Trying to decide how hard I want to work to keep b-feeding--WWYD?

[redmom3]

I feel so indicisive lately:glare:

Baby #4 is 7 1/2 mo and up until the last two weeks nursing had gone so well-much better than the others. But now it looks like my supply is going fast. I have had to supplement the past few days with formula. My cycle along with alot of personal stress(over another big decision) have really taken their toll-she is probably on a growth spurt too. I have never been a "milk tank" ;) I have been on Mother's Milk Tea and Fenugreek for awhile. I could let it go and decide not to be sad about not going to a year or work at it. By work I mean probably rent a double pump from the local hospital and continue with the herbs etc. With letting it go, I could also begin my allergy med. and start to try to lose weight:D I would love to hear what YOU would do----basically how important is b-feeding to you after 7 months?:bigear:

[hornblower]

I'm an LC and a retired LLL Leader & both my kids were nursed way past 2 years. I vote keep going.

 

have a baby moon, YOU Drink lots of fluids & take baby to bed & nurse frequently. Don't forget to nurse at night - that can really improve supply & babies who are busy during the day need to catch up on nursing at night.

 

Since YOU have allergies, your baby may be more predisposed to developing allergies. If nothing else that would keep me breastfeeding this baby as it does reduce allergies.

 

I would not supplement with formula at this age. This baby can have age appropriate solids & breastmilk.

[Susan in KY]

Lots of liquids, lots of rest. Just like a cow, lol. :001_smile:

[Nakia]

I'm an LC and a retired LLL Leader & both my kids were nursed way past 2 years. I vote keep going.

 

have a baby moon, YOU Drink lots of fluids & take baby to bed & nurse frequently. Don't forget to nurse at night - that can really improve supply & babies who are busy during the day need to catch up on nursing at night.

 

Since YOU have allergies, your baby may be more predisposed to developing allergies. If nothing else that would keep me breastfeeding this baby as it does reduce allergies.

 

I would not supplement with formula at this age. This baby can have age appropriate solids & breastmilk.

 

:iagree:

[duckens]

Another LLL member here.

 

Of all the moms that I have listened to, I have only met ONE who wished that she had quit nursing sooner than she had. All the rest wished that they had nursed longer. I am talking about women who weaned their last baby over a decade ago....and they admit quietly that they wish they had gone longer.

 

That said, none of us are in your shoes. This is YOUR decision, and if one of the "nursing couple" (mom and baby) are unhappy, then you need to make the decision that is best for you.

 

I tell bf moms that, "We nurse for as long as we can stand it."

 

Dd is 3.5, my milk has mostly dried up from the current pregnancy, and my nipples are sore with that "5th month tenderness" that makes me want NO ONE to touch me! But dd still nurses because I can't think of any food healthier for her, and she really needs the comfort from nursing. I can stand it one more day....I think.

 

P.S. If you choose to continue nursing, follow the advice about rest and fluids. You need BOTH!

[cornelia9805]

I personally would do whatever it took to not lose my supply at 7 months. I think you have gotten a lot of great advice. You can also incorporate oatmeal into your diet. You should be drinking about twice as much water as you think you need. Drinking enough should make a big difference in your supply. Good luck!

[Ellie]

I vote to keep going, too. Don't pump. Nurse the baby. Sleep with the baby. Wear the baby and nurse. No pacifiers, no swing, no supplement of any kind. A breastpump won't ever build milk supply the way a hungry nursing baby will.

[Crimson Wife]

At 7 1/2 months, I would keep going because formula is so pricey. Now if you were closer to your baby's 1st birthday, I'd say wean.

 

My DS went on a nursing strike 3 weeks before his birthday and I decided it wasn't worth it to me to keep pumping after the first 24 hours.

[Mad Jenny Flint]

I was not a good milk-producer, either. Although I do wish I had been better educated about it and had better support, I just didn't. Neither of my kids made it past 3 months nursing. I would have gone longer if I could have, but I would never tell someone else who was really struggling that she should keep on going. It can get to feeling so overwhelming and intrusive. I know I probably sound incredibly selfish. I just want OP to know that if she decides it is indeed better to let it go, then just... let it go.

