Question About Weaning

Hello! Will she take the cows whole milk? My Daughter was about the same age when she decided not to breast feed anymore. The doctor said that is ok as long as she drinks milk or formula. But where she is almost a year old it is ok to transition her to milk. I also had a problem with my daughter she would not take a bottle at all so I had the problem of how to get her the milk, so I started giving her the milk in those nuby sippy cups. They are the ones with the soft top. The Doctor said not to give more than 24 ounces a day,But the best thing is to call you doctor and ask them. Hope this helps!

J.

V.,
She really needs the nutrients and fat from the milk for proper brain development. She should be getting about 24 oz a day of milk, either breast or whole, to keep up with her requirements. Maybe you should try to fed her less food and see if she'll go for the milk, if not maybe your ped can give you some guidelines on how to get the nutrients and fat she'll be missing from whole foods instead. Maybe if you cut back on the water for now she'll be more thirsty for the milk too, breatfed babies don't really need water since they get enough from your milk and if they fulfill their need to suck from drinking other fluids they may not want the milk that they really need. Good luck!

How old is she? You should use formula until 1 year. Definitely call the Pediatrition for exact amounts as age, and weight can affect amounts.

My daughter weaned herself around a year old too. Her night feedings were the last to go. Once she was weaned her pediatrician said she should be getting 24-32oz of whole milk a day... ONLY whole milk, no water which has no nutritional value and no juices which are full of sugar and empty calories... whole milk has the vitamins and fat kids under 2 need. Good luck, and congrats on nursing for so long!

It depends on how old she is. I was told my doctors and the books I have read the babies should not be given milk until they are a little over a year old and to gradually introduce them to it. Mix a little in with one or two of her daily bottle, half an ounce to an once. remember every baby is different and something like this I would ask you doctor about fist before you make any decisions.

Well, everyone is different but....

At 11 mos. my kids were both on the sippy cup (or regular cup) and eating food. So, they drank milk at meal times - and juices or water for "snack" times. Once they were at a point of eating meals three times a day, I used the guide line of milk at mealtimes with the meal - and my pediatrician agreed. I didn't ask him about it -- just when we had our checkup I told him what I did and he said, "yes, they're little people now, not so much "babies".

Hope that helps!

It sounds like the two of you are on the right track to gradual, natural weaning, and it also sounds as though your daughter is thriving on whatever mix of food and milk you are giving her, since she is gaining weight appropriately. So you must be doing things right!

In terms of her nutrition, how much milk (yours or other) she needs depends largely upon what else she is eating. I know that starting at 6 months it's a good idea to start giving them some iron- fortified rice cereal (mixed with breast milk), and to continue adding other foods gradually to their diet, leading up to other sources of protein and calcium when they reach 1 year. Before she weans entirely, you'll want to make sure your daughter is getting protein and calcium and other nutrients from food sources (like tofu, broccoli, milk, etc). I remember using a really helpful book called "Mommy Made", kind of a cookbook and nutritional guide for children 0-4. It includes all sorts of guidelines and suggestions about when to add certain foods to a child's diet, which foods have which necessary nutrients, how much, how to prepare, etc. I found it really helpful to have this (or some other) source for making sure my child got sufficient nutrition, particularly when she was no longer getting it from me.

I've found that doctors and pediatricians are not very knowledgeable about the specifics of nutrition (they either tell you to go to a nutritionist, suggest formula, or issue blanket vague statements like "give her calcium" that aren't specific or useful). However, there are a lot of good books and nutritionists out there who know a lot, and they are worth consulting if you are in doubt. Keep in mind, however, that your child is growing and gaining well, so you probably don't want to drastically alter whatever you are doing in terms of feeding her.

In the meantime, just keep doing what you are doing, which sounds just right: nursing her 3 times a day and giving the frozen breast milk. The golden rule as I recall for weaning is "Don't offer, Don't refuse" so I'd say continue on with your/her routine for as long as she is content. She'll start to ignore or "forget" certain feedings, and it will happen naturally I bet. So long as she is eating food regularly throughout the day, she'll be fine.

Good luck!

my daughter did the same thing. cut out her night one first then lunch. if i can remember correctly my research through books and internet told me 18oz of milk was plenty. so i did 6oz between real food meals. it's much more with formula and breast milk (i think 32oz)because they aren't quite eating much table food yet. so if they are old enough to be eating food then the milk would be fine between meals. your pediatrician can probably better help because he knows the weight and health of your baby. i had a friend that was told to cut the milk down because the baby was overweight. good luck with everything and congrats on going at it for so long.

Sounds like you should get the paper from the pediatrician that gives the guidelines..on the amounts. If you don't want to wean and want to continue the benefits of breastmilk, I suppose you could pump 3 times a day and be giving that to her. My 15 month old refuses to take formula or other milk from a cup from me . I wish she'd wean herself! She will however take a cup with lunch and breakfast with a little juice. I only give her Bolthouse Farms pressed juices(whole fruit, and no carrot) and like 3 ounces with a splash of water in it. Green Goodness has spinach and fruits and veggies.I count it as a food group. She only drinks an ounce and it doesn't change when or how much she nurses. As for water, I also give an occasional few ounces of water if its warm, or if she's running around. Sometimes she has refused to nurse when playing hard, but I have give a little water and you'd think she was DYING of thirst, so...I felt so bad if she was!
If she goes to milk, remember buy Organic! Those hormones are very bad not to mention the antibiotics in there from the cows.(Everything gets in the Milk, remember? :)One more thing, YoBaby Yogurt from Stonyfield farms with DHA, fruit and cereal. That will help miles for the nerve, brain development and all organic/ natural. You are what you eat :)
Good luck...