Breastfeeding 10 month old - how much?

[*EJ*]

I feel a little silly asking as i've been here before (i breastfed both my boys past 12 months) but life was a little different then.

I'm just wondering if there is a minimum amount she should be having. Currently she has a feed before each sleep (am, pm & bed time) and then maybe 2 or 3 over night. This is when we're at home though. To get her to relax and feed i have to do our bed time routine and sit in the quiet away from the boys or she will not concentrate. All good this is not an issue.

It's on the days when we're out that she could go 5 or more hours without a feed. When possible i offer but she really will not have a bar of it. Outings just aren't quick with 3 kids of even with the shortest of shopping lists it could take hours. Yesterday it was 8 hours between her am & pm feed!!

So just wondering if at her age this is ok? Obviously she's on solids and has water aswell. Just not sure if there is a mimimum requirement of breastmilk at 10 months of age?

Thanks ladies

[Cass72]

I just went with what my little one wanted. If he was having a "no food" day (ie, he just didn't want to eat) I would give him extra feeds. I just took his cues and BF when he wanted it. As he got a bit older, it was more difficult to feed him when we were out and about as he was very easily distracted. Even feeding in parents rooms wasn't always successful due to noisy older kids (and I have one little sticky beak who has to see whats going on) so I would go and sit in my car where it was quiet and he knew the surroundings.

If she's gaining weight, seems healthy and happy I wouldn't worry - just follow her lead. I'm sure she'll let you know when she's hungry. I rang the ABA a couple of times just to chat and ask their opinion and this was the advice they always gave me.

FWIW I think that you should just trust your mummy instincts - like you said, you breastfed both boys past 12 months, so I'm sure you did something right!!

[Barb Glare]

Perfect! Just follow her lead

[*EJ*]

Thanks so much ladies. So if she's not screaming for it when we're out i'm not doing the bad mumma thing by not offering. I did do it with my boys i know but we were home a little more and it wasn't such an issue.

Cass72 i tried to feed her in a maccas on the weekend, i tried to cover her up to cut out the distractions but she could still me sneeking some chips... It just didn't work

[Babyluv]

Sounds very similar to what my DD is having. 3 feeds during the day and then if she wakes once in the night she has 1 feed if she wakes 2-3 times she has 2-3 feeds. She has gone 6-7 hrs without a feed no worries.

[~MummaBear~]

I honestly couldnt tell you how often my 10 month old feeds becuse he changes every single day. i just ofer on demand and he seems to be doing ok! some days he will have 4 ish feeds other days he will feed every 2 hours... as long as bub is happy healthy and having wet nappies you should be fine!

[Barb Glare]

She probably wanted the chips not the boob!

[Cass72]

She probably wanted the chips not the boob!

I think you're probably right there!! Amazing how quickly little ones discover that chips are "num-num" when they haven't ever tried them before!!

[*EJ*]

Thanks Babyluv our bubs do sound very similar

Thanks Mummabear, demand feeding is our prefered option also but when out and about like i described i suppose i should just relax and know she'd have it if she wanted it I'm still learning after all this time

She probably wanted the chips not the boob!

Haha she's not a silly girl More so a silly mum for expecting her to do it in the first place