cows milk for 8 1/2 month old?????

[MantaRay]

Jo Jo, I agree with Rosehip Fairy. I wouldn't be giving her cows milk to drink yet, but I wouldn't be worrying about formula either. Try and keep up with 4 bfs a day for now as the bm is still the most important part of your DDs diet. But if you do want the flexibility to work, I would give expressing a day. You wouldn't need much EBM to cover one feed a day, and your DD is eating solids and drinking water so you really could get by without expressing but maybe make an extra feed up elsewhere. Closer to 12 months, 3 bfs a day is probably ok anyway, and from 12 months definitely it's ok, both my boys stopped taking more than 2 -3 feeds a day not long after 12 months. GL. I have returned to work after each of my boys was about the age of your DD and I never gave any formula (or cows' milk before 12 months).

RF - Wow, you really do get some bad advice hun don't you!! Neither of my boys drank cows milk before 12 months, both were bf until at least 14 months and both love thier cows' milk now (not that that's necessarily a good thing, I have my doubts about how good it is for them). Good on you for putting up with it all!

[Jo Jo]

Thanks for the replies ladies.
I'm still trying to give her 4 BF's but she hasn't been very interested in her second feed so iv? just been offering it to her a bit later.
I will try & express some milk for her cup & see how she goes, it's not like she's starving anyway she's a very chubby bubby. lol
It's hard when your given conflicting advice by people such as CHN when you think you can trust them to know what they're talking about & give you the right information & advice especially when your a first time mum so you don't really know any different.

[MantaRay]

I agree Jo Jo, the conflicting advice is very hard. I

[linds]

Hi Jojo,

Sorry to hijack your thread, but I have a similar issue. DD is nine months old and is just starting daycare two days per week because I am about to go back to work. She has always been BF and now has about 4 feeds a day, but like you, seems to be dropping a feed. I have always been able to express in the past but now am totally unable to get ANYTHING when I express. I had planned to send her to daycare with EBM in a cup, but am now having serious doubts as to whether I am going to be able to get any milk for her! I have tried all the tips for getting a letdown, but no luck. I think it has now become a psychological thing because I am stressing about it!
Anyway, bottom line is, and this is where I might be of help to you, I rang the ABA and they said that at nine months old, and having three solid meals a day and plenty of water, realistically, for two days per week DD could go without BF during the day, and just have the morning and evening ones, and then I would BF as normal for the rest of the week.
Sounds like you could do this too, esp if DD is not so interested in the second feed anyway??

I am really worried about DD not getting enough milk like this, but I also don't want to have to start formula now when we are so close to 12 months and can move straight to cows milk.

Sorry to hijack , but does anyone disagree with the ABA on this one? Will DD be ok on just two feeds on the two days I work? Should I try formula, just to see if she'll take it? I don't want to be denying bubs nutrition just because I don't want to give her formula, but I am really struggling with expressing. ,

Thanks for listening!

[suse]

It's hard when your given conflicting advice by people such as CHN when you think you can trust them to know what they're talking about & give you the right information & advice especially when your a first time mum so you don't really know any different.

JoJo, my CHN didn't know what rice cereal was made out of (WTF???), or why it was recommended as a first food over wheaten cereals! Eeeep.

[AnyDream]

Linds, it's sold in the supermarket where the soy milk is, near the longlife cows milk, usually on the top shelf. Read the label to make sure there's nothing in it you wouldn't want to give (it's a long time since I looked and I can't remember if some brands have additives like flavoring). Good luck, I'll be doing it all again in a couple of months time too !

[MantaRay]

I think the advice from the ABA sounds good. It is similar to what my boys also. I would go with that.

[Jo Jo]

Thanks for all the info,
The rice milk is a good idea, i hadn't heard that.

Linds - i was also told that my dd could go without the other BF if she was having the 3 solids & water also, but my dd really loves the booby, i don't know how i'll ever wean her! She uses it for comfort sometimes too. I don't really need to go back to work i just thought if they were desperate they could give me a call. I think i would be too worried about her going without the BF so i'm thinking i might just put it off untill she's a bit older.

Suse - i feel like i get better advice from this site than CHN, she is lovely but sometimes i just have to go with my instincts.

[MantaRay]

Jo jo, it is possible to return to work and still bf. I have done it twice and it didn't interfere with bfing. But if you don't feel ready, extra time at home could be nice too. I am sure that whatever decision you make will be the right one and either way you can continue a rewarding bfing journey.