breastfeeding

[cheap momma]

Ok my DS is approaching 4 months and we are thinking about introducing cereal, but will try to hold out until 6 months. So when babies start eating cereal and solids, do they also stop breastfeeding? This is my first. I want to know how does the breastfeeding end? Will he just wake up one day and be like "see ya mommy" or does it gradually decrease until it is over? I finally got the hang of this after worrying for about a month, now I am realizing that it might almost be over ... :(

[Fourboys]

you baby NEEDS to breastfeed while eating solids and cereal. whether formula fed or nursing babies typically stay on one or the other til at least 1 year old. and dont be surprised - some babies dont take to soldis for a while. I had oen start at 4 monthsd, one at 10 montsh, one at 8 months, and one at 9 months. Youc an offer - but you cant forcee it :-) here's a website with some info on starting solids

http://www.keepkidshealthy.com/infant/startingsolids.html

and even with solids you can nurse for a very long time. My opinion is if you can nurse until he's 2 you ahve given him a tremendous immune system, healthy start, etc. some people are comfortable nursing past that - some people stop nursing at 1 year and every where in ebtween. BUT until at least 1 year you really need to look as cereal and solids as a SUPPLEMENT not a meal.

http://www.keepkidshealthy.com/infant/startingsolids.html

[Admin 100thousandaire]

I nursed and fed all 3 of mine solids. On the first baby, I started solids at 4 months and at 6 months for the last two. They in no way turned down the breast. I just had to figure out how to do it. I usually fed them solids first and then breastfed. Otherwise, they would not eat very much solids to fill their tummies. Remember, all kids are different and my middle one LOVES to have a full tummy. You have to try different things sometimes to make it all work.

[Admin Juleslian]

I began introducing solids right around 5 mos with all of mine and nobody turned down the goods. Nursed all of them very successfully for 10-12 mos.

[cheap momma]

cool thanks guys....another question, as his appetite increases (from 3oz to 5 oz), will my milk do the same?

[MomToElizabeth]

I breastfed both of my kids until 22 months for DD#1 and 25 months for DD#2. They ate solid foods starting at 5 momths and they never seemed to turn down breastmilk when offered. Your baby will need breastmilk or formula as their primary diet until they are close to one year old. You start offerring more and more solid foods as the months go on, but their primary diet is still milk. Probaby your milk production will increase if your baby nurses more. If you start giving your baby more solids instead of nursing, then your milk production will never increase to meet the baby's needs.

As for weaning, my DD's needed a little help to stop, but gradually reducing nursing sessions was the key for our weaning.

[Fourboys]

cool thanks guys....another question, as his appetite increases (from 3oz to 5 oz), will my milk do the same?

most definitly! it's a supply and demand issue. the more he demands - the mroe you'll supply. he might go through growth spurts where you feel like you are nursing all day.... but that's just cause his constant nusing will tell your body to make more.

[Admin 100thousandaire]

Yes, supply and demand is the key. I found that drinking fenugreek tea helped to increase my milk production. Otherwise, you can either add more feedings from the baby OR pump in between feedings - this will increase milk production also.

[Lilly's Mommy]

Everyone has given you such great advice so far!

First of all, congrats for being such a great mommy and breastfeeding for as long as you have. Once you begin solids you actually begin the weaning process. If you choose to wean gradually which is highly recommended by doctors and the LLL then you will continue to give solids and breastmilk for some time. I still nurse my thirteen month old and she eats like a horse. I can't believe how much she eats and she still nurses. Her nursing decreases and increases depending on her moods and whether or not she is teething. Your supply should do the same. If you nurse on demand rather than on a clock schedule then your supply should keep up. It's funny our nature works. Good for you!!!

[Elizabeth]

Ditto to what everyone else said :) Our DBs (dear boobies) are amazing at producing just what are little ones need.

I let DS#1 wean himself. He just gradually lost interest. He was able to go from breast to cup and we skipped bottles! That was nice.

