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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not let my 1 year old breastfeed despite her crying in hunger?

95 replies

HopLittleFroggiesHopHopHop · 27/09/2013 15:31

She's not eaten ANY food today, tried to give her porridge, apple puree, strawberries, 'organic' crisps, sweet potato and lasagne so far. She hasn't had a single mouthful, I last let her breastfeed about an hour after she refused breakfast, and she had a big drink then at about 10.
This is a very regular occurrence but she usually breastfeeds on demand a lot.

She's taken a tiny bit of water but is pushing away snacks still, and clawing at my top for milk, pretty upset.

Should I just give in or should I wait out and hope she takes real food when she's hungry enough?

OP posts:
Offcolour · 27/09/2013 15:33

Is she ill? I'd let her feed, feeds don't seem to make any difference to my son's appetite and if she's distressed she won't eat anyway.

Sirzy · 27/09/2013 15:34

Let her feed.

FrussoHathor · 27/09/2013 15:35

Is it just today that she's been refersing?

Could she be coming down with a bug, or teething? They would be typical solid refusing reasons.

I'd give in and breastfeed but then I am a softy

IceBeing · 27/09/2013 15:35

maybe she has a sore throat? I would just get some calories in her as a priority. She probably knows better than you what form those calories should optimally take...

IsThatTrue · 27/09/2013 15:35

Could she be teething? Ds2 hates solids when he's teething and spends a lot of time feeding instead.

Wheresmycaffeinedrip · 27/09/2013 15:36

Oh feed her. She won't eat food in that state. Lshe must be feeling a bit off, it won't hurt if she just has milk today

bigandfluffy · 27/09/2013 15:36

YABU!

fluffyraggies · 27/09/2013 15:36

Are you trying to wean her off BF, OP? Cutting back on breast feeds?

Annunziata · 27/09/2013 15:36

YABU, feed her.

SamPull · 27/09/2013 15:37

Not sure if there is a reason not to let her, if you are able?

DD feeds a lot more than usual when she is under the weather (or more accurately in the days before I notice any other symptoms of her being unwell)

AutumnMadness · 27/09/2013 15:38

I would let her have boob. My son ate nearly no solid food when he was one, especially around me (was much better at nursery). It's still rather young. He was weaned off the boob nicely and with only very feeble resistance at 23 months.

Original poster
HopLittleFroggiesHopHopHop · 27/09/2013 15:38

She's feeding Sad she's not ill, she is just awful at eating, she quite often eats nothing, and given the option bfeeds about every hour plus. How long can she carry on like this before its really unhealthy?

OP posts:
JoinTheDots · 27/09/2013 15:39

Feed her.

QuintessentialShadows · 27/09/2013 15:40

Yabu. Feed your baby!

Wheresmycaffeinedrip · 27/09/2013 15:40

Have you any idea why she doesn't eat? Is she growing ok? Does she eat too much at night so she's not hungry in the day?

pixiepotter · 27/09/2013 15:41

I think with some children ,they just want to live on breastmilk and the only way to stop this is to go cold turkey and stop BF.I had this with my 2ns and 4th child.They were a bit older though.17m and 2.5years old.The 2 yr olsd was quite severely underweight (under the 0.4th centile)

GirlWithTheLionHeart · 27/09/2013 15:42

'Food before one is just for fun'

Seeing as she's only one and still a baby, yabu let her feed. She might be teething.

Annunziata · 27/09/2013 15:42

Oh OP you must be shattered. I would ask this thread to be moved to the feeding section, the ladies there will know what to do.

Original poster
HopLittleFroggiesHopHopHop · 27/09/2013 15:44

She's gaining on the same percentile, but she is very small for her age, no 'baby fat' rolls at all.
She does feed a fair bit at night, but there's no other way to get her to sleep, if I try to rock her or just cuddle her she will get upset and just end up feeding more.

OP posts:
cakesarenottheanswer · 27/09/2013 15:45

A friend of mine had this problem. It turned out her dd had a significant lip tie which was operated on by laser at about 16 months since when her eating has improved massively.

I really would check thoroughly for any physical reasons for this food refusal before refusing the only corn of nutrition she wants, which by the way will give her the majority of the nutrients she needs for now.

BlackberrySeason · 27/09/2013 15:47

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

IceBeing · 27/09/2013 15:47

YA(still)BU.

Your DD had found an excellent source of nutrition (the best going) and is making the most of it.

Why on earth would your response be to withdraw it?

Babies cannot extract the food value from any other food anywhere near as efficiently as they can from BM, so they do tend to turn back to it when they are challenged in some way (teething, tummy upset, virus etc). It is the ultimate comfort food!

NachoAddict · 27/09/2013 15:49

I can totally understand your logic but she is clearly not going to snack so glad you let her feed.

maybe try introducing solid food partway through a feed so sone milk and then a bit of toast etc, eat with her and just share some of yours with her. Food is far more interesting when its not yours. Xx

BaldricksTurnip · 27/09/2013 15:49

I know it's exhausting when they're like this but you can't force weaning. She will cut back on bf when she's ready. If she's distressed then I would let her have it.

maddening · 27/09/2013 15:50

I'd let her feed.