How many breastfeeds?

[Ami100]

Hello everyone

How many breastfeeds should a 10.5 month old have? My son loves his solids and has around 5/6 breastfeeds a day but only because I offer. If I didn't offer he'd never ask. He doesn't drink for long and now only from one boob! Help does this sound right? He starts nursery in 3 weeks and once he's settled in I'm hoping to wean . No judgment please but I'd like my body back now

If he doesn't ask, try slowly scaling down to morning and bedtime? That might work for both of you. There isn't a right or wrong, all babies are different and if he's eating well it won't make a big difference.

Why are you offering if he doesn’t want it?

@Notsosnug have you breastfed? Babies are supposed to have milk as their main source of nutrition up to the age of one

@isurvived3under2 thank you, I was wondering when to scale down feeds

@Ami100 yes, both my children. Milk should not be the main source of nutrition up till 1, by this stage food should be. Overfeeding milk can lead to issues with iron intake and that can affect cognitive ability and brain development.

@Ami100 op is right, the current advice is that breast milk or formula should be the main source of nutrition until age 1

@purplejungle yes that's the current advice from NCT, WHO and most lactation consultants. Breastfed babies can't be overfed they stop when they don't want anymore

No it’s not. Milk should be the main source of liquid but not nutrition. Just look at the NHS page! By 10 months 3 milk feeds a day is enough. Doubling that means they will be filling up on milk and not getting the food nutrition needed.

That's pretty much referring to formula. Many babies aren't breastfed up to age 1

Breastfed babies can’t be overfed no. But if you’re offering milk when not requested instead of food then this is not healthy. Calories are the same but the nutrients are not.

Please just look at the NHS advice rather than just agreeing with each other

Wrong. Formula has added iron. Breast milk doesn’t. Breastfed babies are more at risk of having iron deficiency IF they aren’t eating enough. Iron deficiency leads to problems with cognitive development.

Well I spoke to my GP who said my feeding was not over feeding . I just came on here looking for support from fellow mums who might have the same issue

My 10.5 month old has a mixture of bf and ff (formula is when I am at work 4 days a week). She has either breast or bottle before her naps (twice a day) and at bed time. I cosleep during the later part of the night and she will latch on during this or in the early hours of the morning, but not for long, so perhaps that's a couple more. I would say that is about 5 milk feeds over a 24 hour period. I don't know if this is right or wrong, but is where we've ended up.

What’s the issue? You’re offering 6 times a day and they don’t want it? I’m saying that’s not an issue

My son has 5 or 6 and he's 1 and a half it's more for comfort as he eats 3 meals and snacks has done since 6
Months

I’ve also seen on this site that breastfeeding should be the main source of nutrition until 1, but I’ve just googled and I can’t find an external source for that. The WHO says you should exclusively breastfeed until 6mos and then introduce complimentary foods after that. On that basis, I think you could probably drop a couple of the feeds you’re offering - especially if he isn’t having much anyway. But if you have any queries or concerns I would speak to your health visitor first.

I always read 'food is for fun before 1'. So generally speaking I offered a feed before meal times then food but don't think I ever counted the number of feeds. If babs is not getting enough you'll soon know all about it when you're being clawed 😁.

@LifeIsBusy this is incredibly outdated advice. This attitude can lead to deficiencies that can’t be remedied.

Also NHS says to always offer food before milk.

It’s not good enough to read random people on internet when it comes to your baby’s health. Look to the official advice

At that age, mine had:

A breastfeed first thing on waking
A very quick mid morning feed with a solid snack if I was around (water or cows' milk in a beaker if I was at work)
A mid afternoon drink (after a nap) - same as above
A breastfeed at bedtime

The beginning and end of day ones were the biggest feeds.
Water in a beaker with meals.

They were very good eaters, eating 3 decent solid meals a day by 8-9 months (baby-led weaned so ate what we did pretty much).

I just went with never offer, never refuse after 6 months or so, carried on like that until I don’t know when but around 1ish we were in a fairy established routine & then gradually ended up with just morning and evening until they were weaned (when I had a very articulate conversation with DS2 just before he was 3 about whether we should give up the morning or bedtime feed I realised it was time to give up - each to their own though!).

Also the myth about iron and breastfeeding is utter nonsense - this fact from the information on LaLeche explains it well: “The iron in human milk is more readily absorbed by your baby than iron in cow’s milk or iron-fortified formula. This means that the quantity of iron in human milk is optimal for your baby, despite being less than that found in cow’s milk”. So that’s not a thing.

Also right now if I had a bf baby I’d be very relieved and not worry too much about frequency etc - just be happy to know that you are passing on your antibodies and immunity, and even if you haven’t been exposed to something that your baby has then your body will help protect them by responding with antibodies to something they have - amazing really!

And yes, if your 6-12 month old is filling up with milk (breastmilk) at the expense of decent solid meals, you need to look into vitamin and especially iron supplements.
By this stage, mothers' reserves are lower than they were at birth and babies' requirements are higher. Most babies would be at risk of becoming deficient and low iron especially is a cause for concern (brain development).
Formula milk has this added so formula fed babies aren't at risk in the same way.

@chipsandgin

The iron/ breastfeeding link is not rubbish. There are any number of research papers on it if you Google and here’s one from the NHS.

Of course breast milk is great for babies. But after 6 months too much milk and not enough food is bad

www.uhcw.nhs.uk/download/clientfiles/files/Patient%20Information%20Leaflets/Clinical%20Support%20Services/Transfusion/Patient%20Blood%20Management/118224_How_can_I_increase_iron_in_my_child_s_diet_(1918)_-_oct18.pdf

I was just doing morning and night at that age with all of my three. Food and formula milk in between. Partly because I was going back to work so they'd be in nursery at 12 months on a couple of days.

"Food is for fun until they're 1," I was told. Babies do get so much from you breastfeeding them. Don't worry if you're ready to wean and just ease off gradually. I breastfed til DS was nearly 3 but was trying to quit from about 1 year- he wasn't ready so I kept going. Solid food is obviously great but I don't blame you for carrying on offering breast when there's so much evidence of the benefits. The closeness is worth it in my opinion. Good luck whatever happens next!

Number of breastfeeds= however many times you feel it is needed and DS wants it. I was down to 5- 6 feeds on 24 hours I think by then, but I remember times when he would just need it- an unfamiliar situation or feeling tired or thirsty when out and about. Go with your natural instincts and his needs