Boob hungry 12mo

[doin'mybest]

My 12mo DS has at least 6 BF a day (and that's a good day, it's quite often more!). I try to fill him up on solids, but he just doesn't seem very interested. I've tried a variety of foods, but it doesn't make much difference. He doesn't appear to be suffering (he's a very healthy 15kg:eek: ) but i'm worried that he's probably not getting all the vitamins etc that a 12mo needs. Also all this bf is making me so tired all the time, most arvo's i have to just lay down cos i'm too tired to do anything.:sleeping:

Does anyone have any suggestions?

[becca74]

My son is 2 tomorrow and I bf him up till December last year.....he only cut down the, what seemed like a million, feeds a day in about October last year.... so it sounds like your boy is normal ;-) Alot of people whose babies are at risk from inherited allergies breastfeed exclusively for 12 months, only then introducing solids for the first time to be on the safe side. So if they are doing that successfully, then I'm sure your boy is getting all he needs from your milk (boobs are clever arent they!!)

I bf all my boys for over a year except my 2nd son who decided of his own accord to stop bf at 11 months, and he refused all liquids except water after that (and he is just 4 and only recently started expanding his drinking repetoire to juices). Because he wouldnt even have formula, I was paranoid he wasnt getting enough calcium etc....luckily he ate cheese and yoghurt....so I gave him loads of those.

I gave up bf my 3rd boy when I was about 3 months pregnant with this one, as it felt icky and painful, and I was totally exhausted..... I had intended to try tandem feeding, but just couldnt stomach it! I felt so guilty because I am such a huge breastfeeding fan as well......oh well......

So dont feel guilty, especially with your boy being 12 months, even if you want to at least try and cut down his feeds for your own sanity. some things I suggest are using forumla milk in his morning cereal, rather than normal milk, and give him yoghurts and cheese more often - he might find that he doesnt feel like as much milk from you as he is getting it elsewhere......If he is picky over his food (my sons are excrutiatingly picky eaters, so I know how difficult children can be in this arena), then just give him loads of cheese/yoghurt (food with high milk derived content) etc to play with (with the yoghurt, strip him to his nappy, stick him in his highchair with a huge plastic table cloth underneath, and leave him to fingerpaint and splat with it to his hearts content)......If he thinks its a game, he may end up putting some of this in his mouth - this is the only way I've managed to trick my kids into eating half the foods they do!

good luck! and remember these things will all be a dim distant memory on his 21st birthday, when you will be wondering where all the time went! :thumbsup:

[doin'mybest]

Thanks Becca. It's comforting to know that my bub's not the only 'boobaholic'!:yelclap: I was starting to think there was something wrong as all my friends are telling me he should be down to 1 or 2 feeds a day now and that i'm crazy to be feeding that much. I'll can stop stressin so much now!:)

[vespertine]

All babies are different, it's perfectly healthy and natural for your wee boy to enjoy breastmilk so much and prefer it over solids. If he's growing substantially and producing plenty of wet and pooey nappies, just continue on your merry way of demand feeding. Breastmilk will provide him with everything he needs until he's ready to have solids. Hooray for amazing, life giving, nourishing, catered-to-suit-your-babies needs booby juice :smiliedance:

[Jo_Jo]

My little fella is a boobaholic his 11 months, he loves his solids but he hey,s or nay,s them but he never knocks back booby!!!

cheers...jo

[stoked2be-a-ma]

My lil man is exactly the same. He knows when he wants booby and wont settle for anything else. He has a routine and hes not ready to give it up yet. Everyones been telling me that he shouldnt be feeding so often but I think the more breast milk he has is best for him. I enjoy the cuddles aswell because now hes on the move he is too busy for me most of the time. Enjoy it and if its not bothering you I wouldnt listen to anyone else.:thumbsup:

[BJelly]

Hi,

My little girl is 13 mths old and she is eating 3 meals and 2 snacks a day, but she still BF's about 6 times a day. Some of the BF's seem to be getting shorter, but she has several big feeds a day.

[Imsooverit]

I think it's great that your still bf. I've got a 10 1/2 month DD and I'm already getting the "When are you going to wean her?" questions and "You'll still be feeding her at her 21st". I am down to 3 bf's a day - she's cut herself back to that, and I have recently had a couple of days where she's only had 2 feeds (morning and night).

When my DD was a couple of months old she was wanting to feed very frequently. I was exhausted, I found it really draining.

If you are exhausted and want to cut down the number of feeds I was told that when DD shows that she's hungry (cries?) I should distract her for 5 minutes at each feed (say take her outside and point to objects and talk about them). Do that for a couple of days and then push it out to 10 minutes etc. Eventually the gaps will get bigger and then before you know it you'll be down to say 4 larger feeds each day. It will stop the "snacking" and she will have a larger feed which will keep her going longer.

I tried this and it worked. But I must admit DD's problem was she cried when she was tired and I misinterpreted it and fed her and she fell asleep (therefore only having a snack). When I tried to push her times out, she just went to sleep instead and had much less feeds a day but they were bigger.

I don't know if this will help or even if you want to cut down the feeds, but just in case I thought I'd let you know what I was told.

Did it make any sense???

Now my problem is DD won't drink breast milk from anything but me, so I can't express and have an evening out without her (I've got ot be around for her bed time). She also won't accept formula or cows milk at all. :banghead: Oh well, good thing I love her to bits and don't mind feeding - it'll all end soon enough.

Enough from me :ecomcity: :ecomcity:

[doin'mybest]

Thanks for your advice everyone.:thumbsup:

[juju]

I'm relieved to find this thread. I was starting to feel a bit lonely with my boy comfort feeding whenever he was looking for it, usually about 3-4 times a day as well as once or twice at night. I really don't mind...because when I put pressure on him to change we both end up miserable and more sleep deprived then ever. I have alot of friends gloating about their weaning success and then I wonder if I should do the same. It'snice to come across others who have the same issues.

[Sherrie]

My daughter is 1 week from 12mo and she is a 2hr feeder day and night. She only plays with a bottle or sippy cup and isn't a big fan of solids other then just tasting. I have found she likes this organic sweet potatoe and pumpkin puree you can buy and I mix in this organic apricot and pear puree in some organic yoghurt which she likes but everything else she just has a couple of mouthfuls.

But I'm sure she will settle down soon!

[aardvark]

I'm a firm believer in babies weaning themselves off the boob.

My two girls were both bf'd until after the age of 3.

If a child needs boob for either emotional or physical wellbeing, then that is what they will ask for. Once they no longer require it for either physical or emotional needs, they will stop of their own accord.

Honestly, it is very reassuring if you have a sick child that you can offer them nutrition and comfort in one neat package! OK, they might not be sick very often, but when they are, boob is a comfort to both.

I'm intending to feed DS until he no longer wants it, which I'm hoping will also be after he turns three - quite a way off yet.