Breastfeeding delaying weaning on to solids? [hmm]

[PrettyCandles]

Ds2 had his 8m developmental checkup today, and when the HV learned that he is not hugely interested in solids, she suggested that I cut down to 2/3 feeds a day - ie breakfast, supper, bedtime - as she thinks he's not interested because he gets boob whenever he wants. Waking 2/3 times a night for boob is not helping either.

I'm not convinced. Dd was grabbing from our plates at 5.5m and wolfed down solids as soon as offered them, plus was breastfed about 5 times a day. Surely if he's not interested he's not ready?

He's between 50th and 75th centile for weight, and very active crawling, cruising and babbling.

[beansprout]

Funny how they never talk about the other version which is that he is getting far more nutritional value from the milk than he would from any amount of mush. You know he will eat when he is ready so I don't need to tell you not to worry!

Ds was the same. He has always had a great appetite and to this day (2.7 now) we have never had any problems with food and I am convinced that this is because we just let him do his own thing and don't make a fuss. I know I could be wrong but hey, if it ain't broke......!

[Macdog]

IMHO he'll go for solids when he wants to.
Your milk is still nutritious for him

[MissGolightly]

Sounds like there's no problem so not much point in changing...? DS was the same, and if I tried to cut down his feeds in the day he just woke up more in the night to make up for lost time. Highly irritating.

I think they know what they need, by and large.

[MissGolightly]

Babies, I mean. Not HVs.

[Lovage]

I got that advice too, with the additional spin that my LO was dropping centiles. Thanks to some great advice here I didn't try and cut down bf and a few weeks later he did start eating solids more significantly, although he still bfs about 6x in 24 hrs (now age 10 months). And he's back on track with the centiles. I think they talk bobbins.

[whomovedmychocolate]

That's barking advice! I can't wait till my HV comes for DDs check and tells me that. I will fire up my 'puter and give her a presentation on 'the value of breastmilk and of getting your bloody facts straight'

[goingfor3]

My daughter didn't take a great interest in food until I stopped breastfeeding at 2 1/2. I have to admit that she is unwell less now she eats better, which may just be something that has come with age and not related. That doesn't really help with what ytou are asking, sorry.

[policywonk]

I bf-ed both my DSs until they were over 2 (still going with DS2). DS1 was like yours, not remotely interested in solids at 8m. I remember speaking to my GP at the 8m check about it because I was worried, and the GP very wisely told me not to worry about it and that DS1 would eat when he was ready (he actually got interested in food about a month later). DS2, on the other hand, was grabbing food off my plate at 4m (this was a couple of years ago, before Aitch jumps on me).

It has so much to do with the baby's temperament. I'd ignore your HV. They're really only good for weighing babies. And sometimes measuring them.

[whomovedmychocolate]

oh policywonk you are wrong, wrong, wrong. HV are there to give spurious but entertaining advice!

[policywonk]

Oh yes

That too

And also, they are there to say

'Hmmm, I don't know. Why don't you make an appointment with the GP?'

whenever you ask them something that it not directly to do with the weight or length of your baby.

[clarancelovesalabama]

Was b.feeding on demand till dd was 20 mnths.

She's now 3 and still has boob whenever she
asks for it.

Didn't give her solids until she was 6.5 mnths cos she wasn't interested till then, and she still b.fed like a demon untill nearly 2!

Night feeds were difficult, as she has always slept in with us and she fed almost all night. Then at 20 mnths the night feeds stopped

Dd still sleeps in with us but now there are no night feeds but she'll have a big feed in the morning and generally one around nap time pm.

By the way dd was Always fed to sleep and many people told me I was making a rod for my back, but as I said she stopped the night feeds my herself and i'm sure given time she'll decide to wean completely, all my herself

[whomovedmychocolate]

Policywonk - mine is in her seventies: she says 'dunno, let's look in the birth to five book'

She's startlingly honest sometimes though - she said last time 'it's all crap really' (about the book) 'go with what you think'

[Desiderata]

Yes, go with your child.

I only breastfed for six weeks. He wasn't that interested, tbh, so we switched to formula. But at about five months he started grabbing my food, so I weaned him.

Different strokes for different baby folks. I don't agree with sticking to written guidelines on these matters. They're all individual.

[Amberjee]

i like the slogan "food is just for fun until they're one"

[PrettyCandles]

Thanks for your comments. I do feel that I ought to follow my instincts re feeding ds2 - he's my third, so I'm not exactly inexperienced . Besides, as he's actually moved slightly up the centiles he can't be doing too badly.

She's actually a very good and up-to-date HV (compared to what I've heard on here about others and even compared to the absolutely wonderful, down-to-earth HV that I had previously) just she does occasionally give some funny advice re bfing.

[akaJamiesMum]

To be fair - if somebody says to a HV "my baby isn't interested in solids" and asks for advice then it's a fair comment for the HV (taking the baby's age etc into account)to suggest perhaps cutting down on breastfeeds may help increase hunger - nobody HAS to follow this advice if they want to do something different. All babies are different and this baby may just not be ready and will do it in his own time.

Some HVs are crap (I've worked with them and read comments made by them on here and other boards and cringed) but many more are okay. Trouble is that their numbers are now so decreased most of them scarcely get any time to update. I'm an ex-HV (but help out from time to time). The area I help out in used to have six HVs and now only has one full timer and one part-timer. This means the work is stressful and relentless at times. If they give some out of date advice it's probably because there is NO time to update - just run the baby clinic, do the first visit and any child protection. Being mostly a SAHM I have plenty of time to sit and read and update - they don't. The Community Nursery Nurses do all 6 week and 8 month follow ups in this area because there simply are not enough HVs here.

.