I am having a hard time weaning my 10-month-old son from the breast. He shows a greater interest in exploring his environment but experiences a lot of pain from his incoming teeth. I have a hard time putting him down for a nap without breast milk. Lately he won't sleep until late afternoon. Unfortunately, I am becoming increasingly frustrated with this dependency that controls my daily activities. He also still wakes 2-3 times each night despite my efforts to minimize any sleep associations. I have started to give him whole milk from a cup but he is not too excited about it. Should I go cold turkey? Do you have any suggestions?
Dear Mom:
It sounds like you have several issues you need to deal with. First, I would suggest you get in the habit of putting your little one to bed awake. He will stop waking up at night once he has developed an independent routine for comforting himself to sleep. Naptime and nighttime will both improve.
Next, your son sounds like he loves the breast and is not too keen to consider other options. I would suggest you let another family member offer your son milk from a bottle or cup on a regular basis. Most kids will eventually accept milk in another form if you are consistent.
Sometimes it helps to leave your little guy with dad for the day, and let dad encourage your son to drink from a bottle or cup. I wouldn't buy a million different nipples or bottles...just let him get used to one.
Good luck!
Dr Cathryn
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