Talk to me about breastfeeding beyond 6 months

[Pushoffnosleep]

I have a 4.5 month EBF baby who is a total milk monster - still feeds every 2 hours night and day and is super chunky and happy. My intention was to express milk occasionally to get him used to a bottle but I just haven't been able to do it reliably because of him constantly feeding. It's lovely in many ways but I also feel very touched out and quite trapped as I feel I can't leave him. I wanted to BF for a year but I'm in BF Facebook groups where people's one year olds are still feeding hourly at night and won't settle for their Dads and I really don't want that to be us. I BF my eldest but we'd already stopped by now and he was never a big eater - he still isn't and he's 8! This one is completely different - a total milk monster. I really want to be able to leave him for a few hours with his Dad - is BF likely to get less intense once he's on solids?

Yes, maybe not immediately but when they are taking a reasonable amount of solids the demand for milk will reduce. My LO is 10 months now and was like yours - I’d be lucky to go an hour between feeds during the day. But I’d say for the last 2 months I’ve been able to leave him for stretches, and they keep getting longer. He doesn’t tolerate a bottle very well but will have some sips of expressed milk from a sippy cup but tbh he manages just with food and water. Now at 10 months he can do a whole day while I’m at work. My LO was never a great sleeper but with a bit of perseverance he will now settle with my husband. They just adjust cause they know there is no chance of milk with anyone else, whereas for me he won’t settle without a feed. I actually find BFing more rewarding the older he gets because it’s less demanding and so convenient. It’s also lovely cuddles and bonding at an age where they want to be on the move all the time! I very much felt like you did and I’m glad I stuck with it.