently even at this age since she often was sick, teething, or something else), but picked her up when she cried for milk. It was the hardest part of this weaning process.

from 9.5 month onward, only bfed 2x/day, once in the morning and another before bed time.

between 11~12 month, only bfed occasionally. our DD asked for less and less since I did not make plenty milk anymore at this stage.

completed stop bfeeding at 14th month or so.

Soon after that, I got preg with our second child. Good luck to you!

[esperanza]

Hi Rio,

Check this out: http://www.kellymom.com/bf/weaning/index.html

La Leche League is a great resource too

I'm not at that stage yet, so I cannot offer any personal advice, but I know that this webpage is amazing when it comes to breastfeeding. La Leche League has been of great support to me.

Good luck, and come back and share what you ended up doing.

[riogirl71]

Thank you everyone for the advices, we decided to wait and go for another IVF in May so that there is no pressure to wean before January. I found it very stressful and emotional. He refuses any milk or any bottles no matter what I try. The pediatrician said that he is ok eating cheese and having yougurt and does not need milk, just water and OJ. So I am going to leave it alone for another couple of months and see what happens. He loves bfeeding and gets very comforted by it, I will try and diminish the feedings to night only or certain places like bed or couch. thanks again!!!