Weaning from breast milk

Hello Everyone. I'm new to this forum.. I really need some advice on weaning my 11 month old from breastmilk (at least reducing how often he feeds). I've been home with him all year, but in January I will be starting a full time accelerated nursing program. I give him a little bit of solid food here and there, but honestly I think he gets most of his nutrients from breast milk. When I'm in school I'll be gone for almost all his waking hours for at least three days a week, so obviously I need to make some changes. If anyone could give me advice on weaning and helping my son eat solids for his meals (or should I pump a little?) I would really appreciate it. I'm also worried about the general adjustment he will have to make to my being gone for such long periods of time all of a sudden, so I really want to make this transition as smooth as possible. Help!

[babypooh]

Well, you can definitely pump your milk and keep breast feeding for as long as you'd like.  But at age 1, your baby needs to get his nutrition from more solid foods.  Try reducing his breast feeding by 1 feeding each day.  Offer some solids first and some breast milk from a bottle.  That way he will start getting used to being bottle fed.  Someone else can feed him the bottle so that he can start getting used to being with someone else when he's eating.  At least start pumping your milk out and let other people feed him or let him feed himself while you do other things around the room.  That way he can still see you, but notice that he can feed himself and that you're still there.  Then every day, when he's eating, walk out of the room for a few seconds and come back (make sure he sees you) so he can see that you always come back.  Try leaving again for just a little longer and increase your times away every day just a little.  He needs to grow more comfortable when you leave and still know that you will be back.  Does he have separation anxiety?  Does he cry when he sees you leave?  What my sister used to do when she started working was that she just wouldn't let her baby see her leave and she'd be ok with me.  I have known quite a few babies that were ok as long as they wouldn't actually see the mother leave.  Good luck.

[AndiJ78]

Actually, breastmilk is still very nutritious even after the first birthday. But if you do not want to have to be chained to the pump, you could certainly start adding more nutritious solid foods to his diet.

I would skip the bottle and go right to a sippy cup, they have plenty out there that satisfy the need to suckle without bringing in the trouble if getting rid of the bottle. My boys all liked the silicone straw cups. Start with breastmilk or water. After his first birthday, you can add a little warmed whole milk as well.

[AnnaMariaF]

Thank you so much for your responses... you both gave me some good advice. I think I will trying pumping a little and putting the milk in a sippy cup. I will also try to offer my son solid foods first and more often. I'm pretty scared for January actually.. my son, AJ, is VERY attached to me (but that's pretty normal!)... I really can't even imagine my husband watching him for 8 hours at a time-I feel like he tries to squeeze in too much "true tv" and "spike"... One of my family members told me that this is the worst possible age to leave your baby for long periods of time (around one year old). She says that this is because they are so very attached to and aware of their mother. I was very upset to hear what she had to say--I realize that there are plenty of mothers who work or go to school, but just to hear that this particular age is especially traumatic for them was so upsetting.. do you agree with this point of view?