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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Help needed wih breastfed 6mo milk monster!

6 replies

whatsthetimemrwolf · 13/08/2010 14:03

6 mo dd has been exclusively bf up until a week ago when I started weaning (or trying to wean!). Shes a thriving, chubby baby but she feeds around 6 times a night for 20 odd minutes a time and I'm exhausted (have 2 other children too!). Shes been doing this for the last month which I thought meant she was going through a growth spurt/ready to be weaned. I thought things might get better when I started weaning but she basically clamps her lips shut when she sees a spoon and is not interested in food (I've tried giving her finger food as well but shes just not interested). As she still feeds every couple of hours in the day I can't seem to express more than a couple of ozs so dp is unable to give her a bottle at night to give me a break.

Just after some advice really as to whether I should give her a bottle of formula at night? As we're trying to wean, is the whole 'virgin gut' an issue anymore? Also, I know the current advice is to give food after milk but what if you're 6mo just isn't interested in food? thanks

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bumbums · 13/08/2010 20:15

Its still early days. Persist with the finger foods. Is she able to pick up things and put them in her mouth yet?
I know this is a helishly tiring period but she will get the hang of food and her interest will be sparked, when she's ready. By 9mths I bet you have a completly changed baby.

6 times a night seems crazy though. Are you certain she's not using you as a sleep aid?

whatsthetimemrwolf · 14/08/2010 10:05

Thank you bumbums! DD can pick things up and put the in her mouth so I will persist with finger food. I'm not too concerned about the weaning other than the impact it may have on helping dd to sleep better and bf less!

I think shes most definitely using me as a sleep aid! I don't really know how to get round this though as she won't take a dummy and I struggle to get her to sleep without feeding her. She sleeps in a bedside cot so I can roll her over to feed whilst lying down which makes the nighttime feeds more bearable. I ff both my other children, so bf'ing is all very new to me!

Anyone know anything about the virgin gut after weaning has begun? I'd like to bf until shes 1, so I don't want to affect my supply. I'd really love some sleep though Smile!

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jemjabella · 14/08/2010 10:08

Are you sure she's not teething? 6 months is about the average time for first teeth (assuming she's not already got some) and certainly in this house it means LOTS more nursing. Breast milk contains natural painkillers so it's only normal that they'd want that over anything else.

This too shall pass :)

whatsthetimemrwolf · 14/08/2010 10:21

I hadn't thought of that as she isn't displaying any other teething signs (other than chomping on her hands & toys etc) but I guess it could be!

The sleep situation was much harder when she was newborn but I guess my expectations were that she would be sleeping much better by now! You're right I know, this phase will pass, thanks!

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jemjabella · 14/08/2010 10:47

I wouldn't have noticed my DD's first 2 teeth if my OH hadn't put his finger in her mouth and pulled it out with an "ouch!" because apart from increased nursing, we'd had NO symptoms either!

Shame the rest of them haven't come through so easily Wink

whatsthetimemrwolf · 15/08/2010 09:39

Wow, that was lucky with the first two! No teeth have crept through here yet.....

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