How Do I Go About Weaning My 11 Month Old?

pump for comfort so you dont get bursting or all "rocky" . My daughter became a one sided nurser and the other side still produces if i try to express some but it doesnt "fill" or leak or ache. You know you dont have to wean just cause your schedule is changing, you can comfort nurse... even if she is solely on a bottle for nutrition, or at a year she could be on table food and still nurse for comfort. It was nice for us when I came home to have that snuggle/nursing time.. even though she didnt need it persay. Also at 3 1/2 she has had one ear infection, one cold and does go to a public pool, and 2 days of preschool a week.. i think the extended nursing has helped.

The general rule is to "Don't offer but Don't Deny". If you have a month before going back to work full time then don't worry about supplementing with a bottle. As long as she is eating enough solid foods, she'll be fine. There is also nothing that says you have to give her a bottle because then you will just have to wean her off the bottle. Go straight to a sippy cup. As far as your breast go, they will adjust to the decrease output and eventually stop making milk. If you do get engourged before she wants to eat, then you can pump just enough to relieve pressure. Definately don't pump the full amount. Not even an oz. When I was weaning mine, I was bursting in the morning. I would let her nurse just a bit to help me out. Good luck.

Hi K.! I had to wean my daugther early because of some health concerns I was having with my breats. Because of this I had to be very careful to not let myself get too engorged because I already had an infection and was at risk for further complications. Anyhow. I just stopped feeding at one feed....like the afternoon (3pm) and I wouldn't pump at all unless it got horribly uncomfortable, then I would just pump a little to take the edge off. I would have to pump a little bit before the next feed just so it wouldn't overwhelm her and spray her in the face :-). I did it very slowly and waited a week to totally get rid of that feed before moving onto the next, then I start weaning an opposite time of the day, like the morning. I did early morning and evening last because those were the easisest to nurse her at. I found with me that I could have kept going wth those 2 feedings for a lot longer just on their own without pumping at all in between. I know that won't be the case for everyone, but its really convient first thing in the morning and before she goes to bed to nurse. I noticed you said your schedule is a bit eratic, so that may not even be something you want to to do. Anyhow, but the time I weaned her off the last feed I never had any problems...no leaking, no infection, no engorgement. I think it was because I did it so slowly....if you give yourself about a week per feed it will take you about a month to do. Do whatever you feel comfortable with, and just try not to rush it and I think you'll be fine! Good luck!

I agree with the advice about the pump, just so you don't get too full and uncomfortable. Do not do the full 4-6 oz, just enough to remove the pressure. My pediatrician's office helped me with this. Do you have a pediatrician? You sound like my cousin, who is also an entertainer, and had a daughter, as well. It's a hectic schedule, but you should have no problems with her taking the bottle... just your own personal discomfort, which may take a couple weeks. If you start leaking, while weaning, I believe they still make pads for the bra.

Good luck, and Congratulations on your daughter's arrival!
God bless.

With her age, I would consider weaning her directly to a sippy with milk vs the bottle--you can use pumped BM or formula until she turns 1 or just ask your ped if he/she thinks milk is OK for her age. 12 months is the suggested age for getting rid of the bottle and formula anyways (Food should be her primary source of nutrition)-and she should be able to hold it without an issue. IF she can hold a bottle, she can drink from a sippy--and if you wait until she is older you will only have attachment issues to the bottle to deal with.
Start with first giving her a sippy with her meals (if you haven't already), then just start dropping the amount your are BFing--making the morning and then the evening one the last time you drop. DO not replace those with other feedings. She's getting to be a big girl and should be eating 3 meals +1-2 snacks a day so she can drink with those and in between if she is thirsty. The BFing is really more of a comfort thing--which is why dropping that morning and night should be last. The morning can be replaced at first with just an earlier breakfast and the evening one can be replaced with a story or adding something else to her bedtime routine..I would also consider having your husband or someone else temporarily take care of the bedtimes so she doesn't expect it--if that makes sense. Temporarily replace it with a sippy with formula or water can also ease the transition, but in the end she doesn't need it and you don't want her getting dependent on it before bedtime.
IF you start now, she should be weaned from the breast and drinking milk from a sippy by 1 year. 2 months is good amount of time so you can ease her into the transition slowly without much trouble.
And yes, pump for comfort and only to relieve the pressure--as the demand decreases so will the amount you produce.