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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

Exclusive breastfeeding - does size matter?

142 replies

Kyliebump · 22/08/2002 22:12

DS is nearly 16 weeks and I'd really like to try and carry on with exclusive breastfeeding (ie no solids) until as close to 6 months as possible. However, he is really big - was 9lb 7oz at birth and is now 16lb 6oz and I'm wondering if I'm being unrealistic? He has started waking in the night having previously slept through but this isn't too much of a problem as he only wakes once and goes straight back down when he's been fed. However, if he starts waking several times then I guess it might be time to think about solids. He also got his first two teeth at 13.5 weeks, so that is a challenge in itself to my breastfeeding plans!!

Nobody I know has exclusively breastfed past 4 months and I'd really love to hear some experiences. Thank you.

OP posts:
prufrock · 27/09/2002 21:37

Demented - Don't feel daft - you have done really well, and it's not "giving in" its giving what your ds needs at this moment

DD only woke at 5.45 for 2 mornings, and is now back to needing to be woken at am. Thanks for the reassurance.

Eulalia · 28/09/2002 16:16

Thanks Jasper. I guess because baby is bigger than the usual age that most start weaning, one or two spoons can be five or six. I don't think dd will have a problem as she is reaching out and making a grab for food off the plate already.

Hope your foot gets better soon - I guess you are sick of comments like "just put your feet up" ;-)

jasper · 28/09/2002 20:29

not sick of it at all Eulalia - wish dh would say it more often

Eulalia · 03/10/2002 18:08

jasper - how's your foot?

dd is now just over 24 weeks so not long to go. I?ve spent some time over the past week worrying a bit that I am holding her back as she seems to be desperately chewing and sucking at every object that crosses her path. I think I am wondering also because when born she was 15 days ?late?. However she isn?t any hungrier and I guess she would behave like this anyway. So I?ve decided not to worry and just enjoy this last period of breastfeeding and try to be confident that I am giving her all she needs. She is positively podgy, so no doubt even looking at her.

I am constantly telling people she is still exclusively breastfed, not to boast as such but to prove to everyone that it can be done and to further the ?cause? of breastfeeding and confidence in women. Even so I still get comments like ?look at her sucking her dress, she is hungry?. The fact that I?ve never given her a dummy I suppose doesn?t help. She plonked her hand right into my friend?s dinner yesterday grabbing a fistful and then in the afternoon appeared to be trying to eat the sofa!

jasper or anyone ? do you know what finger foods are suitable for first weaning?

jasper · 03/10/2002 22:04

Getting better every day, thanks for asking Eulalia.
I can totally sympathise with you at the moment.
Once I got bf "sorted" this time around (took about ten weeks for it not to be sore) I was so determined to keep going to the magical 6 month mark that sometimes I did wonder if I had turned a bit barking mad because I almost was not open to the idea my individual baby might require solids prior to this.(I am fairly sure he didn't) And I know just what you mean about furthering the cause particularly as my efforts to bf my other two children were a bit of a failure.
As for finger foods, I am not the best person to ask as I have not had much success with those yet. I did try him with a well cooked chunk of carrot but he was not really able to consistently guide it in the right direction and chew it and just got frustrated. I do occasionally give him that old Scottish favourite...a crust of a plain loaf (Anabel Karmel would not approve) , not really as a serious contribution to his diet but just as something fun to play with and suck on.
Enjoy these last few days and if like me you feel slightly smug at the end of six months be sure to keep it well hidden

Original poster
Kyliebump · 04/10/2002 19:28

Well done Eulalia - you're nearly there!!!

My DS is coming up for 22 weeks next week and I'm hanging on in there with BF only. I have wondered a couple of times if I'm stubbornly sticking to the 6 month thing and ignoring his changing needs, but whilst he seems happy between feeds and continues to have rolls of fat on his arms and legs then I think he's doing OK!!

I too get lots of comments about how hungry he must be because of his constant chewing of everything, looking at food, and waking (once) in the night, but the babys of friends who have started theirs on solids at 16 weeks are doing exactly the same thing (except some wake more often), so I think he's doing just fine.

Who knows whether we will make the 6 month mark - we'll just take it a day at a time and see what happens!

Let us know how you get on with solids - it all seems a total mystery to me!!

OP posts:
Eulalia · 05/10/2002 12:38

kyliebump - my dd still wakes in the night but I honestly think its a bit much to expect a baby below 6 months to sleep through. Apparently young babies have different sleep patterns to adults and naturally wake up hungry or not. Good luck.

Jasper - a crust sounds fine to me, less expensive than a rusk. I only bought one packet for ds and didn't bother again - seemed such a waste as he'd suck on it a bit and I'd have to throw the rest away.

Yes I think I will be a bit smug and amaze people that's she's never had a bottle or indeed even so much as a drink of water in her life!