[MotherGoose]

Some may say I have no business replying to this at all because I didn't breast-feed either of mine but I should say that with no breast milk, both of mine are fine, smart, no allergies, and my older dau was not on antibiotics until she was nearly 3, my baby on her first course at 15 months. So I think your baby will be just fine if you don't continue, but since I've not done it I can't speak to other things.

[Alexandra]

I vote for keeping going as well. Even though it is middle of summer - Fall is just around the corner. You will want to have BFing whe all the nasty little viruses and bugs are going around when it starts getting colder. I think that many women quit because the think that bfing is stressful when really just having a little one can be stressful all by itself. Now add buying and preparing formula to your workload...

[MorganClassicalPrep]

I agree with a poster who said to let it go if you have to.

 

DD was in the NICU and I pumped every three hours around the clock trying to build up my supply. When she was finally released from the hospital, I was admitted back into the ICU and had loads of drugs pumped into me so I had to put her on formula. For a long time I was angry that I wasn't able to breastfeed, and felt a lot of guilt. But when it comes down to it, I just couldn't. It wasn't safe for DD to nurse when I was taking the medicines, but there were no safe ones to switch to.

 

If it begins to be a huge strain on you, I'd let go. One of the major benefits of breastfeeding is the bond that develops. If you are feeling tense and upset, that bond will be interrupted! If you aren't happy, or baby isn't happy, I'd move on. It's not healthy for you (or baby!) to be stressed out unnecessarily.

 

Then again, if you aren't overly tense or stressed out, and it wouldn't create a huge financial strain to rent the pump, I'd probably at least try it out for awhile and see if it could turn the milk supply around. :D

[Ravin]

I say keep going. Don't pump unless you have to (i.e., you work outside the home), and then only when away from baby. Nurse, nurse, nurse on demand, keep yourself hydrated, etc. If baby is eating solids, keep feeding them as normal, but no formula or other substitutes for the mama milk straight from the source.

 

I'd do a double check on your allergy med, too. Find someone with an up-to-date copy of Dr. Hale's Medications and Mother's Milk to get a solid answer on whether or not you really should be having to go without. A lot of doctors don't know jack on the subject and give bad advice, usually to skip the meds needlessly.

 

Also keep in mind that when baby is in a growth spurt, nursing should ramp up to help your supply keep up. It's not necessarily that you're suddenly making less, just that it's time to make more, if that makes any sense. I also wouldn't judge based on how much you can pump. Babies are better than pumps at getting the milk out.

[3lilreds in NC]

I'd vote for keeping it up, if you're able to REST and keep the baby with you.

 

I had a hard time with milk sometimes with Schmooey, too. I could have nursed approximately 7 children after each of the girls, but I guess because of my c-section and the energy it took to heal from that, I never got the mega supply I'd been used to having. We had to work pretty hard to keep it up. Thankfully, the girls were old enough that I *could* rest and I did have some help.

 

I've nursed Schmooey the longest, and while everyone but he and I are ready for him to wean, the two of us are happy. :)

 

I agree that you don't need to supplement with formula, also. You can give some solids at this point. Let her play with Cheerios. :D

[JudoMom]

I was not a good milk-producer, either. Although I do wish I had been better educated about it and had better support, I just didn't. Neither of my kids made it past 3 months nursing. I would have gone longer if I could have, but I would never tell someone else who was really struggling that she should keep on going. It can get to feeling so overwhelming and intrusive. I know I probably sound incredibly selfish. I just want OP to know that if she decides it is indeed better to let it go, then just... let it go.

 

:iagree:

 

I wasn't a successful nurser, despite my best attempts and LC interventions. I wish it could've been different, but it is what it is.

 

You've done a great job. If you need to let it go, it's okay.

