15 month old only wants breast milk

[EsmetheWitch]

My DD is 15 months and we've been doing BLW since she was 7 months. Or I am and she's ignoring food in favour of breast feeding.

She'll taste a spoon of something at meals and then throw it on the floor. She might eat a little more at dinner but never more than a few mouthfuls. She is still having milk like a 6 month old. I try giving her a cup of milk but she throws herself on the floor screaming or claws at me for a feed. She is still feeding all through the night.

I am happy to keep breast feeding occasionally but I really want to be winding it down now. I just don't know how to get DD to agree!

I was wondering if anyone has been through this or has any advice? With DD1 she was fully weaned at 14 months so this is new territory.

Bump.

Another breakfast and lunch where nothing was eaten.

I have a 19 month old who has only started eating a significant amount of food in the last 3 or 4 months. I was getting worried, but she was flourishing on breast milk. She started eating a decent dinner at about 15/16 months, and slowly increased the amount she would eat through the rest of the day.

Is there anyone who could look after your DD for an afternoon without you? She might eat more if you aren't around as an alternative. Apart from that, just keep trying new foods, eat in front of her and offer her some, and try not to worry.

I can't offer a success story for making it through the night without several feeds unfortunately...

Thank you, it makes me feel better to know she's not alone.

She seems fine when I'm not around and will eat a little more but won't touch milk. She has a real sweet tooth and loves raisins and fruit, which I don't really give her, so she quite likes it with her dad because he will treat her. Anything for a quiet life!

Mine's 19 months old, refuses cows milk, eats or sometimes doesn't eat and still breastfeeds maybe 6 times a day with another 3 during the night, sometimes more! I assumed that it would tail off naturally, so still waiting for that to happen.

My DD was bfing a lot as well at 16mo and while you can get a lot of nutrients from bf she became very anaemic because of it. She needed three months of iron supplements and a lot of encouragement to eat more solids.

I think you need to try various different tactcs:

• give her what she is willing to eat, fruit and raisins are hardly poison, lt her have as much as she wants to get her in the habit.
• offer food and water very often, at least every two hours and before any bf
• give her a choice of foods
• involve her in cooking

Sorry pressed post too soon.

I think you also need to address her bf manners aside from the solids issue. Do you think she'd be able to understand that if she screams, pulls at you, etc she won't get to bf and she has to ask nicely? She may throw some major tantrums but if you stand your ground she should get the idea.

My DD never ate anything but breast milk till she was about 2. She'd eat a bite of rice cake or half a green bean and that was an achievement. She was thriving on milk so I never worried. From 2 to 4 she was open to anything in small amounts (she is very petite and doesn't need as much as the average kid). Now she's gone fussy again and it does worry as she can't depend on breast milk anymore. I would say, your daughter knows best. It's a perfect food for her still on all levels, and she knows this. Enjoy the closeness as it won't last forever. I now have a 9 month old DS who is more accepting of food than DD was and I find this confusing! I think it's best for him to eat milk than rice for instance, but again, he knows what he needs. If you're seriously fed up with the constant feeding, then follow whatever advice you're offered to increase her interest in solids, but if it's more that you're feeling the pressure to move on to the next phase of her diet, relax! You're doing the best for the both of you. And well done limiting the sweet stuff!! The less of a taste she has for it the better. Like all other kids she will end up treat-crazy, the later that happens the better :)

At 15mo she should be eating plenty of solid foods--there is a risk of iron deficiency developing if they are having almost nothing but breastmilk (iron deficiency does not always look obvious, by the way; iron deficient toddlers often look just fine and are not necessarily pale and wan).

I would talk to your doctor about getting her iron levels tested and giving her iron drops if necessary, just as an immediate step. You need to be careful about iron deficiency because if it is not spotted and corrected then it can result in developmental issues. Not trying to scare you, just suggesting that you should be a bit proactive about this.

In terms of getting her onto solid foods--whenever I hear about a toddler who is refusing to eat almost any food, 9 times out of 10 it turns out they are nursing all night, as you mention in your post!

Honestly, I think you may need to just "close the milk bar" at night, and start limiting feeds during the day. Harsh, but it is probably the only thing that will get her interested in food.

Get your partner involved in night weaning (will probably involve a couple of nights of tantruming and screaming... but once it is over you will both be getting a much better night's sleep, honest!).

For cutting down on daytime nursing, plan a few days when you are busy and spending lots of time out of the house. Try limiting nursing to a particular chair or spot in the living room, so that she starts to understand that there are rules. I nursed my child till she was almost 4, and nursing a toddler can be great, but it is only sustainable if the child understands that there are rules and that she needs to respect Mum's body and feelings.

Hi ,
My Daughter is now 15 months old. She eats porridge for breakfast then a nap while breast feeding then around 2 PM eats her lunch (home made ) but needs to be grinded no chunks or she gags and vomits. After that around 4 she naps for 30 mins while breast feeding. After that she eats yogurt or fruit puree then at 7 eats her dinner and stays up for 30 mins and then bed again breast feeding. She wakes up 3 to 4 times looking and sniffing for my breast . And she eats for 5 mins falls asleep. She sleeps with me.
Help how do i stop this . Because I need to sleep too . Every morning I wake up tired .

My advice would be that your child associates you with food in the form of breastmilk and is therefore rejecting other forms of nutrition such as food. You need to gently teach her that you are more than just a milk source.

1. wear a firm fitting bra / top so her access is limited. When she trues to access distract her with her favourite thing. Doesnt have to be food related

2. try and pick up on her hunger cues before she does. Say she breastfeeds every 2 h then every 90 mins try and offer some food she likes ie the raisins and fruit.

3. have dad tackle meal times? Or granparent etc. They may eat more from them as it is a novelty / change in routine.

4. this may be terrible advice but distraction whilst eating can have benefits. Favourite toy on highchair? Read books whilst eating? Then quickly sneak in a spoonful!

Good luck OP