New to Bub Hub!

[EJsmummy]

[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=7][COLOR=DarkRed][B] :D
Hi all
My name is Mel and I am from Melbourne! My son Ethan, is 10 1/2 months old.
I am still breastfeeding and I have decided that I want to wean him now. He has 3 meals a day plus snacks and has started to have 100mls cows milk for afternoon tea. He has 4 breastfeeds a day, none over night. He sleeps through on average every 2nd night.
Can anyone tell me how to wean Ethan as he is very attatched to the breastfeeding ritual?!
Thanks heaps and i look forward to your responses.
Mel :)

[Melissa1983]

Hi Mel,
Sorry i cant help you with the breastfeeding as i didn't breastfeed mine. (they didnt want it).
But i just wanted to say Welcome to Bubhub.
Where abouts in Melbourne are you?

[EJsmummy]

Hi Mel (Good name that!! :D )
Thanks for replying to me so quickly and for welcoming me!! I am situated in Werribee, what about you?
Not sure what i will do about the breastfeeding, I am so in need of a night out without my son! I love him to death, but it would be nice to not have to be there.
Mel

[Melissa1983]

Hey Mel
I know excalty what you mean, we don't really know anyone here to look after the girls, so we haven't had a break in a while. At the moment i am in Mornington, but Next Wednesday (Not this wednesday coming) we will be on the road to Nowra NSW.

[lisa&boys]

Hi Mel
Welcome to site!! I used to drop one feed at a time, then slowly build it up to two and so on. That way your body doesnt go OMG!!! and you dont get engorged breasts and your son doesnt get all confused.

To the other Mel best of luck for your move to Nowra!

hugs

[alindrina]

:p I have trouble weaning too.... I have a 23 month old who is still on the breast.... but basically a routine to wean is:
Over five to six weeks:
Week 1: Drop the middle of the night feed if you are feeding at night. Otherwise, omit the mid morning or mid afternoon feed.
Week 2: Drop the feed you did not drop the week before.... either the mid morning or mid afternoon feed.
Week 3: Drop either the early morning or 6 o'clock in the evening feed, or if you have a midday feed, omit this feed.
Week 4: If you omitted the midday feed, drop the early morning or 6 o'clock at night feed.
Week 5: Omit whichever feed you did not omit the week before. You should now be feeding only once a day, or not at all.
Sorry, that looks very incoherent.... I am remembering what I have read in the Karitane Baby Book, and I can't find my book :( to copy it exactly. Basically if you feed five times a day, drop a different feed each week..... until eventually you are left with only an early morning or night feed, and then drop this last feed. This should give your baby and your breasts time to adjust.
But you probably don't need to wean if you want an occasional night out with your husband or partner.... if you could express milk and give it to your baby's carer to feed out of a bottle, this might alleviate the pressure in your breasts and if you stayed the night away from your baby yu could express at the motel or wherever to alleviate the soreness in your breasts during the night. This might be a hassle though!! I have an Avent breast pump, which is great, but I find I need my breasts to be fairly full to use it otherwise it doesn't work well.
Hope this helps.

[~Chick79~]

Hi Mel!

Welcome to bubhub! Sorry can't help on the weaning problem.... just wanted to welcome you!

Hope you enjoy the site!