[ChristusG]

I nurse as long as possible. I couldn't stop at only 7 months. I nursed DD#1 till she was 27 months old. It was her choice to wean....I think my milk probably changed taste and dried up due to being pregnant. I'm currently still nursing DD3.

[jenL]

I'm another mom who is here to tell you that if you need to let it go, that you've done a fantastic job up to this point! My body did not produce milk well despite many efforts to make it do so, and every time I pumped, I was lucky if I got 2 ounces. I was raw with trying to breastfeed and pump. I ended up having to supplement because my boys were not thriving as they should and I was falling apart. I remained the main source of milk overall, and there were no adverse affects with supplementing. Today, both boys are fine, have no allergies (both have been tested), and they've grown well since. Ironicallly, my sister is a die-hard breast-feeder, and her kids were always more sick than mine. I think it's a very PERSONAL choice, and you need to do what feels right to you.

[Rosy]

In your shoes I would have quit and not felt bad about it. My first two stopped when I got pregnant (7 and 9 mo., respectively). They didn't like my milk anymore. #3 quit around 6-7 mo., she had a biting problem I didn't know what to do about, and we were moving so it's probably just as well. #4 went almost until her 1st b-day. So I'm obviously not an extended nurser, but I have no regrets about stopping when I did with any of them.

 

I would not go to the lengths you described to keep nursing. If you can squeeze out a feeding or two a day and want to keep going, I would go for it. Otherwise, there's nothing wrong with stopping and focusing on your own health. It's good for baby to have a healthy mommy. :)

[coffeegal]

At 7 1/2 months, I would keep going because formula is so pricey. Now if you were closer to your baby's 1st birthday, I'd say wean.

 

My DS went on a nursing strike 3 weeks before his birthday and I decided it wasn't worth it to me to keep pumping after the first 24 hours.

 

:iagree: I try to nurse until around a year, and then usually the baby ends up weaning themselves. I attempted to force the first of my kids on a nursing strike to continue, and he BIT. Hard. With teeth. He was weaned instantly.

 

You've done a great job. If you need to let it go, it's okay.

 

:iagree: Do what you need to do. If crawling into bed with your baby for a few days, drinking lots of tea and water, and pampering yourself sounds blissful, it might be a good idea to take care of yourself this way. On the other hand, I don't know what's stressing you out and what you need to do. Take care of yourself, and don't feel guilty. :D

[Pamela H in Texas]

I vote to keep at it also. I would *not* supplement with formula.

 

Anyway, I *way* want to say keep at it for a couple years. However...I don't know how to say this. I don't want to "okay" not bfing when bfing is best for the child (and I believe it should be all about the child);but...

 

I'm not doing very well with this "however" and "but," but I hope it is coming out somehow anyway. Sometimes we just don't do what is best for our kids and that isn't the end of the world. Sometimes we have to weigh in other things.

[fairfarmhand]

At 7 1/2 months, I would keep going because formula is so pricey. Now if you were closer to your baby's 1st birthday, I'd say wean.

 

My DS went on a nursing strike 3 weeks before his birthday and I decided it wasn't worth it to me to keep pumping after the first 24 hours.

 

:iagree:

 

Have you looked at the cost of formula!!!! And if your child has allergies you may need to use one of the pricier ones.

[Caitilin]

:iagree:

 

Have you looked at the cost of formula!!!! And if your child has allergies you may need to use one of the pricier ones.

 

 

And in either case, look at the ingredients in formula, and think about whether you want your baby eating them. I say this as a mother who has exclusively nursed 4 dc and used formula for 2. Hands-down, nursing more was worth it to me.:grouphug:

Edited July 7, 2010 by Caitilin

[Crimson Wife]

Have you looked at the cost of formula!!!! And if your child has allergies you may need to use one of the pricier ones.

