Breastfeeding/Lactation Consultant

I have read several different answers and am not sure which is right.  I want to start weaning my almost 9 month old around the one year mark and have some BM stored in the freezer from the summer.  As I wean her, I want to use bottles of the frozen BM, but am not sure if they will still be good. 

Also, if I want to wean around one year, when should I start the process?  I know that you can nurse past one year, but I've had a rocky road with BF.  My first goal was 6 months, but once we hit that mark, I wanted to keep going.  I may decide to do the same at one year, but if I don't, I just wanted to know what the best process of weaning is.

Thank you!

Here ya go:

Breast milk storage 101:

http://parenting.ivillage.com/newborn/nbreastfeed/0,,484b,00.html

As far as weaning it’s healthiest for you and the baby to do it gradually which can be done in different ways depending on your goals and the age of the baby and  also if you plan mother led or baby led weaning.

Mother led weaning is as it says more mom directed. You would eliminate one feeding at a time and replace it with bottles (or cups) of ebm or formula if the baby is younger than one year. If the baby is older than one year usually the baby is eating enough solids and taking enough other fluids to compensate. You usually start with the easiest feeding (the one the baby seems least interested in) and work toward eliminating the feeding the baby is most attached to last. Only drop feedings at a rate that is comfortable for both you (your breasts) and the baby. Like maybe drop one feeding per week or every other week. So if the baby is bf 6 times per day it can take 6 weeks if you drop one feeding per week for example.

If your breasts become uncomfortably full you can either slow down on the process of weaning off the bf sessions or pump when you are full but only to the degree you need to get comfortable.

If the baby is older than one year you can still encourage the baby to wean off one feeding at a time. Be prepared to offer other foods or activities to distract the baby usually before its time to bf. You can try to stretch out the time between feedings with the older baby or try to shorten feedings or a combination of all of those methods.

Some moms go with the ‘don’t offer don’t refuse method and only bf when the baby is interested enough to ‘ask’ for bf. This is more a ‘baby led’ weaning style.

I think most moms do a combination of both mom led and baby led. What I mean by that is when most moms are ready to wean they will actively encourage a baby to cut back in ways that the baby easily tolerates but won’t totally refuse to bf if the baby really seems distressed at the idea of not breastfeeding at a particular time. Each mom decides how fast with some taking a more active role to discourage or actually cut feedings out while other moms take a more relaxed approach and let the process happen more on the baby’s time frame.

It’s also ok to start with one goal in mind and change to another path at any point, which you have already mentioned you did at 6 months.

Wow, only 3-6 months?  I guess there goes that idea!  I thought I had read somewhere that it was 6-12 months.  Now, what to do with what I have frozen now...I will need to start getting rid of it by the end of next month...

Thanks for asking!  I think we're okay for now, although I have felt what I think are the starts of plugged ducts off and on recently, but I have seemed to stop them in their tracks for now.  ;)