Will my 10 month old be ok with two bfs

[Writemove]

My 10 month old has been bf since birth. He always hated bottles. He's now on three good meals a day and snacks.

So I've been trying to cut down feeds as I return to work in two weeks (part time for the first month then ft). But he hates formula.

When I suggested to my HV that I was planning to breast feed morning and night (and possibly a third feed at 8.30am before dropping him at nursery) and then not introducing formula in the day she was horrified. She kept repeating cows milk is not a drink til 1.

I know it's not standard advice but he'll be 11.5 months by the time he's doing ft at nursery. Will two or three breastfeeds and a cup of cows milk a day mean I'm starving him? He has vitamins too.

The back story is that a three months he dropped from the 75th centile to the 25 and I spent six months being told off by the HV for bf, not weaning til six months and blw. I don't totally trust their advice but I don't want to be accused of starving him again.
Please help.

I would certainly give it a go, you'll know very quickly if your son is ok with this. From what I remember my dd was down to 2 feeds by then she never had a bottle or formula. Could you express and have it in a sippy cup if he really needs it?

My DS went to nursery at 11 months exactly, and I did the same as you. He had bfeeds in the morning and then water, cows milk and food at nursery. He had bfeeds as usual in the evenings after I picked him up. He was absolutely fine. Giving water or cows milk in the day for a couple of weeks before 12 months is fine. I think your HV is being a bit over cautious. You won't be giving cows milk as a main drink as you will be giving breastfeeds as normal in the mornings and evenings.

Thanks for the reply. I plan to express just in case.

Selfishly I hate expressing and I wondered If he's having two or three good bfs does he need me to express from a nutrition pov?

You're right that I'll only know what works when we are actually doing it.

Thanks Culture. That's reassuring. I suppose I was just checking he can get the nutrition he needs from morning and evening feeds.

I know emotionally he's going to miss the middle of the day feed but hopefully with the other feeds and solids he won't miss it.

Mine started nursery at 10 months and I only did morning and evening feeds on nursery days. Had an additional two feeds on days I was at home but he'd dropped those by 11 months. He's never had any kind of milk at nursery- just food and water! The lactation consultant who runs the BF group I go to (who also happens to be a HV) thought this was absolutely fine diet wise- in fact it's what she suggested I do. Incidentally, my EBF/BLW at 6 month DS was born at near 75th centile and slid down to 25th around the four month mark. He's still there at 15 months despite the three weetabix he had for breakfast this morning...It's the size he's meant to be.

This might reassure you

My DD went on total strike at 7 months old when I had to wean her off BF to return to work. She had been mix fed since birth and had 1-2 bottles a day.... I had to travel overseas for work so bf was not an option. We tried every type of formula, bottle and sippy cup imaginable.

We watered down yoghurts and Weetabix with formula until it was a soup consistency and she had that. Lots of cheese too and it and often food had milk added. Keeping her hydrated was a challenge and poos got v dry at times.

No bath bubbles as she loved to drink her bath water!

Around 1 during a hot spell she got on board with chilled cows milk and never looked back. Has never had a morning or bedtime bottle. She's 95 percentile and weighs a small ton.

HV's and GP were totally unconcerned so long as she had calcium through food and was hydrated. I worried myself sick but looking back now realise why they were so relaxed. She'd been a milk guzzler since birth and was mahoosive

I gave my DS a multivitamin from 6 months which helped me feel reassured. He also ate really well at home and at nursery so I was also happy he was getting a good range of food plus breastfeeds.

Writemove, thanks for posting this - I'm about to do the same thing, and at the same age. It's good to hear other positive experiences.

I was planning to send in a few oz of expressed milk, mainly as a before-nap comforter. He's still a bit of a feed-to-sleeper... I have been worried about being able to maintain expressing though.

Thank you for the reassurance. It's all so terrifying.

I'm glad I'm not alone.
Callamia - let me know how you get on.

I've heard that they learn the difference between nursery days and home days so hopefully it'll work.

I also believe he's meant to be a 25th centile baby - it's just hard when health visitors tell you that you're soon it wrong.

Hi, I am new to mums net. Just wondering if anyone else has a baby that won't take bottles/cup/beaker - anything other than breast! He is 8 months old, This is fine but I am worried about when I go back to work. He will be 11 months so hoping he can go all day without any fluids just his 3 meals & snacks? And breast feed morning & night? He won't drink anything else so I have no choice! But is this ok for him? He seems fine not dehydrated etc. Thank you!

Writemove babies have cows' milk in cheese and yogurt - it's not as of it's something they've never had before the age of one, like honey. A drink of milk in the day alongside his meals and snacks sounds completely reasonable, especially when he'll practically one anyway!

I went back to work doing shifts at 10 months and DD never had any formula, she was a good eater though. She had morning evening and night breastfeeds, more on the days I was around. She had minimal skills with a cup at that age and never took a bottle but it was all fine.

Meljp welcome to Mumsnet!

It may be best to post your question as a new thread - new questions on existing threads don't always get seen by everyone.

To give you my own, utterly inexpert view - I would imagine your DC will need to drink, water at least, during the day ideally. Have you tried out your childcare arrangements yet, for when you return to work? You may well find they drink better there - new setting, new people, maybe other children to copy etc.

I did exactly the same when my son was 11 months and he was absolutely fine. On the days I wasn't working he had extra feeds during the day.

I was a SAHM by 11.5 months DS1 was on two breastfeeds and no formula. That's all he seemed to need. He was a great eater though.