 

I know someone whose adopted child had allergies and her formula cost something like $35 per can :svengo:

[kmacnchs]

I feel so indicisive lately:glare:

Baby #4 is 7 1/2 mo and up until the last two weeks nursing had gone so well-much better than the others. But now it looks like my supply is going fast. I have had to supplement the past few days with formula. My cycle along with alot of personal stress(over another big decision) have really taken their toll-she is probably on a growth spurt too. I have never been a "milk tank" ;) I have been on Mother's Milk Tea and Fenugreek for awhile. I could let it go and decide not to be sad about not going to a year or work at it. By work I mean probably rent a double pump from the local hospital and continue with the herbs etc. With letting it go, I could also begin my allergy med. and start to try to lose weight:D I would love to hear what YOU would do----basically how important is b-feeding to you after 7 months?:bigear:

 

Are you giving baby solids? By 7.5 mo, baby is probably ready for solids - you + oatmeal, banana, avocado, whatever will probably be enough...mine have all been big (95%) and voracious eaters and were ready to eat solids at 5 or so mo.

[nd293]

Keep going.

 

I'm never quite sure how people determine "not enough supply" (not meaning to be snarky at all). I really fed around the clock. Up to 5 months old dd was feeding every 2.5-3 hrs (although not long feeds, and yes, though the night too). Does this mean she was "hungry", that I had inadequate supply and that I should have been supplementing? That really never occurred to me - I just fed her whenever she wanted to eat.

 

Dd stopped feeding from one breast at around 10 months (definitely a supply issue, which I attribute to feeding her almost exlusively on the other side through the night, plus favouring the same side during the day as it was the side more comfortable to hold baby on). I did briefly try to get supply going with medication and pumping and it was a thankless and fruitless task. If you really want to keeo feeding, my advise is to try just feeding. All.the.time. Every time you are sitting and holding baby, offer the breast, and see how you go.

 

Good luck!

 

(Incidently, next baby I switched sides of the bed with dh, and made sure I didn't favour a hold position during day-time feeds, and I had no problems. This leads me to strongly believe that supply problems are related to demand - facilitate demand and you increase supply.)

[Carol in Cal.]

I vote for continuing. There is nothing like nursing later on to help you with redirection, etc. It was my secret weapon, and was 100% effective.

 

I would continue with Mother's Milk tea, maybe 5-6 times per day, and nursing a lot--my recollection of all of DD's growth spurts is that right around the time that I was ready to give up and conclude that I just didn't have what it took, things would settle down--either she stopped eating so much or I started producing more--not sure which, but that desperation was the last thing that happened before each breakthrough.

 

To bump up your supply, pump right after a feeding. That way the baby has gotten enough, and you'll produce more. If you're anything like me, you won't produce a whole lot just then, but you'll get your supply up and probably will have enough.

 

If you have to supplement, I would not use formula, but rather some fresh food like avocados, little cheese pieces, maybe some blueberries.

[coralloyd]

Let me give you some advice that I needed to hear with my first dd. It is more important for your dc to have a calm happy mama , than breast milk and a stressed out mama. So if you feel that continuing will make you more stressed, STOP. Once I stopped feeling like I was a bad mommy if I stopped, and ended all the trial and error, up and down. I looked down and saw my precious baby and just smiled, relaxed and enjoyed her. She is a very health 8 yr. Old girl, no allergies, no nothing. Do what you feel will give your little one the best mama.

[herbalgirl]

In your shoes I would have quit and not felt bad about it...

I would not go to the lengths you described to keep nursing. If you can squeeze out a feeding or two a day and want to keep going, I would go for it. Otherwise, there's nothing wrong with stopping and focusing on your own health. It's good for baby to have a healthy mommy. :)

 

:iagree:

[WistfulRidge]

I vote keep going unless you are extremely unhappy.

My son is almost 13 months and I don't see us stopping before he is 18 months and it is likely that we'll go to 2 years. I'm not a milk tank either, not a poor producer, but I don't have a lot of excess.

You can probably start working out now...? I've finally had the time in the past couple of weeks to start working out for just 30 minutes a day and my supply has actually gone up (much to my son's delight!). This is probably due to the fact that I easily drink 2x the amount of water on days that I workout, I sleep better, and I just plain feel better about myself.

