Weaning help

[CosmicMama]

Hi all, I am getting ready to gradually wean my year old (in 3 weeks anyway). I know that is pretty early weaning for a lot of people on this board, but I was hoping you could help answer some questions and give some support even if it is earlier than you may have weaned your babes. BTW, I thought about stopping once or twice before and have continued to a year- with help and support from MDC and just wanted to say thanks for that!

Ok, some questions. I just starting giving DS a few sips of cows milk - he doesn't seem thrilled with it but didn't spit it out either. I am hoping to go down to one pump session (while at work) a week next week and send in one bottle of EBM and one of cows milk. Hopefully this will work. I think he might not like it so cold - as he has always preferred my bm really warmed up when from a bottle. This may sound like a stupid question - but is it ok to warm up cows milk too? Maybe he will like it better this way?

I'm then hoping after a week of 1 bottle EBM and 1 cows milk - the next week I could stop pumping entirely - so I would breastfeed- in the morning - and once at night before bedtime(I'm blessed, he doesn't feed in the middle of the night)- and he would get cows milk during the day.

Then I'm hoping a few weeks after that I might be able to cut out the morning and night ones - I won't rush it on him- but if he seems ready -I will probably wean completely a few weeks to a month or 2 after starting this process. Does that seem about right? Once I'm weaned completely - or mostly - (just maybe a nighttime nursing) - how much cows milk should DS be having during the day?

Any help, advice or thoughts you could share on this subject would be great. Especially if anyone did wean around a year of age.

Thanks again Mamas!

[gabner]

You can warm cow's milk. There is no reason to give your baby cow's milk and plenty of reasons not to. The two main nutrients in cow's milk are protein and calcium and your baby can get those from dairy products or other foods. Humans are not designed for consuming cow's milk, for info on the hazards go to www.milksucks.com and click on got sick kids?

There's not a real good substitute for breastmilk for babies less than 2. You might consider soy milk (contains something like estrogen), rice milk, almond milk, and other nut milks that are calcium fortified. You can buy powdered calcium supplement to add to juice or foods. Babies are only supposed to drink a little juice a day so they don't fill up on juice and miss out on nutrients from more nutritious foods.

You could just have the care provider feed more solids and wean from all bottles. You could gradually wean from the breast. Your baby could use a pacifier for sucking needs. I would consider a pacifier better than giving cow's milk by bottle. Yogurt and other dairy products cause less problems than milk and are good sources of calcium. Your baby should be able to drink from a cup.

[headlongamy]

Also need help weaning a 13 mo old

I'm in the same boat, but with a slightly different situation.
I am a choreographer/dancer and am going on tour with my dance company for about 3 weeks in September. I need to wean my (now) 13 month old son by then -- I really can't take him with me, it's just too hard to find good child care on the road.
My son is nursing 3 times a day -- first thing in the am, early afternoon, and before bedtime. I want to gradually and gently wean him and I have 4 months, but it's so hard!
Even trying to hold him off for an hour is difficult, because now he can really let me know what he wants (by saying "nu" and arching back). I thought I might slowly try to get him off the midday feeding by holding out later and later (like, till 3, then 4, etc.) until he was down to twice a day. Then, I dont know what.
My almost-3-year-old daughter weaned herself at 13 months when I got pregnant, so I have no experience inhow to do this. It's hard!
I agree that cow's milk is evil. I dont drink it myself. My son uses a sippy cup and drinks mostly water, some juice. He's a good eater and eats yogurt, etc for fat and calcium.
Any thoughts, help would be appreciated. I, too feel funny, cuz in this community, most women nurse for much longer. I just have no choice.
thanks!