My 10 month old son won't drink formula or any sort of milk except breast milk. How do I stop breastfeeding?

I have tried all cows milk including chocolate, strawberry, banana aswell as pediasure and soy milk. I thought it was the bottle but he drinks water and juice fine. I have to stop breastfeeding, I am going back to work and I don't want him to starve for milk while I'm gone. Please anyone with any ideas I would greatly appreciate any advice.
Thank you so much.

I agree with Texas Gal--start by mixing expressed milk with a little formula and gradually increase. I had the same problem at first, and a friend told me the same thing. After a couple of weeks, my daughter was drinking straight formula. I still breastfed at night to put her to bed and when she would wake up, but it helps to have someone else give the bottle (cradling the baby in the same position you do when nursing) and for you to not be in the room at the time. Otherwise, the baby knows that you are there and will refuse the bottle knowing you can feed him. It was really hard for me the first few weeks, but everyone told me that babies won't let themselves starve, so my daughter would eventually take the bottle, and she did. I also started formula to return to work, but I didn't pump at work. I gradually decreased breastfeedings until she was only on formula, and I didn't experience any of the breast pain so many others told me came with weaning. If all else fails, your son is old enough to eat some solid foods if he absolutely refuses a bottle while you're at work.

Your son will need formula or breast milk rather than cow's milk at this age. The ideal option would be for you to breast feed when you are with him, and pump while at work, so that he continues getting breast milk.

If that isn't really an option for you, then try mixing 3/4 breast milk and 1/4 formula in a bottle. After he accepts that for a few days, slowly increase the amount of formula until he is totally off of breast milk. You can probably have him weaned within two weeks.

I weened at 10 months too - my daughter was exclusively breastfed, no bottles up to that point.

We went straight to a spill proof sippy cup - first to a soft spout and once she started chewing on that we went to a hard spout. She would absolutely not take formula but would drink some whole cows milk. I started expressing a little breastmilk and mixing it with the cows milk so she would get used to the taste. Then I just gradually decreased the breastmilk over about two weeks. It also helps if you have someone else give the cows milk at first because your baby associates you with the comfort of nursing and will just want to do that when he's with you.

My daughter had a few nights where she was sad to not be nursing but she just got extra cuddles and was usually ok with that. It can be stressful but eventually when they get the message that there is no more breastmilk they will accept the cows milk.

Good luck!

u have to try slowly and try giving the bottle. U cant just go cold turkey on the baby from breast milk to formula. Trust me if u slowly switch over to formula in no time your little one will love formula. Give the formula when he is really hungry and he def. wont deny that....it's a transition for the baby so be patient.

Good luck and I think it's great that u breast fed for so long because it's so good for a baby and helps built their immune system.

Baby needs to eat either formula or mama milk this young.
Two things, try a cup instead, or you can rent a pump.
Medela has wonderful pumps you can rent.

You don't necessarily HAVE to stop breastfeeding just because you are going back to work. If you want to continue, you can pump milk several times a day and store it so that your caregiver can give your son a bottle with your breastmilk while you are at work.

If you don't want to continue breastfeeding, I suggest you purchase an infant formula rather than commercial milks. Most experts do not recommend cow's milk for a child until he reaches one year of age because it does not contain an adequate amount of iron. Then pump some breast milk and give him a combination of breastmilk with a little formula in it. Over several days, increase the amount of formula in the bottle compared to the amount of breastmilk little by little until the bottle contains mostly or solely formula. This allows him to adjust to it gradually.

If your baby won't take a bottle with breast milk or a milk substitute from you, try getting your husband or a friend or other family member to try feeding him. Your baby associates you with your breast and breastmilk, and he may never be willing to take a milk-substitute from you or even to take your own breastmilk from you out of a bottle.

My daughter never would, nor would she take a pacifier from me. If I was holding her, it was the breast or nothing (except, occasionally, water or a juice). She didn't mind taking a bottle of breastmilk, formula, or a pacifier from my mother or from my husband, though.