[AnitaMcC]

I vote for OP doing what is best for her and her baby. A stressed out bfing momma is not what is best for baby and momma. With baby almost 8 months old... I say that momma did awesome and now it could be just the time for the next phase.

 

I was not a successful bfer. I didn't try to nurse my twins (Ds#1 and DD) as it just wasn't possible. For Ds#2 and Ds#3 I tried to nurse but it just wasn't to be. I am one who does not produce enough milk, and the fact that both boys were little piggies didn't help-LOL. They literally were going hungry. I would nurse them for 20-30 minutes and then end up giving them a bottle and they would drink 6 ounces in 5 minutes, then not even two hours later they would be wanting more... this is when they were not even a month old. Ds#2 was given formula at birth due to some issues he had and that first bottle the nurse gave him he finished off in just a few minutes and he wanted more. I guess he didn't have any problems feeding-LOL.

 

Their pediatrician and my bf coach told me that I was just not able to give my babies what was needed. With Ds#2 I had severe thrush and so did my son... thanks to my prednisone medication. I made it to one month for both of them and then stopped nursing. I decided it just wasn't worth it to keep both of us suffering. Both my younger boys went on cereal at 6 weeks old as they were drinking 40+ oz of formula a day. They were just big boys who needed way more than my body could give them.

Edited July 7, 2010 by AnitaMcC

[Heatherwith4]

First, ::grouphug:: and congratulations on making it this far with nursing. You have given your baby some wonderful benefits so far!

I vote for continuing if at all possible. If you can take a few days to just concentrate on the baby, do it. Make some oatmeal cookies to have (they really help with supply and they are yummy!). Keep drinking your tea and taking herbs. Nurse on demand. Basically I'm just repeating because you've been given really good advice already. Good luck!

[juelle]

Oh, nurse the sweet baby! :001_smile: I've bfed 6 babies exclusively to 6 months, and then usually on to somewhere between 14 and 18mos, and I've never been able to pump more than a few drops. The best way to have more milk is to nurse more and drink more water. You've had all the good advice already. I can't imagine paying for formula. All the very best in your mothering.:grouphug:

[Hedgehogs4]

I'm an LC and a retired LLL Leader & both my kids were nursed way past 2 years. I vote keep going.

 

have a baby moon, YOU Drink lots of fluids & take baby to bed & nurse frequently. Don't forget to nurse at night - that can really improve supply & babies who are busy during the day need to catch up on nursing at night.

 

Since YOU have allergies, your baby may be more predisposed to developing allergies. If nothing else that would keep me breastfeeding this baby as it does reduce allergies.

 

I would not supplement with formula at this age. This baby can have age appropriate solids & breastmilk.

 

:iagree: i agree...all except that LC part (i'm not an LC). I am a retired LLL leader and I say the same thing.

[Renee in NC]

And in either case, look at the ingredients in formula, and think about whether you want your baby eating them. I say this as a mother who has exclusively nursed 4 dc and used formula for 2. Hands-down, nursing more was worth it to me.:grouphug:

 

And as someone who nursed and formula-fed in various combinations and timings, it really doesn't make a difference to me or my dc. None of my dc are sickly. The two that have special needs were two of my nursed babies, one of those that has the most food sensitivities.

 

I am just thankful, thankful, thankful that we have access to formula when we need it.

[Lucy in Australia]

I exclusively breastfed my boys till they were 15 months. When this baby was 2 months old, I had so much trouble producing milk I nearly had a break-down. She was not getting enough milk, no matter what I did. The rest of the family suffered. I switched to formula and cried for 2 weeks. The baby, on the other hand, stopped crying :). She is now a very contented 9 month old and we are in the middle of one of our coldest winters. She has not been sick once. I have 2 friend with babies the same ages who are breast fed and they have both been so sick they needed antibiotics.