Clarinet60 · 15/10/2002 18:44

Mears and Joe1, thought I'd let you know how we got on.
I intro'd solids (ds2 now 5 months) but only at lunchtime, as later solids seem to make him wake at 3am and B/feed constantly thereafter.
For the past month, he hasn't been gaining much weight and is now at the edge of the furthest centile. The health visitor said today that same crap about WHO recommendations being aimed at third world mothers only. She said ds2 needs more solids 3 times a day, as b/feeding isn't working for him.
Just thought I'd let you know that they are still saying this same old stuff.
Not quite sure what to do about ds2 - he still loves his boobs best, but is very wakeful and restless during the day.
Ho hum.

Clarinet60 · 15/10/2002 18:46

And Kyliebump too. How are you getting on?

Original poster
Kyliebump · 15/10/2002 19:21

We're doing OK - thanks for asking Droile. DS is 23 weeks tomorrow and we're still taking it a day at a time. He's getting up twice in the night these days - I'm really hoping that that settles down once we start on solids!!

I was a bit concerned about him today actually as he seemed a bit frantic when he was feeding, like he couldn't get it fast enough and got quite upset. When I took him off to calm him down he was really jamming his hands in his mouth, so I thought that maybe it was his teeth hurting him so I gave him some teething gel and feeding was more successful after that. He's still fine between feeds (3-4 hours), so I guess he wouldn't be if he wasn't getting enough?

This might sound ridiculous but I'm actually getting quite anxious about starting solids - I feel that I kind of know what I'm doing with BF but solids is a bit of a scarey unknown - how much to start with (how many meals, and how much makes a meal), when to BF, do I need to give water/juice - as you can see my head spins just thinking about it! Also DS will be going to the childminders for 3 full days shortly after he turns 6 months. At the moment he's only there for half days so I can express 4oz to leave for him and then feed him as soon as I pick him up. However, I'm finding it harder to express and my freezer stockpile is decreasing, so I think there's no way I'll be able to express enough to leave for him for whole days. What I was thinking of doing was BF in the morning and evening on those 3 days and formula when he goes to the childminders, but will that effect my supply? Also I feel selfish for not wanting to spend more time expressing - it's so difficult though as it will take such a chunk of time out of my working day.

Hmmm... panic, anxiety and guilt - I think sleep deprivation is beginning to set in!!

We're fine really - even if I don't sound it!!

OP posts:
Clarinet60 · 15/10/2002 21:11

Hi Kyliebump. The Annabel Karmel book is really good for explaining weaning step by step. I don't give juice, just breastmilk, but then he only has 1 solid a day. I think that when he's at the childminder more, your supply will adapt to that pattern and you may well spend most of your evenings feeding. DS2 is going to a childminder 1 day/week from next week, so we'll see what happens! Like you, I don't want to lose any of the working day expressing, although I suppose I could read mumsnet while I'm doing it ... then again, I'm not fit let loose with it on working days .......

tracyhay · 15/10/2002 22:57

Just a quick one... I noticed rusks were mentioned. Did you know that there is more sugar in one original rusk than in a doughnut?

Eulalia · 16/10/2002 12:17

I DID IT!!! Breastfed dd exclusively for 6 months! No bottles, water, dummies ... just breast milk. Sorry to boast but I am feeling very chuffed with myself and had to share ...

It is her half ?birthday? today so tried some pureed pear mixed with breast milk. She was more interested in the spoon than the contents. I think a bit went down more by accident than anything else but its early days yet...

Clarinet60 · 16/10/2002 13:04

Congrats, Eulalia!!!

jasper · 16/10/2002 13:22

Well done Eulalia!
If you can't boast here, where can you?

florenceuk · 16/10/2002 13:30

I've seen that quote on rusks before. But the thing that gets you with donuts is the fat content - sugar by itself is not that fattening (yes really! Jelly beans are a recommended dietary food ) just bad for your teeth. Luckily DS doesn't know yet that donuts taste good so he doesn't yelp when I eat one in front of him...

prufrock · 16/10/2002 13:56

Congratulations Eulalia.

Bozza · 16/10/2002 14:21

Yeah but Florenceuk sugar is more of a problem to kids than fat I would have thought.

florenceuk · 16/10/2002 15:47

Bozza you are right. I eat donuts, and avoid giving DS either rusks or donuts, so we are both OK. Mind you AK suggests replacing rusks with toast with marmite - urgh!

And Eulalia congrats - exclusively feeding up to 6 mths is now the recommendation of the AAP and in NZ as well.

Bozza · 16/10/2002 16:00

Same here Florenceuk! Never bought any rusks and most treats in our house are consumed after 8pm! DS doesn't know what he is missing but will laugh with pleasure if I produce a yoghurt or a some grapes so he's happy. Also agree about marmite.... Yuk. But from 6mo DS loved toast.

bundle · 16/10/2002 16:11

bozza, florenceuk, it's true about Marmite - me & dd love it, dh hates it! and I'll even hold my hand up to Marmite rusks (for her, not me!)..she's even inherited my love of garlic/chilli olives.mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

SueDonim · 16/10/2002 16:28

Good for you, Eulalia!

Demented · 16/10/2002 16:41

Great stuff Eulalia.

SoupDragon · 16/10/2002 16:43

Well done!!

Eulalia · 16/10/2002 18:11

Don't forget to congratulate Jasper (belatedly) too. She did it as well but didn't make as much noise about it as me

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