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Infant feeding

Breastfeeding 9 mo - worried about breastmilk intake

8 replies

kookool · 21/03/2005 07:26

Hello all - my DS is now nearly 9 mo. I introduced solids at 6 mo. He is eating 3 meals a day plus a couple of very small rice cakes as snacks. I don't give him alot of water (and never any juice) so that it won't interfere with BF. I am very concerned that he only has a 5 - 10 minute BF in the morning, after lunch and before sleep at night.

Could someone please tell me if I should be worried about his breastmilk intake as I was hoping he would BF well into his 2nd year ?

Also, I haven't introduced cheese or yoghurts yet, as recommended by allergy experts not to begin before 9 mo. I will start these next week when he is exactly 9 mo. Will a little cheese and yoghurt be enough to cover for any shortfall in calcium intake due to less breastmilk ? I don't want to give him cow's milk

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suzywong · 21/03/2005 07:42

That sounds absolutely fine to me koolkool, starting yogurt an cheese nextweek.

Both my sons were quick feeders apart from the night feed when it was very leisurely. Babies who are generally healthy take what they need when they need it. So don't worry.

I don't think it would hurt to have a cup of water or very diluted fruit juice on hand for your DS.

Everything sounds fine to me and good you for thinking about BF in to the second year

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hoxtonchick · 21/03/2005 07:45

i agree with suzy (hello btw, did you get my e-mail?), he will be breastfeeding very efficiently by this age, so getting all he needs from quick feeds.

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suzywong · 21/03/2005 07:50

hello dear, yes I did but am very very very slack as you know, will rectify the situation this evening honest xxx

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bobbybob · 21/03/2005 08:40

Ds was only doing these three (quick) feeds at 9 months and is still doing a morning and evening, and sometime a lunchtime feed at 2 years.

He didn't have any dairy until 13 months because of allergies. He still only has a small amount of dairy as it's all he can tolerate (he has water on weetabix for instance). I think he will take enough breastmilk to cover himself.

It sounds fine. He's probably just really quick.

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NotQuiteCockney · 21/03/2005 12:20

My DS1 was feeding like this, at 9 mo, and it worked fine. There are some other high-calcium foods, other than dairy, by the way, but the only one I can think of at the moment is fish with bones in it.

Don't bother with juice, diluted or not, they can grow to love that and then not drink water.

He probably will want more water, or milk, when it gets hotter.

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suzywong · 21/03/2005 12:32

but if you don't bother with juice do make sure you are giving one piece of fresh fruit with a good vitamin C content so they can absorb their iron and other vitamins from other foods and your milk efficiently

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chipmonkey · 21/03/2005 13:02

I found ds1 and ds2 got v. efficient with b/f as they got older and didn't take long to finish a feed. I'm sure he's fine.

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kookool · 22/03/2005 07:46

Thanks all I don't have much to worry about then.

I used to call him the "breastmilk monster" when he was tiny as he would be at my breasts all the time. Over time he has obviously become an "efficient breastmilk monkey" .

Suzy, good point about fruit. I do give him fruit (puree or if soft like banana then a chunk) at every meal.

He seems to like his boiled, cooled water.

I will have to get a good list of calcium-rich foods then !