 

I know breast milk is best, but there are times you just don't have a choice. If that happens, don't beat yourself up and above all don't let anyone make you feel guilty. :grouphug:

[redmom3]

Oh Ladies I have needed this--both the encouragement to keep going and the "permission" to not feel guilty:) This is not easy-I will keep trying for awhile, but promise to let it go if it is just TOO much.

Thank you!!!

[ktgrok]

I guess my question is, why do you say your supply is down? If she wants to nurse more often, then nurse more often, until she settles into a new normal. No need to supplement, just nurse more :)

[Care]

I'm an LC and a retired LLL Leader & both my kids were nursed way past 2 years. I vote keep going.

 

have a baby moon, YOU Drink lots of fluids & take baby to bed & nurse frequently. Don't forget to nurse at night - that can really improve supply & babies who are busy during the day need to catch up on nursing at night.

 

Since YOU have allergies, your baby may be more predisposed to developing allergies. If nothing else that would keep me breastfeeding this baby as it does reduce allergies.

 

I would not supplement with formula at this age. This baby can have age appropriate solids & breastmilk.

 

:iagree:

 

Backstory: My son, at two months old, wasn't gaining. We spent a week in the hospital with the doctors telling me all sorts of untrue things re: breastfeeding, and actually *forbidding* me to BF, only what could be pumped (which was .5z per session, if I was lucky)... That sort of thing. I fought tooth and nail to keep giving my baby breastmilk. There were days that nursing my son was what kept me sane and, quite literally, alive. Visiting Dr. Jack in Toronto said the exact same things I-can't-remember-who did - your baby will be just fine on nursing and solid foods. We, at about 4 months, were mixing up purees, and feeding the baby those, plus nursing. We supplemented overnight, as we also had issues with CAS involvement (for a separate reason, but still). My sweet son will be two in a month. He still nurses, though usually only for nap and night times.

 

Answer: My personal opinion is that my baby will be small for only a short time, and once that time is up, I can't go back. I am willing to put every last bit of effort I have into nursing. It is the one thing that I, and only I, can do for my son, and I won't always be able to.

 

The not TL;DR version: I already have fought as hard as I possibly could to continue nursing my own son. I don't think my fight would have changed had he been three months older when we hit troubles. :001_smile:

[natalie]

I don't make milk. I know that most of you out there disagree that this is a possibility, but it actually is true for some of us.

 

I've had 7 babies. I've attempted to breastfeed each and every one. I do NOT produce enough milk.

 

I actually made it to six months with baby #7 - that's my record and I was THRILLED that I was able to make it that far! To get there, though, I had to work REALLY hard. I've worked with lactation consultants with almost all of the babies. I've used mother's milk tea, fenugreek, thistle, oatmeal, lots of good food and water, rest, kept baby in bed and nursed on demand, used hospital grade breast pumps, pumped right after baby's feeding, made sure to pump throughout the night as well once baby was sleeping longer, AND even tried prescription medication; all at the same time, all to no avail. I never did produce enough and what I did simply dried up.

 

The fact that I can't provide enough food for my babies is definitely not due to lack of effort on my part. I truly GRIEVE every time I have to make the decision to stop even that last tiny bit or so they are still getting - not only because bf'ing is best for baby, but because of the great sense of loss both from not being able to provide the best for them and from the loss of that special connection bf'ing seems to form.

 

Nursing was important to ME too; that's why I put forth such effort. Not being able to continue was hard enough without people implying that it simply wasn't important enough to me. In my situation, giving my baby formula WAS the best choice for baby. I looked at the labels, and while I didn't particularly care for what was in the formula, it certainly was better than the alternative of nothing.

 

 

If you do decide to stop, please do not let others make you feel as though you are being selfish or that you are simply not willing to try hard enough. It is a hard enough position to be in as it is; you don't need to feel any worse than you probably already do. Only you can make the decision that is right for you and your baby.

