Weaning

• 10-27-2009 12:24 PM

  Anna2619479 Joined on 03-15-2008 Louisville, KY Posts 1,698

  Weaning Reply Contact Ian was 10 mos yesterday, and it occurred to me that I should probably start researching weaning. He is formula-fed, so I'd like to have him switched to whole milk right around his 1st birthday. I don't think that'll be an issue...weaning to a cup worries me more. He uses a sippy cup by himself, but often plays with it. Plus, the nighttime bottle will be the most difficult. Thoughts and suggestions from non-FTMs or others in the know?

• 10-27-2009 3:41 PM

  In reply to

  Amanda71986 Joined on 07-22-2008 Aidan Jacob Born Jan 15 2009 Az Posts 11,099

  Re: Weaning Reply Contact I'm in no rush to wean & won't be weaning Aidan from formula until 24mo. If I were bf-ing I would continue to bf until 24(god willing) and they make formula for babies 12-24mo. Just my way of thinking, I see no need to introduce cows milk right now. but I'm sure if your choice is to intro cows milk there's ways to do it, I am pretty sure Jess is going to be introducing cows milk at 12mo. Good luck!

• 10-27-2009 5:56 PM

  In reply to

  JessicaP Joined on 02-06-2007 Miss Morgan born January 17/09 ~ Ontario, Canada Posts 5,361

  Re: Weaning Reply Contact  Yeah, I'll probably be introducing whole milk pretty soon. Not completely, I will keep giving Morgan as much breastmilk as I can for as long as I can, but I'll start giving her some milk in between nursings. With Mackenzie I was giving her milk instead of a nursing before bed at around 10 months but that was because my milk supply dropped big time from being pregnant. Anyway, in the US the guidelines for milk are to wait until 12 months. In Canada, it's between 9-12 months. I think the most important thing is that you start really slowly. Give an ounce or two and then gradually increase the amount you give him to make sure that his digestive system is handling it okay. As far as the cup goes, I don't see any point in rushing to a cup. There's nothing wrong with a bottle, just don't let him fall asleep with it in his mouth. You want to be able to brush his teeth after he's done and before he goes to sleep. Mackenzie drank milk from a bottle until this past summer because we don't have a dishwasher and it was almost impossible for me to really get the milk out of those sippy cup things. She drank her water and juice from sippy cups, but until I found a better sippy cup (the playtex twist & lock...they're awesome!) it was milk in a bottle. My dentist didn't have a problem with it either.

• 10-27-2009 9:44 PM

  In reply to

  aussiemummy Joined on 01-14-2006 Brisbane, Australia Posts 4,667

  Re: Weaning Reply Contact I plan on introducing cows milk when Camden is around 11 months while still breastfeeding and gradually start weaning him off the boob.  I will be leaving him for 4 days two weeks before his birthday and would like to be able to leave him on cows milk and wean my supply down while I am away to only pumping morning and night, then offer him morning and night feeds until he phases them out himself.  As far as taking it from a cup, I played around with different sippy cups until Jaiden found one that she could drink from, she started taking from a plain cup but I got too frusterated with the spills so kept using sippys and regular when I had more time and patience.  I am not worried about how Camden will take the milk, I'll try a few sippys (I've tried a few sips of water in them from time to time and he only wants to play with it) so if he only takes it from a bottle I am not too worried about it.

• 10-28-2009 11:42 AM

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  nwmom Joined on 04-29-2006 In the thumb of Michigan Posts 3,195

  Re: Weaning Reply Contact We have already started with the cows milk I have been doing about and ounce every two weeks. He still has some reflux, this was one of my main concerns how he would handle the milk, suprisingly he has done quite well. We are up to 3 ounces now and the only thing i noticed was he was having harder BM's. I give him a sippy of apple or prune juice and that takes care of it. We are also using the next step for babies 9-12 months. I don't have a certain time frame like 12 months that i want him to be all out cow's milk, just taking it day by day to see how he handles it, another thing if it seems to much then we cut back. We are still breastfeeding once a day, not sure for how much longer...... As far as the sippy cup, Weston LOVes his bottles, they are his comforter, he has no fav toy or blanky I would ideally like to be done with them by the time he is 15 months old, we will see but defitly by about 20 months for sure!!!!!Just play around with the cups, when you find one he likes stick with it. I would also offer the formula in a cup  right now at least once a day.

• 10-30-2009 9:07 AM

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  ~AmyJ~ Joined on 06-03-2008 OK-Addison 1-26-09 Posts 1,940

  Re: Weaning Reply Contact I am not all the way sure when i am goint to start cows milk. I know I will wait until Addison is 12mon for sure. My nurse friend told me to wean her over a few weeks and say if she takes 5 bottles a day do the first middle and last feedings w/ formula and the 2 in between w/ cows milk. Do that for a week. then the next week add one more cows milk feeding and so on. She said to make sure to still warm up the cows milk because the cold milk can hurt the tummy. Im sure you all know that but it was good for me as a first time Mom to be reminded.

• 10-30-2009 8:06 PM

  In reply to

  deb12181309 Joined on 10-25-2009 Posts 202	Re: Weaning Reply Contact i'm glad someone asked, we are just starting to try sippy cups with kody. he only gets 3 bottles a day. He's pretty easy to wean, just didn't know how to transition. He doesn't like thesippy cups, he likes to naw on the nipples

• 11-03-2009 6:17 PM

  In reply to

  JessicaP Joined on 02-06-2007 Miss Morgan born January 17/09 ~ Ontario, Canada Posts 5,361

  Re: Weaning Reply Contact deb12181309: i'm glad someone asked, we are just starting to try sippy cups with kody. he only gets 3 bottles a day. He's pretty easy to wean, just didn't know how to transition. He doesn't like thesippy cups, he likes to naw on the nipples   Maybe he would like a sippy cup like the Nuby ones where it's still rubbery like a nipple, but more of a "sippy" shape. Although if you can find one other than Nuby it's probably better. I've had so many issues with those leaking.