Breastfeeding a 9 month old

[Jade240]

Hi guys
Just after a lil advice! Been breastfeeding my 9 month old since day 1, & as hes got older & on solids ive been cutting it down (also as im due back to work) i now bf morning & night, & give him plenty of water & juice thru the day! This seems to be working fine except the mother in law seems to think he isnt heavy enough & should be feeding him bottle milk ??
Any adivce is welcome ??

[fledermaus]

Only two feeds a day does seem very little to me to be honest. I think mine was probably still having 4/5 breastfeeds at that age, and my sister's bottlefed baby was having 3/4 bottles.

What is his weight like?

[Xcountry]

Unless your mother in law is a medical professional I would ignore her. If your HV and everyone else is happy then you are doing fine and at 9 months if he was still hungry you would know it.

[rootypig]

I wouldn't be giving a 9 mo old juice at all, and only water on the hottest days. At 9mo the amount of food they get really varies - DD didn't really start eating in quantity til 10mo, but I wouldn't fill a baby up on liquid that offers little or no nutrition. DD at nearly 20mo still has two bottles of milk a day, morning and night, as well as three large meals and snacks - and she's in the lower centiles for weight.

Can you express a lunchtime bottle for him? Or mixed feeding would be fine.

[rootypig]

Just realised that the not offering water sounds a bit extreme! What I meant was, at 9mo most babies I know are still drinking so much milk they only need more fluid in the form of water on the hottest days. I did offer DD water with every 'meal', but until she was 1 she just wanted milk.

[fledermaus]

Mine drank water with every meal from 6-12 months, but didn't have water/juice as a drink in between meals I don't think.

[LotsaTuddles]

My DS is 9mo too but is bottle fed. He only has 2 bottles a day, one mid morning and one at bedtime.

Just ignore your MiL, you'd know if he was hungry.

My DS eats loads and drinks water or juice all day too, otherwise he'd be thirsty.

My SiL is of the belief that he shouldn't be having any milk at all now, he's too old for it. If I don't stop giving his mid morning bottle he'll be having it forever and I'm never going to get him to go to sleep without a bottle if I don't stop that one too, I should just give him a bigger dinner

She thinks she knows everything because she has 2 older DDs.

My DS is in the lower centiles but he was born there, he's actually gone up a few since then.

Sorry for getting distracted (just have to rant every now and again) but what I mean is he's your baby, if you're happy and he's happy, then don't worry

[puthyjip43]

It sounds very little to me- my 8 month old is still on 5 bf a day. Plus isn't juice a big nono until at least 12 months? (At least that's what the health nurses advise here is Australia)

[TheresLotsOfFarmyardAnimals]

At 9 months I was also giving milk morning and night only. I wouldn't introduce a bottle now for only 3 months before you have to get rid of it, might as well stick to the sippy cups and bfing if you're happy to continue.

[TheresLotsOfFarmyardAnimals]

I assume that she probably means baby juice which is a product sold here, marketed at that age group.

[fledermaus]

Lotsa - you can tell your SIL that formula fed babies need at least 17-20oz of milk a day until at least 12 months!

[Jade240]

His weight is spot on, been following the same line since birth! & always been up! Had a slight drop few months ago but that was due to him being on antibiotics!
I see HV at local drop in every 4/6week & she says he is progressing fine, jus MiL got me worried today!

Everyone i know is or has bottle fed so its hard to compare!

Thanks for your replies

[Jade240]

He is getting water not just juice! Juice is the Heinz bottle that is from 4 months, & he has about a sippy cup a day, rest he has water & food

[TheresLotsOfFarmyardAnimals]

fleder kind of, it'a 17-20oz of dairy, isn't it? So yoghurts and cheese count too.

I find that babies milk intake varies massively at this age, depending on how much they like milk and solids respectively. My DS wasn't such a fan of milk.

[fledermaus]

No, it's formula - less than that and they need to be supplemented with vitamins as they won't be getting enough from their milk.

After 12 months the recommended 12oz a day can be in the form of cows milk, yoghurt, cheese etc.

[LotsaTuddles]

Sounds fine then Jade

Fleder I have tried to tell her, but she's adamant, I just ignore her now.

He has 2 8oz bottles, I know that's only 16oz but he's not that interested in it, he would rather eat food. Her youngest dd couldn't tolerate formula so was on solids really early and now thinks everyone should do that.

[rootypig]

Heinz juice may be suitable for babies - that doesn't mean it is ideal, or in the same category as milk. Going on the standard advice, if his intake stays at this level, a multivitamin supplement would be a wise idea. (In fact, I think this is recommended for BF babies from 6mo - 1yr anyway, for the iron and vitamin d. Formula fed babies get the equivalent in their milk.)

[Myboy354]

I give him abidec multi vitamin drops too! Think il pop into see HV 2mro for peace of mind

[rootypig]

you'd be better off with Wellkid, for the iron.