How often to breastfeed an 8 month old?

[Janus]

My daughter is 8 months old and is breastfeeding a lot less now, once when we wake up, maybe once in the day, before bed and still twice at night but all for very short bursts. I am worried that she may not be getting enough milk as, I believe, she should still be getting a pint a day. Of course with breastfeeding I'm not sure how much she's getting but she has never fed for very long, around 5 minutes at a time.
Also, what fluids after meals should I be giving her? She will take from a bottle but cannot get to grips with a cup/beaker yet. So, I give her the diluted apple/pear juice or dilute down orange juice with half and half of cooled boiled water. Is this OK? Should I just give her water? Also, do I still need to boil and cool or can I use the filtered water? I believe water is a better option because of tooth decay but she hasn't any teeth yet! I feel a bit confused!
Thanks.
Jane

Hi Janus, Eulalia is the breastfeeding expert on Mumsnet and has helped many of us! However my daughter is 9 months old and still breastfeeding so I feel a bit qualified on this one!
I have found that she has cut down dramatically in the last month or so, though she still has 3 feeds in the evening, before she sleeps. she doesnt take any other fluids, except the odd sip of water when I have time, Im normally too busy shouting at the other two and feeding myself at meal times!
I think you're supposed to boil water till 1 year,and I think water is best, especially from a bottle, tooth decay can begin before the teeth come through, apparently.
5 minutes for a feed is fine, shes just very efficient now! If shes happy and her nappies are wet, she's getting enough to drink.And if shes growing gradually, then thats fine. If she has fromage frais, yogurt and cheese regularly, then that covers the calcium.
All in all, it sounds great to me, but as I said, Eulalia is the breastfeeding wiz!Hope this reassures you!

Thanks Emmy! I don't have much more to add really. I read that after 6 months you don't need to boil or sterilise anything.

Jane - Babies can get very efficient as they get older and can take a lot of milk in only a few minutes. Try giving her both sides if you feel she should be taking more. However baby usually knows best what she wants so I wouldn't worry. Also don't worry about supplementing with formula as it is not necessary.

Thanks for the responses. On another issue, do you know if you can 'over-do' fromage frais? My daughter has a passionate dislike for any (yes any!) vegetables but I have found if I disguise a jar food (she won't touch anything I've tried to cook) with a fromage fraise or Greek Yogurt, she will eat some. I think Greek Yogurt is OK as it doesn't contain added sugar and, I've assumed, added salt. The thing is that I'm now giving her some sort of yogurt about twice a day. I do add extra fruit, etc, if I give it as a dessert/for her supper but am beginning to worry that maybe she can overdose on yogurt, ie it may not be good for her. Any thoughts?
Thanks. Jane.

On fromage frais - I was told too much can constipate a child so I would stick to no more than 2/3 pots a day. I too remember my 8/9 month year old only really eating this, but it was a phase and it did pass. I would disguise a little bit to get some greens down but don't only give fromage frais.
On juice - she may not have teeth yet, but if you get her used to juice, there's no way she's gonna be happy with plain water later, so I'd stick to water (you can always move to juice). I boiled and cooled till aged 1 - I think this might be a little over-cautious but officially it's what they advise, I think.

Hi all...my daughter is just nine months, and I am still breastfeeding her. When she wakes I give her a breastfeed before she has her breakfast...she then has one mid morning and mid afternoon. I then feed her about 7pm...then she feeds twice before going to bed. She doesn't wake for a feed now.Aimee drinks out of a cup, and hasn't ever used a bottle, so I give her some baby diluted fruit juice with her tea, as we are vegetarian so it helps he absorb iron, although it's only a few sips. I also give her a little sip of water occassionally, in case she is thirsty. Overall she doesn't like much else except breastmilk. I think a baby will lt you know what they want...so I tend not to think about how many feeds I give her...although other people seem to have an obsession about it and think she shouldn't be having any by now!! I just tend not to listen!!
Good Luck everyone!!

Amieesmum - my son is 10 months and he still feeds really when he wants, although when we are out and about he drinks water or juice and will then just ask for a feed around midday or when he is tired. He still feeds quite alot at night. Im not that fussed yet, when he is 11 - 12 months then I will start to wean him off, but I think it is going to be a job he does love his 'mummys milk' (as my hubby describes it).

Hi Joe...yes, I think it important to let a chld wean his or herslef...as they are the ones who know whethere they want feeding or not.I'm lucky enough to say that I never had to wean Aimee off night feeding, it was just a natural progression. Aimee slept in our bed from birth, and then slept well in her cot from about 5 months. Then she began to work less frequently, and now manages to sleep through which is good as her dad has to be up at 5am for work!!

Hi-Ya - My daughter is over a year and a half now and she only has one feed a day - usually - just before she goes to sleep. I didn't do any weaning as she did it herself naturally. It was only quite recently that she stopped feeding frequently and it seemed to coincide with her (finally) deciding to sleep through the night. Aimeesmum I know what you mean about people saying that feeding should have stopped at a certain point: I found that a lot of people who I knew who had been supportive of me breastfeeding at the start suddenly started to say that perhaps I should start cutting down feeds or weaning her off breastmilk and give her milk in bottles!!! It seems strange that bottle feeding is seen as the next stage after breastfeeding even after a year - I don't see the point - she'll quite happily drink from a cup. At Christmas my partner's dad made a comment that I shouldn't be breastfeeding any more (daughter was 12mths) but he gives my nephew milk and orange juice in bottles and he is two and a half!
You do right not to worry about how many feeds you give your daughter. To be honest I did start to think that perhaps I was doing something wrong by still basically demand feeding and not cutting down, but even now I still am feeding her whenever she wants it (she can point and say milk now) but it's just worked out that she wants it less. I've no intention of stopping any time soon and I don't see why there should be a time limit on breastfeeding.

Hi Bexi. I'm glad to that someone out there is going through what I am going through. I am lucky that my boyfriend is completely supportive of me breastfeeding my daughter, and knows that it is convenient and important for myself and my daughter. I just don't understand what the fuss is about breastfeeding!!

Its the booby thing that people have the problem with. Its funny isnt it Bexi that they will quite happily feed the toddler orange juice which they advise not to because of their teeth but the goodness of breastmilk (or mummy milk as my husband puts it) is totally overlooked.

Just a quick hello as im short on time atm (aren't we all right now) you are all wonderful (and v helpful) ppl will always frown upon breastfeeding but breast IS best! A foreign health visitor was at my clinic while mine and told me that o ly European countries see it as anything other than natural :) little girlz all over the world breast feed their dolls and wouldn't give them a bottle so why should we do any different? Keep up the good work ladies x x (so much for a short one)

(Zombie thread alert!)

Wow, I had no idea Mumsnet had been around for that long!

Weird to think this baby will now be 12!

My daughter is 8 to 9 months now. She breastfeads a lot. Nobody supported me. Everyone was and is against me. I don't care what people think if breast if best i will give her breast till she will reject me!. And about food... she has days and days. I've spent lots of money buying her jars. She liked Ella'a kitchen 4 months ones. She had them after 6 months. She now dosen't want to be fed by me but she will "eat herself" the fruits or finger foods.

Wow! This baby should be 18 going on 19 years old now! Amazing to think she was once 8 months, and weaning.