[Tanikova]

I waited until 6 months to introduce solids and Victoria still nursed until about 17 to 18 months of age and quick abruptly when she had 2 back to back cases of croup though at that point it was just before bed and maybe a snack at night (not every night)

[trentamy]

I nursed my daughter until 14 months and she was on table food by 8 months. She started cereal around 4 months. She weaned herself. She is my third, but my boys didn't nurse. My first was more of my doing, I was only 19 and didn't give it much of chance, I was just trying to survive daily life. My son, who is now 3 refused the breast, so I pumped for him for about 6 months. My daughter nursed constantly until about 9 months and then tapered off slowly. By about 13 months, she was down to just before bed, and then one night just went to sleep without it. It was truly a bitter sweet moment for me. She is 17 months now, I still miss it sometimes.

amy

[carj]

Wow, I think that it is great that so many people had babies that lost interest or weaned themselves when the time came. My children NEVER lost interest without some intervention from me!!

Baby #1 was 18 months when I decided enough was enough and baby #2 was 23 months. I know that LLL advocates baby-led weaning but as much as I enjoyed nursing, it was time to stop.

I would say that introducing solids did very little to decrease my children's interest in nursing. They were still hooked!:)

[Fourboys]

Wow, I think that it is great that so many people had babies that lost interest or weaned themselves when the time came. My children NEVER lost interest without some intervention from me!!

Baby #1 was 18 months when I decided enough was enough and baby #2 was 23 months. I know that LLL advocates baby-led weaning but as much as I enjoyed nursing, it was time to stop.

I would say that introducing solids did very little to decrease my children's interest in nursing. They were still hooked!:)

mine either CArj - but I will say that each child I was willing to let nurse a little longer :-) But they all nursed somewhere between 15-24 months. ( course with the last one I wasnt pregnant with the next one either - so he went the longest!)

[MommaBean]

Wow, I think that it is great that so many people had babies that lost interest or weaned themselves when the time came. My children NEVER lost interest without some intervention from me!!

Baby #1 was 18 months when I decided enough was enough and baby #2 was 23 months. I know that LLL advocates baby-led weaning but as much as I enjoyed nursing, it was time to stop.

I would say that introducing solids did very little to decrease my children's interest in nursing. They were still hooked!:)

my first decided he didnt like me at around 10 months... we literally fought screaming and crying to nurse until he was 11 months but he would not letme hold him and wouldnt latch...never could figure it outwhy.

ds2 ...well he literally chases the boobs down. if i sit in one particular chair in our home he runs to me. he has come toddling over with blanket in hand even whimpering saying 'yesyesyes' in recent days. if i sit down next to him he will lean over lift my shirt and giggle and clap. i really think we are in for the long haul on this one ;) .right now we are 12 mo.

good luck to you on your nursing. you will be so surprised at how your body can overcome everything and work on its own to provide everything the kiddo needs!

Meg

[thekatinthehat]

Olivia lost interest on her own at 4 and half months. She just wanted the bottle. It was a bummer, but that's just another reason that they make pumps!

[Hope]

JMJ

I am going on my 11 year of nursing...no not the same kid...lol...I have four and they all self weaned at about 2--okay, okay I had one hold out, but it wasn't a constant thing and I plan on using this little bit of information on him at a later date...muwhahahaha.

I highly recommend the Womanly Art of Breastfeeding put out by the La Leche League (LLL)trust your instincts and make sure that they are getting enough hind milk in relation to foremilk...too much of the latter can make babies really gassy and uncomfortable.

I had one who seemed on arrival to be ready to order a beer and a sandwich and another who wouldn't touch food except to express himself artistically until about 11 months. We never used bottles or baby food either. If they saw what we were eating they would generally and eventually want to make an inquiry. If it wasn't habaneros or something like that we would give them a smashed up taste-- if it wasn't too hard to digest.

One thing about breastfeeding...since your milk changes taste with your diet, kiddos seem to be very willing to try different kinds of foods. I have two kiddos in the middle that while I was working on growing a business, spent a lot a time with daddy while I was out (I went through some pumps then)...suffice to say they are chicken nugget fiends where my other two are more adventurous eaters...

I bet you are doing great! Good luck
Hope