Concerned About Supply, Pumping and Nursing Almost 10 Month Old Son

I know you got a lot of advice already, but I have a little girl the same age and I have noticed that she goes through stages where it seems like my milk is not enough and I have thought that my supply was going down too, but I have found that it only lasts a few days or maybe a week and then it seems to be enough again. You may have been getting less while pumping because he was already taking more in at each feeding so there was less to pump out?!?

Maybe growth spurts are to blame, but I just supplement with formula during these times and then soon, everything goes back to normal. It's strange though, my older child never had this large fluctuation in needing or getting more or less milk like she has.

Good Luck!

It sounds to me like your little guy is self weaning. Both of mine did this between 10 and 12 months. I spoke to my Ped. and he said not to worry. Just make sure they are getting enough iron from other sources. I just mixed baby cereal (which is fortified with iron) with some apple sauce, mashed sweetpotatoes, yogurt, or whatever, with one or two meals each day. Easy. They are now 14 and 12, healthy, happy and TALL young ladies. :o)

Good luck with your little man!

Dear E.,
I'm not sure what to tell you. My first baby, a girl, simply decided she was done nursing and there really wasn't anything I could do about it. I wanted to nurse her for at least a year, but she had other plans. I would become so engorged that I was begging her to nurse and she simply wanted nothing to do with it. I switched her to formula and then to cow's milk, but she was a really good eater and perfectly healthy. My son, on the other hand, would have nursed for who knows how many years. I had to cold turkey him at 15 months when I had to go in the hospital.
Anyway, just keep trying and don't be too upset if your son is weaning himself. It happens. I had two kids with different situations and they both turned out perfectly fine.
Very best of wishes!

Congratulations, you have a normal boy! My son wiggled and looked around during nursing at that age - he just didn't want to miss out on the action! I gave up and pumped into bottles and nursed at bedtime - then he managed to chip a big chunk off his front tooth ( 2 weeks after it grew in) and then nursing was PAINFUL so I weaned him. He didn't seem to miss it at all - just stared at my chest a few times and then went back to whatever he was doing.
boys!
You can pump and then mix it 50/50 with formula - it's easier on his tummy and will probably taste better to him.
It sounds like he is on his way to self-weaning.
He could be waking up because of teething pain - you milk is not somehow defective ;)
Just when you think you have the routine all figured out the little bugger changes it on you!

That sounds totally normal to me. As he gets older and eats more food, your supply will decrease but you will still make enough for him, his needs are decreasing too.

I know what a bummer it is to have to buy formula, though. Check out kellymom.com for some information on increasing your supply. You can try adding a pumping session on days that you're home with him. Make sure you're drinking plenty of water, eating healthy, and getting enough rest. Eating oatmeal and taking fenugreek are helpful for some women. Congratulations on nursing 10 months!

Hi E.,
I went through this about a month ago with my 9 month old son. I did a few things to help produce more milk. I've been taking Motherlove's More Milk Plus 4x a day, Solaray's Fenugreek Seed capsules 2 every 4 hours AND the best part is DARK beer every night! I'm pumping about 12-15 oz a day, in 2 sessions, and suppliment the rest with formula for daycare.

For the "suck, suck, stop" thing that my son did, I knew he was partly distracted and my let down did not happen soon enough. For the distraction, I tried breastfeeding in a quiet place (very hard to do in a public environment) and I read but have not tired, wear a brightly colored beaded necklace or scarf for him to play with around your neck, keeps his attention on your breast and when he sees it he'll learn it's breastfeeding time. To speed up the let down process, I breastfeed laying down and while he's on one breast I gently stimulate the other nipple. I know that sounds weird but it works. The only problem is I can't really lay down and stimulate in public so he doesn't really get much milk if I breastfeed outside the home. Luckily, since I'm a working mom the only time he breastfeeds in public is on the weekends on an outing.

I hope this helps. Good luck!

This rather short transitional period can be frustrating, bit is normal. He's just ready for more solid foods. Nature is taking its course for both of you.

I have a 10 months old - Adler. I also pumped at work until just recently. My milk has gone down and my son is losing some interest in nursing. Other days he wants to nurse a lot.
I thought it was so cute. I was nursing him and his dad walked in the room with a plate of french toast and his head perked up. I am glad he seems to be self weening, during the day at least. I just wanted to say I'm going through the same sort of thing. No advice, but good job for pumping so long!

Hi
Congratulations on your baby. I had the same experience and I think it's totally normal!
Enjoy!
N

E.,

I've been working on keeping up my milk supply for a long time now and what has worked for me is More Milk Plus from the healthfood store and I've also used Brewers yeast. The more milk is very easy to use. The tincture works best for me. The B Yeast is harder b/c it tastes terrible.
Good luck!
C.

I have a 9 month old boy and have experience the same thing with my milk supply being low, I was stressing out so much that it dropped even more. I did notice that it started to drop once he started solids, I work FT and pump twice every four hours while at work 3-4 oz and once at night once he is asleep. I supplement the 4th bottle with formula, which he does not always intakes, he is not always finishing the 20 oz of breastmilk and formula I send to daycare. He is eating solids 3x's a day. Breakfast with dad (yougurt and cereal), lunch (at daycare) consist of Jar food with cereal and dinner consist of what we are having for dinner or vegetables prepared at home, a piece of toast which he loves to knaw on. Also at daycare and home he is drinking 3 oz of water a day,I recently started to add 2/3 juice and 3/4 of water.

Also at nights he used to do the same thing suck, suck, stops. I used to feed him laying down, now i make it a point to sit and feed him and make sure that he is not to warm so I remove his blanket so that he is awake and eats, it has worked for me because now he only wakes up once a night and has a good feeding.

Good luck, and remember the key to breastfeeding and milk supply is relaxation, don't stress. Relax and let nature take it's course. Your baby is eating, although it may feel he is not, I have been there. Oh and remember drink a minimum of 8 oz of water while you are pumping, it's a miracle how much more you can pump.