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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

Bfing 13mo DTs should I stop?

25 replies

Mumof1plustwins · 29/03/2012 17:29

Hi, my DTs aren't eating very well and I think it's because they still bf a lot. So should I start weaning them off to see if it improves their appetite for food?
Our routine is pretty much;
Bf throughout the night (I co sleep)
Wake at 6 usually feeding, make breakfast @ 6.30 (weetabix or porridge) they usually eat all or most of this
Drop dd of at school, make DTs toast @ 9.30-10am (they started to eat this if I cut it in tiny squares and feed them myself)
Bf @ 11ish
Nap 12ish
Wake around 1.30-2pm have yoghurt sometimes they don't eat this because theyve just had milk
Leave at 2.30 to get dd from school
Feed them banana along the way (again in small bits or they waste it)
Dinner is really hit and miss, sometimes they eat a bit sometimes (like tonight they refuse and just want milk) in which case they nap
Wake I usually offer yoghurt or fruit and it's bed time...
They're not losing weight but aren't gaining much either, they're still in size 4 nappies at 13mo
Appreciate any help
TIA

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naturalbaby · 29/03/2012 17:36

My baby is 14months and has pretty much dropped BF's, but I managed to drop night feeds around 10months. He was on 2 or 3 feeds a day around 12months, then dropped one or two for an exciting looking beaker with cows milk, then more bf's when he was ill for a week. So basically I'm not offering unless desperate and we're down to a few feeds a week now. I don't feel he's having 3 good meals a day at the moment but it seems to be enough. He's in size 4 nappies as well, just growing out of 6-12month clothes. He is strong and very active though.

Badgerina · 29/03/2012 17:54

Your breast milk has more nutrients than solid foods, so you needn't worry about that. You can trust your babies to take what they need, and if they're taking longer to get to a point where they're eating larger amounts of solid food, then the fact that your breast milk is nutritionally better for them might offer you some reassurance. Regarding weight gain, this slows down at the this age anyway. I expect at 13 months they're getting more active? This slows weight gain too.

Since you're night feeding them, you'd be surprised at their likely calorie-intake during this time. Breast milk is often richer at night. I think they're lucky babies to have breast milk as a continued food source as well as for comfort, whilst they explore solid foods in their own time.

I wonder whether you could try varying what you offer? They might be bored if that's the menu you've been giving them for a while. How about cubes of cheese? Or some other strong flavours like houmous? I would probably try to tempt them that way, rather than cut down on breastfeeding.

Honestly, it sounds like you're doing a great job, keeping to their pace of breastfeeding and solid food exploration is in my opinion the best introduction to grown-up food.

Badgerina · 29/03/2012 17:56

Sorry, should have added that my DS was the same as your DTs at that age, perhaps eating a little less solid food. He did eventually transition to solid foods, but he remained healthily mostly breastfed until WELL over a year.

drcrab · 29/03/2012 17:59

My dd is 18 months and still in size 4s. She's still bf too. We did BLW with her so she likes eating the stuff we eat. And because we co sleep she also feeds about 3 or more times a night which I'm trying to stop as I also work ft and I'm bloody knackered.

She is in age appropriate clothes although people comment she's petite. I'm 5ft 3 and a size 6/8. So I think that's fine!! People said her brother (now 4) was small too. He wasn't. He's tall for his age. He's just not chunky.

Original poster

Mumof1plustwins · 29/03/2012 18:50

Thank you for the replies!
Badgerina thanks, I forgot how nutritional breast milk is, to be honest it suits me to continue and I don't feel they're ready to stop yet.
I will keep varying their foods and go at their pace.
I was getting a bit stressed over their intake tbh but i guess its not as bad as i assumed!
I'll make sure I'm eating healthily too.

OP posts:

PenguinArmy · 29/03/2012 20:14

Dd is still in size four and she's two.

Original poster

Mumof1plustwins · 29/03/2012 20:38

I guess I was expecting them to grow loads, I remember buying dd1 size 6 at 2 but all babies are different!

OP posts:

5madthings · 29/03/2012 20:56

my dd is in size 4 nappies and she is 15mths, my ds2 was like you describe your twins, a big bmilk fan and not into food, he did gradually get there but i was more like 18mths+ that he started eating anything i would class as a reasonable amount and he was nearer two before food was the bulk of his diet rather than bmilk, he was always skinny but tall he is 9 now and still skinny as a rake but eats like a horse! he bfed till he was almost 4yrs old in the end.

if they are happy and developing well then i wouldnt worry about it, they are just babies still and they will get there in time :)

Original poster

Mumof1plustwins · 30/03/2012 06:21

Thanks for replying

I guess they're just not ready yet so I'll carry on

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JiltedJohnsJulie · 30/03/2012 10:20

They sound very much like both of mine at that age. Think it all sounds pretty normal. Once they are one the recommendation is of offer milk after solids so you could try to do that, but know it can be a bit hit and miss.

Have you tried offering a bf at 9.30 instead of the toast and then giving them their lunch at 12ish?

