9 Month Old - Need Help Weaning

Are you the one offering him the bottles or is someone else doing it? Make sure someone else is offering him the bottles for awhile and doing it at a time when you are not around (ideally not even in the house). If he can see, hear or smell you, he's going to reject the bottle and just cry for you.

Pump so that he's getting breastmilk and not formula in the bottle at first. Then, gradually mix it so it's a combo of both (heavier on the breast milk in the beginning, eventually moving towards more formula).

Another thought, since he is already nine months, is skip the bottle and just give him a sippy cup. Some babies like regular ones, others prefer the kind with the straw. He might take to it better from a cup since it's very different and not at all like your breast.

Also, just know that he may go on a bit of a milk strike and reject it, but eventually he will get thirsty and he will drink from the bottle or cup if you aren't offering him the breast anymore. For your own comfort, I'd recommend cutting one feeding every week or so. If you cut him off completely, you will end up engorged and miserable.

Lulu,

Please be patient as weaning take time. Probably more time than you want it to. First off forget the bottle, start with a sippy cup. Why have to wean 2x.

If your son is only breastfed, you NEED to get him on solids before weaning or you are cutting off his only food supply.

To start someone other than you needs to be offering the sippy cup. Water may work better at first as well.

I wish you luck! Remember they are only young once!

He wont starve himself so if you are ready to totally withhold the breast from him, he'll take the bottle eventually before he starves.
It is much easier if you try to do it slowly by giving a bottle during the day feedings until he adjusts. Morning and bedtime nursing will keep him feeling secure until he's ready to go full blown to the bottle.
If you could just wait a few more months you could skip bottles all together...
just sayin..

Im not at all judging because I breastfeed and I know how hard it is and can be BUT I breastfed my first for a yr and then weaned her so that she could transition straight to whole milk and I am currently breastfeeding my 6 1/2 month okd and again plan to do so for the first yr so that I dont have to make the transition twice and so I do have to offer or pay for formula. Have you ever given him bottles before trying to wean him? We started with both our kids at 6 weeks. Every night they would/ do get a bottle of pumped breastmilk and anytime we have someone watch them when we arent here or just on the occasion that I have a drink or something I have pumped bottles that I can offer her. The way we weaned my first was to exclusively bottle feed her at 11 months (breastmilk) and I would only ever breastfeed if she woke in the middle of the night and then at 12 months we started the mix. Over about a weeks time we started adding more and more whole milk to the breastmilk so the taste change wasnt an issue for her. Then when we had her on straigh whole milk I started to take away the breastfeeding at night too and she was onlt given a bottle of whole milk if she woke at night and by 13 months she was completely weaned from breastfeeding and breastmilk
Good Luck and Congrats for making it this far with breastfeeding

Neither of my children would take a bottle...ever. I think we tried every trick in the book. We could, however, use a sippy cup with success (starting very early). Have you tried ditching the bottles and trying a cup? At nine months, he is old enough to use one.

Have you started him on solid foods yet? He should be able to have rice cereal and fruits. Start slowly introduce only one new food every couple of days. That will help fill up his tummy and maybe take a bottle.

When I weaned mine I dropped one feeding at a time. It was easier for me because I always had so much milk and my breasts could adjust.

Also have daddy give him the bottle, right now he associates Mommy with the breast.

Good luck some kids do not wean easily.

I agree--straight to the cup might be the trick. Mine took it easier than I thought they would. I'd talk with the pediatrician about what to switch to though. I introduced milk and food at 7 months and my Dr. was such a help (what to try and in what order) Maybe even ask Dr. about cow vs. almond vs. soy vs. rice, etc.. The Dr. said what is easiest on the baby (and therefore you!) is wean all at once. Otherwise, you're weaning one feeding at a time and it drags it out and the poor babe is going through nursing withdrawals over and over. My second never did eat anything mushy (cereal, pureed foods). He went straight from exclusively breastfed to finger foods. Do you really want/need to stop breastfeeding? Sometimes babies pick up on that vibe, too...that you are not quite ready. I breastfed mine for 1.5 and then almost 2.5 years (just at bedtime once food was introduced) and I have no regrets. Do what is right for you and your son...if you are ready he'll be fine.