Re: Nursing and Feeding issues

Sherri,

It's not uncommon for babies who have gained well to slow down at this age because they become more mobile and begin slimming down. However average weight gain for a 6-12 month old baby is 2-4 ounces a week. It has been proven that breasted babies grow differently than bottlefed babies and the growth charts that most docs have are of fomula fed infants. Fromt he 4th month to the 12th month BF babies gain more slowly even after solids are started and at 1 year BF babies are leaner than FF babies. BF babies also consume less milk than FF babies but use it more efficiently.

Some babies are not real interested in food even at this age. Are there allergies in your family? Some babies who do not like to eat have an instinct about their food sensitivites. I understand your frustration especially if your baby is needy. Sometimes when you wean during the day it just means the baby will nurse at night. The only way to keep your supply up is the baby nursing, so by cutting daytime feedings baby has no other alternative than the nursathon at night. Maybe you could try not allowing baby to hang on the breast all night and nursing normally during the day. There are still so many benefits to BFing in the second year. Baby gets sick less. It is still providing lots of good nutrition so if baby doesnt eat you can be assured they are still getting what they need. At this age my son did not eat a lot of solids. He certainly did not eat 3 meals a day like FF counterparts. I would say his main nutrition was still coming form breast milk with maybe 1/2 pear and small serving of food while we ate dinner which I feel was more of a social thing than his want of the food. Maybe you could leave some expressed milk when you leave and baby would be happier. Also babies at this age can become very attached to mother especially as they begin to discover their separateness from her. I would not discourage this child's need for reassurance. The children who end up inscecure are the ones whose needs are not met. This child might be especially sensitive. Close contact with your children day or night does not cause a child to be clingy. Keep in mind all children have a different pace. I wouldn't push baby until he is secure and ready.

Also relatives sometimes make you feel like you should be leaving your baby. Somehow it drives them crazy that they cannot meet that particular need of the baby and they encourage weaning so they can participate more. Smart babies want their mamma and BF babies ARE smarter than FF babies!!! MOTHER is their survival. Reletives who have not breastfed also have a poor understanding of what is normal for a BF baby and think it is abnormal when they do not eat at that age.

Take heart knowing that baby will outgrow this stage and move on and love to stay with grandma and daddy one day. Baby will not nurse all night forever. You will blink your eyes and he will be climbing a tree and want to do things all by himself. That day will come.

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