Wanting to gradually wean 7mo off BF'ing, but how??

[MsSampson]

Is there some kind of good guide/plan for how to do it, without resulting in loads of screaming? Like a No Cry Sleep Solution for baby boob fiends? Or do the rules about not promoting formula prevent anyone from doing such a thing?

DD is 7mo and still fed on demand. She demands a lot, and frequently isn't actually that interested once I've got a boob out for her. She will drink small amounts of formula from a doidy, but nothing that would constitute a full feed. I've left her with DP for an afternoon recently and she just refused all milk until I returned (she had plenty of food/water, was perfectly happy, just no milk).

Anyway, I am keen to gradually phase out bf'ing, so that we finish around 11-12 months before I return to work. At the moment that just seems a million miles away, and I'm worried that if I don't start doing something a bit more consistent, it's never going to happen. I'm going to be away for a few nights at around 12 months, and my job will also require me to travel a bit when I'm back, so I'm certain this is what I want to do.

Does anyone have any good advice on the best way to start?

[madeuplovesong]

Watching with interest as in same position and wanting to do the same thing with my 7 month old! Does your baby still feed at night? Mine wakes usually once a night for a feed with a dream feed at around 10. Have tried going cold turkey with that one in the past week and it has been an epic fail - last night one hr of crying after which I gave in and fed him, poor thing was genuinely hungry. Am going to try and get rid of that feed by bringing it fwd by 15 minutes every 3 days or so. No idea if it will work, I have my doubts, but at the moment thats the only plan i have! Similarly my ds doesn't seem too bothered about day time feeds and i have to actively encourage him to feed, but seems to make up for it at night, very annoying as I would much rather get rid of night feeds first. He has taken to solids quite well but refuses a spoon so we have pretty much gone down the blw route, hence I have no idea how much food he takes. Going to speak to HV this week for 'official' advice but would love to hear from people who have been through similar. For instance, how much milk do they need at this stage and when is it ok to drop feeds? Babies are such confusing creatures!

[MsSampson]

We've given up night feeds, depending on whether or not you consider 5.30am day or night! She was waking up loads, and I think some was hunger, but some was habit, and either way, it was every 2 hours. I've posted about this separately, but I read No Cry Sleep Solution, and used ideas from that, but ended up cutting down the length of time I fed during the night - in the end each feed was just 2.5mins, so I was sure it was comfort, not nutrition iyswim. Also, I think she was doing the same as yours, and filling up during the night, so it was a good way to reset her the other way, as she would wake up hungry - when she was waking loads sometimes she wouldn't feed at all until 11am. Anyway, once we'd got there I then went cold turkey on night feeds, and it wasn't too bad. Basically one night of being up a bit, and then she started settling quickly with no feeding. But, as above, the downside is v early mornings, shudder.
I'm also the same, we're BLW mainly (with occasional bits poked in by me). Sometimes it seems as though she's eaten tons, and then I sweep the floor and realise where it all is.
I was reading my Penelope Leach book last night, and also talking to friends who have FF babies, and it seems 4 feeds a day is the kind of guideline. My issue is that DD I think likes little and often. Or likes to reassure herself that they are still there at regular opportunities. And she just has no interest in filling herself up on formula - she'll take maybe 2ozs, but then ask for bf'ing.
Let me know what your HV says! (hopefully it will be more useful than any advice I have ever had from mine....)