8.5mo - is she getting enough milk and how do I know?

[piranhamorgana]

Please advise me.This is baby no 5. I have EBF all others,but always gone back to work around 6 mo with mixed feeding (which has quickly led to my milk drying up - maybe because nursery have encouraged lots of formula during the day??)

Am really keen to EBF until 12m and am not returning to work until then.DD is sleeping through at night and has just moved into cot in dd4's room (am single mum and trying to get a bit of me time at night).

She feeds both sides first thing and after supper.I don't feed her to sleep.She fiddles about for comfort once or twice during the day,but not always,and sometimes hardly at all, all day.

She eats LOADS of all food - we are BLW and she eats whatever we are all having.I am offering cheese and yoghurt as much as poss - she loves cheddar.

But I am worried she is not getting enough milk and/or fluid during the day .She won't take water,EBM or formula from doidy or sippy cup or a bottle.I would have no problem in giving her formula in the day,but she spits it out,although will have mouthfuls of cows milk on occasion.

Can she get enough milk from just an am and pm feed as I feel as if the daytime BF is being phased out and my supply is not good during the day.Will my supply keep going on just am and pm feeds?

She poos loads but does less wet nappies.She is on 98th centile.

Am I giving her too much solids?

Should I push water or formula during the day,and if so,how?

All advice much appreciated.Thanks.

bump

My DD1 is the same age, give or take a bit. So bear in mind I'm not an expert!

What you are doing sounds absolutely perfect to me. I'm sure HVs often recommend dropping milk feeds during the day at around 8 or 9 months, so although you can't "know" how much milk she's drinking, I think it must be ok.

As I understand it, if babies are thirsty and you offer fluids then they will drink. So if you're offering boob in the day and she doesn't want it, then probably she is fine. However, might want to check with the HV on that point if she really isn't drinking anything during the day. But I would just carry on offering water in various cups, she'll get the hang of it eventually.

I think your supply should be fine on just morning and evening, in fact, I think it would keep going on just one feed a day if you cut down to that later on.

If you're doing BLW then I don't see how you could be giving her too much solids - she won't eat it if she doesn't want it, surely? And someone has to be on the 98th centile, doesn't necessarily mean they are being overfed.

Sounds to me like you're doing fine! But I feel a bit silly giving advice to someone who has 5 children when I'm on my first, so ignore me if you like

Thank s RJandA,I am reassured by your advice. I did think I probably couldn't be overfeeding,since it's her choice.She just seems to eat as much as my 8yr old at meal times! (mind you,8yo is a lightweight!)

I think my uncertainty is due to being new to bf-ing at this stage.All the others were comfort sucking only by 6mo after I returned to work.
Also,as a lone parent,I don't get to sound off and check things out,iuswim.

I am confident that I would ask the HV if I was worried about dd.I am just lacking the confidence in BF-ing to a year,I think.

Not silly at all,btw ! My eldest is 15 and dd4 is 8.A lot has changed since they were babies,and I have always been better at the 3yrs and older bit!