6 1/2 month old eating well but rapidly reducing breast feeds - is this normal?

[trixgus]

Hi, was not sure whether to put this on the weaning or breast feeding thread. My 6 1/2 month old is really enjoying her food. She has readybrek for breakfast and a home cooked portion of veggies etc for lunch with a few mouthfuls of pudding. She may have a few bits of fingerfood at tea time but more to play with really.

What is concerning me is that she has gone from a good 6 breast feeds a day a week or two ago to 3 if I am lucky- today she fed at 6am, and nothing since. Yesterday she only really had 2 decent breastfeeds. I always offer milk before solids, but she has started arching herself away and crying. Today I expressed at lunchtime but she did not want the milk in a bottle or cup.

I suppose what I am asking is is this normal. The health visitor told me 2 breast feeds a day was normal at 6 months, but I thought this did not sound right as all I have read says milk is most important up to 1 year of age. My daughter is content and gaining weight well on the 50th centile, peeing and pooing, so should I just stop worrying about her milk intake? Thanks for reading,I would be grateful for any advice/reassurance.

so long as she is doing it herself (ie you are not limiting access to milk) then it sounds ok, if earlier than many.

However do not be surprised if she (eg) cuts a tooth, gets a cold or has a growth spurt and suddenly wants nothing but milk milk milk again.

Thanks MrsBadger, she is certainly doing it herself- I think she is getting fed up with me keep shoving a boob in her face!

Hi Trixgus- my DS (nearly 7 mths) is doing the same; refusing at least 1-2 of his day time feeds or at least pulling off after a few sucks. He is also really keen on food and is gaining weight, peeing, pooing well etc.

It is a bit frustrating as he still wakes for a 'good' feed overnight.

My biggest worry is that when we decides he wants 'milk milk milk' I wont have enough for him. I have never expressed and he has never had a bottle....

Mine did this and has now settled down (at 9mo). My HV said 3 x 7oz feeds are about right once they're on 3 meals, but it varies and I think they go through phases.

I got through it by just keeping on offering and trying not to make a big deal of it if he didn't want the boob.

I also expressed a bit every day to keep supply up, just in case. I now have a freezer full of the stuff as he rarely needs to have an expressed bottle (I'm always around)!

Hi jjazz- I share your frustration!

My DD is not good at having a bottle, and will take a few sips from a cup but not much. I am consoling myself that she will not live on milk for the rest of her life, so would rather she was keen on food. However, this morning the scrambled eggs were not a success, so maybe she will have a bit more milk later this morning!!

I am having this problem too! my 7.5 month old just doesn't seem too interested in milk from me. She has never takena bottle - looks at it with utter disgust! will take sips from a doidy cup but not sure i could rely onit for a full feed.

I wasn't worrying too much until I took her to be weighed. She is gaining weight but not as much as usual. i still wasn't worried until the Hv said 'has she been ill?'!!!! I must have looked supriosed and explained and she started backtracking by asking if she was active. Short answer to that is Yes!1 she dosn't stop and has just started crawling. I guess she has too much to do to stop and feed! and what she does take she is burning off!

I am keen to wean her and wonder if this is the opportunity to do it? She does still feed at night and I also wonder if I try and stop that will she start feeding properly during the day again?

Any thoughts?

If you're keen to wean(!) then now might be good, I suppose (am not an expert)

I do know that weight gain slowed when ds did it too, but it picked up again - twas just a phase. He was and is really active too.

Thanks. I know I may get some criticism for wanting to wean but breastfeeding hasn't been plain sailing for us. I really feel that she and I will be happier now if she is less dependant on me. I guess if she would take a bottle it would be less pressure but as it is I haven't been out in an evening for 8 months!!!

Last night I fed her at 10pm and then settled her without milk at 1am. She settled pretty quickly and fed again at 6am. So I guess she can go longer at night if I persevere!

Today she has taken about 3/4 oz of formula from her cup at 10am. She hasn't demanded anything from me at all, so am going with it for now. Hope to feed her first thing in morning and before she goes to bed but cup the rest of the way.

Clinic is on Tuesday so thought I'd see how we get on and check her weight on Tuesday.

Good luck. I'll probably wean at a year as can't be fagged with formula, will just go straight to cow's milk. I know what you mean about being ready to stop - I'm really lucky as DS hasn't had a boob after 6pm for 5 months now! It must be crap not to get an evening off at all.

Hope clinic goes well