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Infant feeding

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

Extended BF tips and a question

8 replies

SuiGeneris · 28/03/2011 16:44

Not sure whether BFding a 14-month-old counts as "extended", but I know no-one else feeding an older baby/young toddler...

First of all a question: I generally feed DS morning and evening, but sometimes also mid-afternoon. Usually this is when he is tired and needs a nap but won't sleep: he usually then falls asleep by the time he is on the second breast. It seems to me that sometimes after this he takes longer to fall asleep on the breast in the evening, often having to have three sides (say, L-R-L) before he falls asleep. Could this be because he has "used up" the available milk with the mid-afternoon feed?

Usually there would be about 4 hours between the afternoon and evening feed. I thought that it was a misconception that milk would be finished and that at this stage it is pretty much made on demand- so the longer time in falling asleep is probably due to being less tired rather than getting less milk.... Any views?

Also, I often read on extended BFding threads about teaching the child that BFding is only to be done in private/in the bedroom etc. Is there any particular reason to do this? I have not taught DS yet and do sometimes feed him elsewhere (e.g. on the plane)...

Also, for those of you who feed a toddler in the morning, when and what do you give him/her for breakfast after the morning feed? DS recently switched from yoghurt to porridge (and often some of my toast) but am wondering whether he should have more...

OP posts:
silkenladder · 28/03/2011 17:08

My theory would be the other way round. You only feed at naptime when your ds is having difficulty settling, then he takes longer to settle at bedtime on those days? Could it be that he just is harder to settle on those days?

Interesting theory about milk production. I thought the breast produced milk all the time, just more and more slowly as you cut out feeds. However I don't notice dd getting more at the morning feed when I've missed the previous evening's Confused.

Dd (22 mo) eats bread and butter or cream cheese, plus fruit for breakfast. Porridge sounds great, if you can be bothered making it.

MigGril · 28/03/2011 17:19

Milk production in the breast only stop's when your breast feel's full. No matter what age your baby is you always make milk ondemand, if your little one was ill and refusing solids but happy to take more milk then you would make more milk as he fed.

As OP said I think it's more likely that your LO is just harder to seatl some days. If he's harder to seatl is he having his nap latter, I know we got to a point with DD where if she was asleep after a certain time in the afternoon she was then very hard work to get to sleep at bedtime.

Also, I often read on extended BFding threads about teaching the child that BFding is only to be done in private/in the bedroom etc. Is there any particular reason to do this?

I think people only do this as they feel self consuase about feeding an older child in pubilc. I know that's why I stoped feeding DD while out and about as this sort of age. I woun't bother this time round.

SuiGeneris · 28/03/2011 17:20

Silkenladder: good point, had not thought of that...

Off subject, but: what a beautiful nickname. What's the reference, if I may ask?

I am afraid I am cheating on the porridge and for the moment he is finishing up a baby porridge that is made just by pouring hot milk onto the porridge flour. Was planning to move to rolled pin oats ...

OP posts:
TruthSweet · 28/03/2011 20:04

SuiGeneris - usually the 'nursing manners' taught about no nursing in public are for much older children (2/3+) if the mother is no longer wanting to feed out'n'about not for such a young toddler as 14m. Though obviously if you no longer wish to feed in public then don't but certainly don't feel you have to stop NIP if you don't want to.

I do nurse DD2 (3.4y/o) in public but only at children's centres (I'm a peer supporter so if DD2 sees babies bfing she wants a bit of the action too Hmm) or if she was hurt and really needed it. DD3 is nearly 18m and is nursed when and where she wants (with the exception of the toilet - my own personal no go area) she still little enough to get it when she requires it (IMVHO of course).

With regard to supply regulation Kellymom explains all here but basically the more milk you remove from your breast the more milk you will make, the longer the milk is in your breasts the lower fat it is and the more milk there is in your breast the slower it is made.

Contrary to what you would think, a freshly 'drained' breast makes more, fattier, milk faster than a full breast does.

HTH.

BaronessBomburst · 28/03/2011 23:37

I avoid giving DS (13 mo) anything milky like yoghurt for breakfast as I think that if I've just fed him milk it's not balanced to give more of the same. This isn't based on any scientific research - just my opinion! He likes fruit (lots of it), followed by toast with a smear of marmite. One of his first words was 'marmite' much to DH's disgust. and my delight

BaronessBomburst · 28/03/2011 23:39

Oh, and I feed in public too.

silkenladder · 29/03/2011 12:41

I'm a classical musician and there's a solo for my instrument in the overture to the opera La Scala di Seta (The Silken Ladder) by Rossini.

I'm glad you like it, as I was worried it sounded a bit poncy (well, I suppose opera references are)!

SuiGeneris · 29/03/2011 16:33

Opera buff here too- but not v hot on Rossini, clearly! Still, now have something new to go and explore...

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