I'm just not sure what I should do here. DS2 is 8.5 months and has been baby led weaned since 5.5 months. He absolutely loves his food and would keep eating if I kept giving him food. The issue I have is that he's not a fan of his breast milk. He will take 5 mins, if I'm lucky, then refuse any more. Mainly in the mornings. He has his last breastfeed before bed around 7.30pm (which is generally a good feed), and wakes up around 6/6.30am. He will have a good BF if he falls asleep at the breast, which I allow him to do as I can be sure he's getting enough milk that way.
The question I have is when he doesn't take his breastfeed should I still give him his solids after? I have tried to skip lunch in hope that he takes his afternoon feed better, which seemed to help a little but not a whole lot.
Some mornings I will express & put around 100mls of EBM on his cereal so I know he is getting enough milk but I don't want to have to do this every morning.
I know that they take what they want etc etc.... But I also know that food is just for fun under the age of 1.
How many feeds is he actually having a day now?
Sometimes a quick feed doesn't mean he hasn't gotten a lot, they get more efficient as they get older so maybe he's just a good sucker
Personally if he's sleeping well, having plenty of wet nappies etc and he's gaining weight then i'd continue with what your doing, maybe no offer any 'extra' solids if he doesn't feed but i wouldn't be reducing any if he seems to like it now.
I have considered that he is an efficient feeder, though my breasts still feel very full after the feed.
Thanks for your replies. It has certainly helped.
I'm not sure if he's gaining weight as I don't weigh him regularly. Perhaps that's something I should do. He's quite lean. I wouldn't say underweight but he's definately not the chubba bubba DS1 was.
He has 4 or 5 feeds a day. If I offer at other times he'll either refuse or just suckle for a minute or so.
I would ease off the solids a bit - make sure you are offering the breast first, and don't offer the solids immediately after he pulls off.. If he isn't draining the breast effectively at any feed, I would focus on that.
Is he being otherwise distracted from the feed? TV, other kids, etc?
4-5 is probably fine at this age. Trying to force more is often counterproductive. Distraction can be a factor, though, do you take him somewhere quiet and borign to feed? Sometimes that helps.
If he's feeding himself and you follow his lead then it will probably be fine.
Hi,
Babies eat and breastfeed - one doesn't have to be at the expense of the other. And they can guzzle down a boob in no time flat at this age. And like all kids they get fidgety and unco-operative if they are made to sit at the table when the meal is finished (He'll be the same as a teenager!)
I saw a mug at "Typo" that said "Stay calm and keep drinking. Should be one for BF mums - stay calm and keep feeding. Your baby knows what he needs. He's fine. doing what babies do.
Give him food or skip a meal?
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