 

Best wishes for you both. I know what an agonizing decision it is (and just to warn you, even though you say you will just "decide not to be sad", you still will be). :grouphug:

[justasque]

It's important to consider that breastfeeding is the way things are supposed to work, and if mom's milk supply is low, it may indicate a problem with mom. For example, I've known two different women who told similar stories of just not having enough milk - trying their best, but by 3 or 4 months having to accept that they just couldn't produce enough, and weaning their babies. Both still felt sad about this - they would have preferred to have continued nursing, but they had tried and it just didn't work out for them. Yet both moms also mentioned (in a different conversation) that they had found out that they found soon after that they had low thyroid, and now were on thyroid replacement meds. What no one had told them was that low milk supply was a*symptom* of low thyroid, and that if someone had thought to check their thyroid when they were struggling with low supply, and put them on the thyroid meds, it would likely have solved their milk supply problems and they could have successfully nursed. Once they knew this, they were annoyed that their medical professionals had suggested weaning without testing for underlying problems.

 

Milk supply changes with demand. If baby keeps nursing, your body should keep making milk. You shouldn't "run out" or "dry up" until several *years* after the baby's born. (Remember in the old days women would work as wet nurses for other people's children.) Like you said, having your period can reduce milk supply for a day or two, but it should get back to normal soon. Is there anything else that could be causing problems? Medications, etc.?

 

SO - let's go over the basics. You probably know all this already, but it doesn't hurt to review. The best way to make more milk is to nurse. Sometimes it will feel like you don't have enough milk, and the baby isn't getting anything, but even if that's the case, the sucking is letting your body know it has to ramp up production. Keep nursing, to let your body know it needs to make more. Rest as best you can. Make sure you're eating reasonably well and drinking fluids, especially when it's hot out. Keep baby near, and nurse frequently. For some babies, that could mean about 2-3 hours from the beginning of one feeding to the beginning of the next. For others, it could mean much more frequently. Skin-to-skin contact seems to help.

 

Have you started solids? When the family is eating, put baby in the high chair and give him some food to play with. Little things like rice, or mushy things like bananas work well. Most of it will end up elsewhere, but a bit will make it into the tummy! As previous posters have said, I'd limit the formula to encourage nursing, but supplement with the solids. Remember that breastmilk is still the primary source of nutrition for some months to come.

 

You *can* lose weight when nursing! In fact, nursing burns quite a few calories a day! The book "Eat Well, Lose Weight, While Breastfeeding" is well worth reading. For many women, it's much easier to lose while still nursing rather than waiting until afterwords.

 

All that said - of course, if the other things in your life mean that you must wean, then so be it - you've done well to get this far. But if it were me, I'd not want to give up the many benefits of nursing this early if I didn't have to.

[ktgrok]

about frequency...my babies nurse every hour during the day, at LEAST. That is normal in other societies. I think the "every 2-3 hours" myth really can sabotage women. They think that if their baby is hungry shortly after eating that they must not make enough milk. They just need to nurse more often. Now some women have issues and nothing makes a difference, but the fact that you have been able to nurse this long says to me that you can make milk.

 

Oh,and if the baby is starting to crawl they may want to nurse more often to "check in" with mom. That's normal too.

[Lolosoli]

I'm an LC and a retired LLL Leader & both my kids were nursed way past 2 years. I vote keep going.

 

have a baby moon, YOU Drink lots of fluids & take baby to bed & nurse frequently. Don't forget to nurse at night - that can really improve supply & babies who are busy during the day need to catch up on nursing at night.

 

Since YOU have allergies, your baby may be more predisposed to developing allergies. If nothing else that would keep me breastfeeding this baby as it does reduce allergies.

 

I would not supplement with formula at this age. This baby can have age appropriate solids & breastmilk.

__________________

 

:iagree:

 

I tandem BF my boys until one was around a year and the other almost four. I wish I had not introduced a bottle for my second one. He weaned at one before my older son.

 

I vote to keep trying....there is nothing better during the winter cold/flu season for a baby/toddler than breastmilk!

[littleWMN]

I am *struggling* breastfeeding with my almost 4 month old (it's very important to me!) so all I will say is congrats for making it 7 months so far. You've done good. :grouphug: