Mini pill & bf-ing

[Odysseus]

DS is nearly 10 months and is trying to self wean I think. I'm persevering even though my milk is dwindling.

I feel I probably ought to go back on the mini pill now, my periods have resumed and it would be easier. However, is the pill likely to affect my milk supply in any way?

Apparently not with the mini pill.
I'm sure someone will have the link somewhere, but I know there is info on this on the kellymom website.
I guess check with doc/nurse when they prescribe it.

I'm on Cerazette mini pill. Went on it at 8 week check-up and am still bfinf 7 month old DS.

No probs with milk supply and I'm not pregnant :)

Also, my period has never returned since having DS, which is likely a mix of because I'm bfing and the mini pill. One of the side effects of Cerazette is that periods can get lighter or go altogether.

It's very rare for babies to self-wean before the age of 2. What makes you think your DS is weaning/your milk supply is dwindling?

i've been on micronor for a few months. no problems with supply at all.

I'm convinced it affected mine although they say it doesn't. I went on cerazette at 6 weeks and dd didnt put any weight on for about 10 weeks after that! I ended up taking domperidone.
Won't be taking it this time.

Hmmm interesting, thanks for all the responses. I think I'll wait until DS is off the boob then, just in case.

jemjabella he just isn't really interested any more, prefers to take milk from a cup now I'm managing to keep the morning and evening feeds going, but they're getting shorter and shorter...

That's not really self-weaning, that's fairly normal "I'm distracted and finding cups easier because I don't have to work for it". If you wish to continue breastfeeding, you need to offer less milk in a cup and more boob. (My 10 month old doesn't get milk in a cup, because I know she'd want it like that all the damn time, lazy bugger.)

If, however, you are comfortable with weaning over the coming months, keep doing as you are doing. :)

Ok, so this is no doubt where I get flamed, but why would I keep offering boob, if he is showing more interest in independence? If this is normal, then are women that feed for longer not following their baby's lead and not letting them develop??

Because it's common for them to be distracted now, mum's supply drops or disappears then baby tries to come back to the boob only to find no milk.

Milk (breast or formula) still makes up a large part of an infant's diet up until 1 year - if you're happy with that coming from a cup, you go for it.

I fail to see how breastfeeding beyond 10 months however is "not letting a baby develop"

This page is worth a read btw (forgot to add it to my previous post)

www.kellymom.com/bf/weaning/babyselfwean.html

That's not what I meant - I got the impression that you were saying using a beaker, doing stuff for themselves is just what starts to happen at this age - so not letting them go down this path and reducing cup to promote boob seems to me to be holding them back? Maybe I misunderstood what you meant.

At the moment, I don't care how he gets his milk, I'm just worried he isn't getting enough - so whichever way I can get it down him is what I'll do! I'd like to keep going with the breastfeeding but it'll depend on whether it can give him the quantities he needs.

Sorry, I didn't mean to confuse you.

I think that we need to strike a balance between encouraging LOs to learn, advance etc and contining to nurse to provide nutritional needs. For example, my DD has a cup with water in at mealtimes to learn how to use it (so am not interfering with this development) but this is the only time she has a cup - any other drinks are straight from the breast.

Bottle-fed babies also go through distractable stages where they're dropping feeds on and off, or refusing to finish bottles. It's not a sign that they should have less milk, just that something more exciting is holding their attention. (I don't know if that comparison helps or just confuses you more!)

So, what I'm saying is if you wish to wean from the breast around 12 months, which some people do and that's OK, then using this natural/normal period of disinterest will make it quite easy. However, if you wish to continue breastfeeding (and that's OK too) then you will need to use the cup less and the boob more.

I hope that clarifies :)

Thank you for the KellyMom link - very interesting. I understand what you mean now.

I purchased some follow on milk though today

Going to keep expressing to try to up my milk, but I think I was giving him too much cows milk to make up for what I couldn't, and the HV says there's too much salt in cows milk?!

Babies under 12mo shouldn't have cows milk - I don't know if it's because of salt content or proteins or what but that's the generally accepted advice.

babies under 12mo can have cow's milk, it just shouldn't be the main source of milk as it doesn't contain all the things that babies need, which breast milk and formula do.

It's fine as an occasional drink and in cereals etc though.

Never heard the salt thing before - sounds like bollocks to me.

I also heard it was due to iron not being sufficient in it...but then breast milk doesnt have enough either, so thats why weaning is advised from 6 months.

I was definitely told he could have cows milk from 6 months, just not as his main milk source.

Why are we not given any proper advice, with the explanations for why these things are advised? Are we all assumed too dumb to understand???

My ds1 self weaned at 10m. He would still suck for comfort, but not to get milk. So my milk dried up. It does happen.

Your breast milk doesn't suddenly become iron deficient at 6 months, the amount gradually decreases over time from approximately 6 months - which is, as you say, why food should then be gradually introduced.

The problem is, by introducing cows milk as a drink you are replacing breast feeds whether intentionally or otherwise - this is prompting the early weaning that you are already experiencing and will contribute to nutrient deficiencies if cow's milk takes over too quickly (because there just isn't enough in cow's milk). Cow's milk should only be used in cereal or food from 6mo, and can then be used as a drink from 12mo.

Just to back me up in case you don't believe me
www.babycentre.co.uk/baby/startingsolids/feedbabywhatwhen/
"The Department of Health recommends that you should not give your baby cow's milk or dairy products until your baby is six months old. From the age of six months, you can use small amounts of full-fat cow's milk in cooking, for example in cheese sauces or custards. Avoid giving cow's milk as a drink until your baby is a year old, because it is too low in iron and other nutrients."

www.milk.co.uk/page.aspx?intPageID=142
"Although cow?s milk is not recommended to be given as a drink to all infants until 12 months of age, consumption of dairy foods such as cheese and yogurt from six months is recommended and makes a valuable contribution to calcium requirements besides other important nutrients. "

I don't think anyone suggested it did.

Are you talking to me PrivetDancer? I'm not sure what point you're responding to?