BLW- Until they are 1 it's just for fun....What about after 1??

[MeeWhoo]

That's it basically, ds is 1 and I would like to know what needs to change now and whether you need to be a lot more careful that they actually eat a certain amount of solids rather than relying on milk so much.....

What are the main changes now he is 1?

[Rockchick1984]

Are you still breastfeeding? I know if you are FFing that after one they should only be having a max of 1 pint of milk per day, which is for the nutrition rather than to fill them up, the rest of their calories should be from food. :)

[Nyunya]

Yes I'm also interested in the answer to your question as dd was one a couple of weeks ago and still heavily favours bm over solids. She barely eats a thing!

I'm slightly neurotic trying not to worry about it.

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

If you are bfing you can still offer bfs but once they are one you offer the bf after food, not before. Really at one they should be having 3 meals and 2 snacks, but its not essential, every baby is different.

If you are ff then the NHS don't recommend bottles or formula after one. LO should be on 300ml of full fat cows milk a day between 12 and 24 months. Again, if you are offering milk, try to offer it after the solids and not an hour before, as recommended from 6 to 12 months.

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

Nyunya, just reread your post, I think that's completely normal and know my dd was like that at one. Do you want her to eat more or are you happy with the amount of feeds?

[MeeWhoo]

He is still bfing on demand.
I do offer him 3 meals a day and snacks, and sometimes he eats quite a bit, some other times not much at all, depending on when his last milk feed was, teething, etc.
I don't offer feeds as such, he asks for them, maybe that is the "problem". He always has bfeeds before naps,sometimes as he wakes up from naps, and maybe a couple more times during the dayunless teething or with a cold in which caseheasks for more bfeeds but is not really taking a lot more milk as such, more of a comfort thing. That is not counting the bloody night ones

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

All sounds perfectly normal to me MeeWhoo .

Are you happy to continue as you are?

As for the nights, google kellymom reverse cycling and askdrsears 12 alternatives for the all night nurser. Can't do links ATM sorry

[MeeWhoo]

Thanks a lot JJJ, I am mostly happy to continue as we are, but some days the comments about "this child needs to be fed properly" wear me down a bit... Also, he has fallen from a height percentile of 86% at birth to 22% at 1 y.o. and I was wondering whether this might have anything to do with the feeding method (although I have always made sure he has some iron rich foods every day).

I will be using some of the tips on the websites you suggested. DS is definitely distracted and, although he has been improving in the past couple of weeks, since 5 and a half months it's been extremely difficult to bfeed him when out and about, he may even ask for a feed and then after half a minute he wants to turn his head around and look at anything and everything, so 99% of proper bfeeds are in the house only and only when he asks for them. If you offer him milk when he doesn't want any, it is an impossible task and trying to bfeeed when he doesn't want to is one of the few things that has always made him angry since he was very young.

I also think the main problem with solids is having to stay in his high chair, he is very very active and hates being restricted (and the fact he has had to wear a harness in the high chair from 9mo so he doesn't stand up on it, doesn't help). It would be great if I had a garden and constant sunny weather so that he could just walk around with his food and then come back for more...

Sorry for essay and thank you all again for your comments.

[Nyunya]

MeeWhoo your LO sounds just like my dd - distracted in feeds from an early age, not liking restraint of high chair, asking for feed but not taking it when out&about! Perhaps this is just what active, interested, curious children are like? (I also remember trying to feed dd when v small and her not wanting it, a bf councellor I went to said "ooo she's a little madam isn't she?" When I was trying to feed dd so bfc could observe!)

Jilted part of me is really happy to carry on as we are but I do get slightly worn down by the "still breastfeeding? Can't possibly be getting enough" from various corners. The other thing that worries me a little is that she won't take vitamins in any form I try, so am slightly concerned about her nutrition. Though she is a very lively, inquisitive child. I think deep down I'm happy with the current set-up, it's just all the 'experts' telling me she's not eating enough! I'm sure she'll eat more when she gets into it, and if I push her she'll just develop a thing about eating which I don't want.

Sorry to hijack slightly, OP.

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

What do you say to the "still bfing?" thing? I always used to say the "oh yes, isn't it great, still a year to go to the minimum recommended age! "

Also, don't worry about the iron thing, studies show that a bf baby, weaned at 7 months will have higher iron levels at 12 months than their peers.

Have a look at Bfing past one year and this on iron .

[Rockchick1984]

If the high chair is part of the problem, couldn't you get a small kids table and chair set? We use this for DS and he loves it, as he can climb up and down himself :)

[Nyunya]

Ha haaa JJJ I like your retort to the bf question! I actually feel quite a sense of achievement about breastfeeding. Thanks for the links to kellymom too, I'll have a read up this eve.

Rockchick I do sometimes (actually quite often) have dd on my lap to eat as she then can take what she wants from my plate and throw it on the floor eat it. She sometimes eats more that way and she's much more able to get down when she wants to.

Thanks for the info & encouragement, much appreciated.

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

Sounds just like my DD at that age, she was a mini Houdini when it came to the high chair

[butterfingerz]

My DS, also BF on demand, has only just 'clicked' with food at 16 months. Im not sure why, it could be the eruption of a couple of molars so he can really get to grips with his food properly now. But literally in the past few weeks he has gone from 80% BM 20% titbits of food to more of a 3 meals a day with BM in between pattern.

My DD was FF and took to food straight away... it's no surprise really, have you ever tasted formula? Anything tastes better really, whereas BM is actually nice... from a babies point of view, given the choice between BM and I don't know, a bit of mashed veg, there's no contest really is there?

So yes, I think that late weaning onto food is pretty typical if the baby is BF. I do give my DS vitamins too as an 'insurance' but if your DC wont take any, then take one yourself and make sure you're eating well and it'll all go into your BM.

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

Lovely post butter

[MeeWhoo]

Thank you all so much for your replies, I fell better already and even starting to think ds is actually doing quite well for a bf baby.
Nyunya, if your dd only has 2 teeth, I shall declare her and ds cosmic twins!
JJJ, I like the little chair and table a lot, but I fear that would mean me chasing ds all over the house coveredin food and finding mouldy unidentifiable bits underthe furniture 2 months later

[Nyunya]

butter love your post - it's very encouraging!

MeeWhoo haha dd has 4 teeth out with another just cut last week. Gosh if your ds only has 2 teeth that must make it even harder to eat! It is a wonder to me when some babies eat so much just on gums, my dd still sucks all the food I give her!
Glad you're feeling better!