Breastfeeding a 10 month old

I have two concerns -

1. I want to make sure my baby is getting enough breastmilk since I understand that is the most important thing until one year. I would also like to sleep through the night.

2. I want to know what I should be doing to prepare to wean.

Right now, I breastfeed at 6 am, solids breakfast at 7:30, before the 9 am nap, solids lunch at 12, before the 2 pm nap, solids dinner at 6, before bed at 7:30. She is also up usually at 10 or 11 pm and 3 am to breastfeed. When I breasfeed, I only do one breast at a time.

Does this sound like a good schedule? Should I do both breasts? Would that help reduce the wake up times during the night?

I plan on weaning after the first year. My baby does not need to breastfeed to fall asleep - she never falls asleep while feeding, but I have been in the habit of feeding her before naps and bedtime. I have considered changing it to feed her after her naps so that is will be easier to wean. I figure I could drop one feeding a day slowly over time. Do you have any thoughts on changing my feeding time now to help weaning in the future?

Breastfeeding is definitely an art and sometimes I feel lost. I appreciate your help!

Answer from the lactation consultant

1. Babies will sleep through the night when they are develpmentally ready. My first did at 6 months and my second did not until she was almost 2 years. I would never suggest weaning feeds until after a year unless you plan on supplementing with formula and of course I do not suggest that.
2. I am assuming your question about weaning means YOU will be ready to wean at one year. There is NO way to predict when baby will be ready to wean. If you are wanting to wean at a year, I suggest starting the weaning process at 12 months, because if you do it before then you will have to supplement with formula. NASTY stuff. Weaning is a pretty simple process, you simply distract her and cut out one feed per week. A nap time feed will be the easiest. Then do an alternating feed: middle of the night. Like wean the 2pm then the 3am then the 6am then 6pm and so on. She will still need milk but after 12 months you can start cows milk or goats milk.

Now that I have answered your questions, I would like to throw in my opinion. I encourage you to breastfeed as long as possible. Maybe wean a few feeds but try to make it will into her second year. The benefits of extended breastfeeding are well documented. As she begins to eat more foods, you will find she will wean down to 2-3 feeds on her own with little/no effort on your part. Breastfeeding is not all about nutrition, immunization is a huge part and the longer you provide her with antibiodies from your breastmilk the better off her immune system will be.

I hope this helps,

Liz Pevytoe, RN, IBCLC