Breast to bottle at 1 yr?

[carolineb]

Has anyone ebf for a year and THEN introduced a bottle? Maybe right now I'm just really tired but there's a big part of me counting down until ds 1st birthday. I had all intention of nursing well beyond a year and letting him decide when to wean or at least follow the don't offer don't refuse philosophy. I was wanting to not give him formula. I actually have nothing against formula, it was just a personal goal for him to not get any. But 8 months in and I'm not sure how much past a year I want to go. The only thing that is keeping me from letting DH give him a bottle at night is we leave for the holidays in a couple of weeks and we'll be gone for a few weeks. I don't want to deal with bottles while traveling.

I just haven't been able to leave him for much at all since being born. He's so attached to me he won't let even dad hold him much.

He won't nap in his crib, only on me wearing him. He nurses a lot at night.

I've really enjoyed our nursing relationship and already I've nursed him longer than my first 2 combined! So I'm thankful for that.

He's only had a few bottles of pumped milk and it's been awhile since the last one.

I guess I feel like I've had to give up some things I enjoy to maintain ebf but I guess I'm really starting to miss those things.

[MrsAmandaRJordan]

Mama I am right there with you and if I had had the time I would have written that exact same thread at 8 months. My son will be a year on the 7th. I was trying to night wean him up until a week ago. I started to wean him an honestly I wanted to cry. My boobs HURT in the morning and I had a clogged duck.

I sat down and I asked myself if I wanted to not be doing this so badly why was I so upset? I thought about why I was doing this and what we had been through, he was a HBA2C just so that I didn't have to have antibiotics that cause me to get thrush after a csection. I decided it was worth it and my last time more then likely, unless hubby gets to thinking with me lol.

Think about it and weigh it out when you feel more normal. Nothing wrong at ALL with going to the bottle at this point and congratulations on making a year!! Your amazing mama!!

[kocho]

Hon, there's nothing wrong with giving a bottle now and then. But if you're close to a year, why not just go to a sippy cup. Just a thought. If using a bottle frees you up, then go for it. Do you have a pump? Or are you able to hand express? It's not all or nothing. You can do a combination.

[mommacass26]

I agree with pp. Its not all or nothing. I EBF DS1 til a little over 10 months, til he started biting me. He made me bleed once so I waited to heal on that side (didnt want mouth germs) and then once i healed he did it again. so after 2 times of drawing blood. I said I am done. I switched to a bottle and then to a sippy. With DS 2 I BF to 12 months with a little almond milk at about 11 months. and then 2 days before his BDay I switched to milk. It was great. He finally slept through the night. It all worked out great. --- My point is that you have to do what works best for you!!!! And your life and Family. Good luck And Hugs.

[Blindbatbeth]

Yup my DD dit it herself. She was introduced to the bottle through-out every so often and at a year she didn't want to nurse and took the bottle fir maaybe two days then went to sippy cup.

[Sarawithouth]

Originally Posted by kocho Hon, there's nothing wrong with giving a bottle now and then. But if you're close to a year, why not just go to a sippy cup. Just a thought. If using a bottle frees you up, then go for it. Do you have a pump? Or are you able to hand express? It's not all or nothing. You can do a combination.

Sent from my bed or on the move.

[mrosehughes]

I'd recommend a sippy cup as well. DS was at daycare during the day for a few hours starting at 6 weeks old, so we obviously had him on a bottle early on, but at around 5 months he started refusing the bottle, so we started him with a sippy cup instead. I also think if you can get a few breaks with a sippy you might feel good enough to not wean completely, but you can decide that when you get there

[carolineb]

Thanks mamas! All good tips and encouragement! I think I've decided to let DH give him a bottle before bed. I'm okay with it being formula. I hate pumping and never get much when I do pump. Tonight will be the first night. We'll see how it goes. At this point I'm not really worried about supply if he does happen to take the bottle.