how I weaned my 10 month old from breastfeeding
Baylor at four months finally nailing his latch!
My original plan was to breastfeed my baby for his first year of life. Once I knew I wasn’t returning to teaching the next school year, one year seemed like an attainable goal for us. Even through the trials of late night feeds, latching problems, a tongue tie, cluster feeding, and more, I felt like it was much more convenient to nurse rather than pump and/or bottle feed. I also wanted to continue to share the bond we had created through nursing. I didn’t realize how special this time was until until it was gone too soon.
Weeks before B turned 10 months, I was feeling pretty over it. I was ready to be able to go to the store alone, workout without rushing home or pumping for 20 minutes just to get 1 ounce of milk and spill it all over the counter (the actual worst feeling, if you know, you know.) This always ended in tears. Every time. Not to mention the fact that I would like to enjoy some uninterrupted sleep for the first time in who knows how long. I started wishing he would start to wean himself. Future Malorie would say, be careful what you wish for.
Welp, two days before B’s 10 month milestone, he morphed into the real life baby shark. Teeth were out and he was biting without even attempting to latch. He was thrashing himself away from my body, suddenly wanting nothing to do with me. I would be lying if I said it didn’t hurt my feelings. I realized I had taken these moments for granted the last few months leading up to this point. I didn’t want him to ALREADY not need me. I was heartbroken! That night I cried like I do to the majority of Taylor Swift’s songs. Not the happy ones.
After being upset and frustrated with the situation, I realized a fed baby is what is best. So, I pumped what I could, but what I could wasn’t ever enough. We tried latching again the next day. And the next. And the next. This led to more biting and more tears from the both of us. I was pumping all day every day still with not quite enough milk to get by. I was exhausted. I finally came to terms with the fact our journey had ended.
I was lost with how to wean him and how to stop pumping. Girl, pumping is just not my journey. I only lasted about a week and a half and made it down to one session a day. Below are some steps of how I slowly weaned him off breastmilk and switched to formula successfully.
1. Accept that your baby is ready to wean
This was the hardest part for me. Once I accepted the fact he did not want to nurse anymore, I had a clear mind and was ready to find a solution that would work for both of us.
2. Reach out for help and advice from others, doctors and/or the internet
I messaged other moms I knew, even acquaintances on my social media to get their advice and experience with weaning. More often than not, a mom is willing to help another mom if she reaches out. Of course ask your doctor and do your own research to make sure weaning is right for you and how to do it safely for both mama and baby.
3. Create a plan
I decided I would pump until my body adjusted and lessened my milk supply while my baby slowly was introduced to formula. Some people decide not to pump, or to give 100% formula right away, the decision is up to you. I wanted to let my body down slowly and give Baylor a gradual adjustment. He did not enjoy the taste of formula right off the bat and needed to get used to drinking from a bottle.
4. Execute your plan
Here is the flow of how I gradually lessened pumping sessions and added formula to my baby’s diet. Because he was under 1 year old, he still required formula or breastmilk so he was receiving proper nutrition along with solids. Here is a simple guide of how I weaned him. Disclaimer: I am not a doctor or expert in breastfeeding. This is just what worked for me after doing my own research.
I hope this guide is helpful to you if you are in the process of weaning your little one from nursing. I will have another blog post on baby-led weaning too you can look into if your baby is eating solids. Happy feeding!