Original poster

Mumof1plustwins · 30/03/2012 12:31

thanks

They nap around 12-1pm so food is a no no as theyre too tired. They ate their porridge this morning.
One DT did take a nibble of my ham and cheese sandwich earlier but they both wanted milk. They are napping right now and i have to leave to pick up DD1 from school but will offer them weetabix when i get back.

Also need to add some more variety in their diet!

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JiltedJohnsJulie · 30/03/2012 12:57

Weetabix is easy but they probably need a bit more variety than toast and weetabix, know you do give them more than that though . Making sure they have enough protein might help them take less milk?

There are some great lunch recipes on MN here, wrappy uppy dinner sounds good and there are some great recipes on the BLW site too, here.

Original poster

Mumof1plustwins · 30/03/2012 14:39

thanks I'll take a look!

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PenguinArmy · 30/03/2012 19:10

don't know if you have LLL near you to borrow the book 'my child won't eat' which I found a reassuring read.

MamaChocoholic · 30/03/2012 19:33

my dts still don't eat much at 18 months and are still in size 4s. I eD concerned enough to ask the doc who said he would not worry about growth if they are developing fine. and a couple of times when they've picked up bugs and gone off food altogether, I've been very glad they are still bf. though I would love to not

MamaChocoholic · 30/03/2012 19:38

... to not co sleep any more, but that's a whole other story.

I remember spending a lot of time worrying about ds1 not eating at this age and he had weaned, so I'm trying to relax this time :)

do they like fruit? grapes, pears, blueberries are all big hits here.

Original poster

Mumof1plustwins · 30/03/2012 21:22

Thanks.
They like bananas, (peeled) grapes and strawberries.
They're crawling and love to be walked (not walking alone yet) and babbling away and playing games so I'm not concerned there. I'll just offer foods as we go and see what they take to.

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totallynaive · 31/03/2012 05:47

My ds at this age loved the cheese and lentil quiche from the BLW cookbook, also homemade fish pie, orecchiette pasta with homemade cheesy tomato and veg sauce, homemade stews, not-too-spicy tom ka soup, paella... Now is a fantastic window for teaching your babies to love different flavours and textures before they get to the age where they develop food fads, and they will soon get bored of something you offer repeatedly (mine will no longer eat porridge or cereals). This is supposed to be a transitional stage where they will really start to explore food and get to like it if you give them enough variety (so they say), not that this is necessarily your problem, as I don't know what you do at dinnertime. I'm a real fan of giving your children what you eat as opposed to mush (taking out the salt and stock of course) because it makes cooking for the whole family easier and increases the ba's interest in food when they see they're eating what you're eating. I'm not the author of the BLW cookbook, by the way!

Original poster

Mumof1plustwins · 31/03/2012 08:31

Thanks. Problem I have with cooking is I don't really have much time with DTs and 6yo dd but as we're now on half term I will have to see if they prefer other dishes...

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totallynaive · 31/03/2012 19:06

Yeah, I only manage it by not cleaning, so my house looks as if it's been burgled.

Original poster

Mumof1plustwins · 31/03/2012 20:01

my BIL came over the other day and when he left I was so because I'd forgotten to clean up the food the DTs had chucked on the floor under their highchairs!

He must think I am queen slattern

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totallynaive · 31/03/2012 23:13

Erm - once your twins start getting their appetites they might go under the highchair for seconds while you do the washing up after dinner (speaking from personal experience, I'm afraid). In fact, leaving the food there for a few minutes might be an excellent ploy if, like most 13m olds they're doing the opposite of whatever you want them to do at every opportunity.

Original poster

Mumof1plustwins · 01/04/2012 09:21

my DH would have a fit if he saw that he's very pfb with all our kids!

Their appetite is on and off, this morning they took literally a couple spoons of porridge and refused the rest. I'll just have to see how it goes.
Thanks.

OP posts:

MamaChocoholic · 01/04/2012 16:09

Mumof1+, I have 18month dts and a 4 year old. totally understand having no time! we did do the blw route, and they do get served whatever we are eating because I can't be making separate meals. but they are still the fussiest things ever, so please don't think it's because you don't cook that yours are! mine both refuse porridge entirely, btw.

today dd has eaten lots which is remarkable because she can go days on bm and fresh air it seems, but ds2 has had half a piece of bread, an organix carrot bar, and a tiny cube of cheese. I suspect that will be it, because he never eats Sunday tea, which tends to be a bit junk foody (eg tonight we'll have toast and some fruit crumble).

dd is truly tiny, wearing a combination of 6-9 and 9-12 months clothes, but is running around, has started talking, and generally developing. eating/growing are obviously just not her main interests!

Original poster

Mumof1plustwins · 02/04/2012 15:27

Thank you Mama its funny but since starting this thread they're appetite seems to have grown! Maybe they were reading it too

But I'm no longer bothered if they refuse food and just taking it in my stride. Dinner time does seem to be the problem though.

It's great to hear I'm not the only one with fussy monsters!

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