8 month old dropping milk feeds, enthusiastic with solids

[daluze]

I started weaning my EBF DS at 6 months on a mixture of purees/mash and finger foods. He loves nearly anything I make and now, at 8 months, he is on 3 meals a day. The problem is, he started rapidly dropping milk feeds, and currently I am lucky if he takes breast 3 times a day and once at night. He used to have 5 milk feeds per day plus at least 2 at night, so it is a significant reduction. I know his main nutrition should be from milk, but he doesn't want it! I tried reducing the amount of solids he takes, but he still refused milk and was grumpy until the next solid feed. I sometimes express and make porridge in EBM, but I hate expressing (had to do a lot during his first month... don't even want to remember). Also, he doesn't take a bottle and only does a few sips from a cup, so expressed milk would go to waste. He is happy and gaining weight well, but I am worried he is not getting enough milk and that my milk will dry up. It is also disheartening when he does not want to go on thexbreast... It is not a nursing strike, he does not reject it completely, just usually not interested. I only really convince him to breastfeed when he is sleepy. Anyone was through similar and any advice?

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

I'm not trained but I don't think your milk will dry up at this stage. Your supply should be very established by now

Have you spoken to a BFC about whether they think this amount of feeds is enough? Have you got the helpline numbers?

[BotBotticelli]

I ff my DS (9mo) so it's a bit different but my HV said it was normal for babies to decrease their milk intake once they're on 3 meals a day. She told me not to worry and to be led by my baby. So when he consistently batted away a bottle at a certain time of day for 3-4 days in a row I just stopped offering it.

He has now settled on just two milk feeds a day (morning on waking, and before bed). He eats lots of dairy (weetabix with cows milk for breakfast, yoghurts as pudding, dairy lea sandwiches, grated cheese on all his pasta dishes). He is thriving and seems fine.

I would recommend asking your hV for advice but in general babies are clever little things. They take what they need. And you can't force them to have milk feeds.

[daluze]

Thanks! Yes, I know a good BFC who helped us 8 months ago. I'll see our HV on Tuesday, so will chat with her as well. To be honest, quite selfishly I would prefer not to make many changes to the current routine, because just recently DS started sleeping better with only 1-2 wakings at night, after about 2 months of waking every 1-2 hours... So I would be reluctant to reduce solids in case they contribute to better sleep. Maybe will try to give smaller lunches, to see if he would be more willing to take milk in the afternoon... Annoyingly, he only breastfeeds in a quiet dark room now - the smallest noise and he is distracted and loses interest in feeding. This doesn't affect his intake of solids - probanly because he can eat and look around at the same time...

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

I think it is probably enough but would speak to the BFC. Unless your HV is one of the rare few, she's unlikely to know much about bfing

[LittleBearPad]

If he's happily eating a wide range of solids, gaining weight etc then it all sounds good. Some babies don't take to solids with such enthusiasm so need more milk others are happier on more food and less milk.

You can use cows milk for the porridge if you don't want to express. It will be fine.

Keep offering, in case he's thirsty if he doesn't drink much water.

[goingwildforcrayons]

Congrats on having a happy little eater! It's fine for jim to drop feeds. I can't remember the recommended amount of milk and on.phone so can't look it up. Can get the nutrients from milk in other ways too such as yoghurt, cream cheese etc. But hv will be able to advise. Mine was about 8 mths when he dropped to just a bedtime feed.

[goingwildforcrayons]

Him not Jim! Who the heck is Jim?

[Nicknamefail]

My dd loved solids and dropped milk feeds very quickly. After a few weeks she picked them back up, but kept eating lots of solids. Weird. Just keep offering and maybe the same will happen. Didn't affect my supply at all by the way.

[sparklekitty]

My DD started naturally cutting feeds out at this stage. She's not just under 1yo and she's day weaned herself (I'm told this is a little unusual but fine) so she has a bf at night, one first thing before we get up and usually one during the night (ggrrr)

My supply is absolutely fine, however, I no longer get that full, slightly hard boobed feeling if she skips a feed.

[Cupcakemummy85]

This is exactly what is happening with my dd. she will be 8 months in two weeks te and is dropping a lot of feeds. If say in the day it's 2/3 feeds. What does your DS have now? What did your hv say in the end? I'm desperate to find a solution. Only things is my dd wakes up 3/4 times at night :(

[kaffkooks]

My baby is EBF and now 10 months and is also a very good eater. He is now on only 1 breast feed a day as that's all he wants. They know what is best for them and so as long as they are getting a good, healthy, varied diet then it's fine for them to drop milk feeds. Just offer lots of water with meals and snacks.

[Bobsmyaunty]

Just came across this thread as I'm battling with exactly the same thing, so no advice unfortunately !

My DD is 8 months, eats a good lunch & dinner but is not mad keen on breakfast or milk! She'll go some mornings on nothing and today only consumed 5oz of milk in the day total.

I'm fine with this as shes healthy & lovely and squidgy, except that she wakes up twice in the night to down 8oz a pop! Anyone else experiencing this??

Would love some sleep.

[Lucybee1974]

Sorry, no advice either but similar to Bobs - my 8 month old DD seems to be dropping milk feeds also, she has her three meals a day, but she just isn't as interested in her milk, she used to drink around 7oz each feed, not now has around 4-5 oz, (sometimes even 3oz) then pushes it away... and wakes in the night wanting extra...