Breastfeeding Weaning

I agree with continuing, if you can. And about the weight issue, I heard that chubby babies actually tend to have less weight issues as adults. I can't recall who did that study, but I heard it somewhere.

i don't know of anything that will "dry up" your breast milk. and actually i would continue you to continue. children need breast milk up to at least one year of age (look on any formula package and they will tell you that breastmilk is best, and the apa doesn't reccommend cow's milk until the age of two.

if he get's rough with the teeth, unlatch him, and he will get the idea. (usually it's not a matter of them actually biting, but them not knowing how to compensate for the new teeth in their mouths, it passes quickly, if you correct it.)

there is NO reason for you to monitor our baby's consumption by ounce, your breasts will prodice what he needs based on demand. if he's eating more he will probably feed less, and vice versa. please don't wean now, it would be detrimental to your baby's health and to yours (mother's who breastfeed beyond a few months have more antibodies to fight off breast and cervical cancer. babies who brest feed to six months and beyond have fewer instances of tonsils being removed and environmental allergies.

so for you, and your baby, don't give up.

Please don't give up now. I found that this was about the time that I started really enjoying breastfeeding. The other mamas are right - you do NOT need to monitor what he is eating, your body will supply what he needs based on demand...plus it's so much cheaper! Why would you want to waste all that money on formula?

Here's a formula calculator to figure out how much you will save for the rest of this year: http://www.kellymom.com/bf/start/prepare/bfcostbenefits.h...

Plus think about all those bottles you will have to start sterilizing and washing.

:)

Hi H.,
Breastfeeding isn't like formula feeding in that you have to know exactly how much your child is getting for every feeding. Its all about supply and demand.... the more he nurses, the more milk your body makes for him. When he's about to go through a growth spurt, he'll nurse more and your body will accomundate him. You can't over feed him like you can with formula. My 2nd child was in the 95th percentile for both length and weight for the longest time. She was 27lbs at 9 mths old!!! All from breastmilk. She's 4 now and slender; weighs about 40lbs, more or less. Anyways, as long as your baby is content, don't worry about how much breastmilk he's taking in.
Also, breastmilk is a complete food. It contains everything a baby needs up until the first year. After the first year, it still contains great stuff but your body realizes that the baby is now eating 'real' food. In other words, your milk won't go bad (I've heard some believe that misconception).
Kudos to you for breastfeeding him! That's awesome!
As far as biting goes... most every baby goes through this... the teeth are new and they want to know what to do with them. You just have to correct him. Some pluck the side of the baby's mouth (gently!) when they bite down and say "No!" really firmly. Some bring the baby's face into their bosom when they bite down... this makes the baby stop nursing to get air. Some remove the baby from the nipple every time they bite down. Believe me, the baby figures out the correlation soon enough! I've had 3 babies, all of whom I had to teach not to bite the nipple! I've been lactating for over 8 yrs now :)
Like some of the others have done, I'd encourage you to continue breastfeeding; it is what's best for the baby!
A.

Hi, H.! I am 33 and have four kids, ranging in age from one to 13 years old. All of my kids had a little bump in the road when teething and I firmly said no and put them down. With my youngest child, it just broke his heart and he went on a nursing strike for over 24 hours! He never really did that again, but I have noticed that I am a bit more sore when he is teething. I am so glad that he is still nursing at 15 months because we have such a close relationship and I wouldn't want to treat him any differently from the other kids. Two of my girls weaned themselves around one year, and the other daughter nursed until age two. None of my kids started food until at least six months...

About the weight thing, my son was really chubby and now that he is walking, he has thinned out and grown taller. At just a few months, he was in the 75% for weight and tenth percentile for height. I wouldn't worry about his weight unless your doctor says to worry. My daughters were chubby too, but they are all at a normal weight now, and healthy as can be (except for the family allergies, which would have been worse if I hadn't nursed them all).

Good luck! Hope this helps.

I don't know of any medicines to dry up your supply, but i do have some suggestions.

First, congratulations on nursing for 5 months! that is great and so good for your baby. If you decide that you want to continue the nursing, you can train the little one not to be so rough by discouraging him in some way ( i would simply take my little girl off when she would chew on me!) and that should stop it. i am a little partial to BFing (my one year old still nurses in the morning and at night) so i'd encourage you to stick it out if you can. the weight thing seems upsetting now, but it will all even out in the end, i promise!! my little girl was in the 70% of weight and only the 25% of height at her 9 mo checkup, but at this last one she had evened out to 55% and 45%.

if you decide you still want to wean, the easiest way for you and for baby is to remove one nursing session every couple days for a couple of weeks until they are all gone. that way you dont have to worry about getting engorged and the baby doesn't suffer the pain of going "cold turkey." i went from total nursing (8-10 times a day) to only twice, and that is how we did it.

hope this helps!

Hi H. P,

I have read all the responses to your concerns - great to see such loving and intelligent moms!

I agree with continuing breastfeeding. I am 45 and have five children ages 11 to 19. I breastfed my first two for six months each (while working fulltime). I breastfed my last three children for two years each. The second year of breastfeeding occured mostly mornings, nap-times, and night-time sleep. I let nature guide me and my baby.

I started a sippy cup near five months for water and juice. My youngest three never experienced a bottle or pacifiers. What a relief.

I would do it all over again.

With my oldest, a pediatrician told me that he was obese at six months, and that I should breastfeed on a schedule. I changed doctors a few times until I finally found an older, experienced, and smarter doctor.

That early baby fat quickly went away with all my kids.

Best of luck to you and all your children.

T. Z.

H.,

I used cabbage leaves over my breasts and it seemed to help with the tight pressure I was feeling. It looked a little silly though, having a salad hang out of my bra, but it did help.

Good luck,

A.

you should keep breastfeeding for at least one year... i am going to encourage you to keep going at it. formula is expensive and not nearly as nutritionous as breastmilk. the wonderful thing about our bodies is that it will produce the milk needed to feed your child. you do not need to worry about how much he is getting unless he starts loosing weight! this is going good for you, please don't give up!
~A.

well don't try benadryl because i have taken it and it doesn't dry up your milk. Other than that i am not sure. I am no help other than i know what won't LOL because my daughter will be 2 in June and is still breastfeeding so i am now trying to figure out how to wean her. Good luck with whatever road you decide to take.