Giving Up Breastfeeding

Changing from Breast to Bottle

This should be done gradually. Start by dropping the breastfeed when you have least milk, usually the evening, and substitute a bottle. You may need to experiment to find the best teat and hole size to suit your baby. If he is very resistant to the bottle, you could try a natural-shaped teat, or better still get your partner or another person to feed the bottle for the first few times. If you are making the switch because your baby is failing to gain weight or you are returning to work, remember it is perfectly possible to continue with breastfeeding in the morning, during the night and evening or whichever suits you, in addition to bottles, so that you and your baby can still enjoy the closeness and comfort of breastfeeding.

Extra drinks are not necessary for totally breastfed babies, but once you start giving bottles or solid food, your baby may get thirsty, so start offering plain boiled water in a bottle, cup or spoon. Don’t fuss if he refuses, unless it is very hot weather, he has a temperature or is unwell. Breast milk, infant formula and water are the only drinks that are really necessary for small babies. Older babies may be given diluted natural fruit juices. If ‘baby’ juices and herbal drinks are given they must be diluted according to the manufacturers’ instructions. They should be given from cups rather than from bottles, and used only at mealtimes to protect the teeth from getting coated with sugar. Manufactured squash, fruit drinks and syrups which have a lot of sugar are unsuitable. Do not use dinky feeders filled with sweet drinks or dummies dunked in anything sugary as this will cause the teeth to rot.

Giving up breastfeeding because of problems may provoke mixed feelings – perhaps of failure if you very much wanted to breastfeed, or guilt if you are relieved to abandon the whole business.