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Weaning

Find weaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Weaning forum. Use our child development calendar for more information.

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Original poster

Babies that are b/fed on demand throughout their first year of life aren't that interested in solids...

41 replies

emkana · 07/02/2007 23:25

... until coming up for a year/18 months. It doesn't mean there's anything wrong with them, or that they'll never eat well.

It's what I found with my dd's, and also what I've read many times on this and other message boards. My dd's are now five and three and both fantastic eaters.

What are your experiences?

(btw ds just loves his solids now, just to prove me wrong... . But I really think it happens a lot and it would be helpful if it was a more widely known fact so that parents could relax about it a bit more.)

OP posts:

Lizzylou · 07/02/2007 23:27

Have to disagree, my boys both loved food far more than BM, but they were massive (DS2 esp)

Tinker · 07/02/2007 23:27

Agree.

Jenkeywoo · 07/02/2007 23:28

Watching with interest! 3 or 4 other mums at my breastfeeding group have reported this and I agree it would help to know that this does happen. Just want to know how to boost energy levels and not feel drained from continual BFing!

colditz · 07/02/2007 23:32

Maybe it's a girl thing? i think boys tend to be slightly greedier for food anyway, when babies. They are born with more muscle mass, i heard.

bruces · 07/02/2007 23:33

my daughter now 18months was BF on demand,until i stopped at 15months, started weaning her at 7months with no problems, she has the appetite of a horse and so far will eat everything offered to her.

VeniVidiVickiQV · 07/02/2007 23:42

Agree.

melpomene · 07/02/2007 23:45

My dds both started solids happily and ate very well. But a bf baby aged 6-12 months will still be getting a lot (perhaps most) of their nutritional needs met by milk, so it shouldn't be a big cause for concern if they're not eating a lot of solids, as long as they're gaining weight etc.

welliemum · 08/02/2007 01:56

Agree.

Definitely the case for my 2 (girls). dd1 is 2.5 and eats everything, but food was just an entertaining hobby for her until she was about 8 or 9 months old. dd1 (7 months) looks to be going the same way.

WriggleJiggle · 08/02/2007 02:14

Sorry, would disagree. Dd LOVES her food. She is only 9 monnths though, so perhaps that has time to change?

plummymummy · 08/02/2007 02:54

ds was bfed til 7.5 months and he had a ferocious appetitie for solids. Made me wish I'd started him at 4 months instead of 6.

peanutbutterkid · 08/02/2007 03:07

Disagree, all my babies would have given up breastfeeding completely at about 8-10 months, they were so keen on solids instead. I had to struggle to keep them on breastmilk during that phase.

eidsvold · 08/02/2007 03:34

nope - dd2 was exclusively breastfed and loved her solids. She was a large baby and whilst she also enjoyed breastfeeding - she loved solid food and a variety of solids as well from the time we started weaning at about 6 months.

welliemum · 08/02/2007 05:08

I'd better clarify by saying that dd1 loved her food and ate a wide variety from the word go - but when she was hungry, only milk would do. dd2 is the same.

Original poster

emkana · 08/02/2007 10:08

bump

OP posts:

purplemonkeydishwasher · 08/02/2007 10:21

my DS is 16 months and some days will eat a couple of cheerios.
BUT cannot get enough of BM!

Lazycow · 08/02/2007 10:51

I probably agree with this. Ds was breastfed until he was 2 years old but I stopped the on-demand bit around 8 months old (due to the fact that every feed was painful for me and continued to be for the full 2 years).

He still fed 4-5 times in 24 hrs from 8-11 months old but I did refuse sometimes (and I pretty much night weaned him at 12 months as feeding at night and working was too much for me)and we made it more and at home thing.

When I went to work 3 days a week when he was 11 months old he only fed 2-3 times a day on work days and 3-4 times on home days. He still fed at night occasionally when ill etc up to 2 years old.

Whe I put him on solids at 6 months he really only started eating well at around 7-8 months old and that did coincide with me reducing his feeds to 4-5 times a day and trying to be a bit more routine based with his milk feeds (not always successfully though )

So in looking back I'd say you are right. DS did eat very well though from 8/9 months old on top of his 4-5 breastfeeds. Also as he ate solids better he definitely bfed less so I think the two are definitely related.

goingfor3 · 08/02/2007 10:55

I would agree with this though I didn't really realsie until I stopped bf'ing at 2 1/2. At that point dd's appitite increase massivly. DD's had never been a fussy eater just not a big eater becasue she was having so much bm.

Original poster

emkana · 08/02/2007 12:30

bump

OP posts:

BikeBug · 08/02/2007 12:55

yes, DS (11 months, bf on demand from the start) makes a clear choice to have bm when I'm around. Nursery can get him to eat huge amounts compared to what he'll eat at home, and I'm sure it's because there is no bm available at nursery. At home he'll nibble at food, maybe deign to eat a yougurt, but whole portions of savory food? Only when the milk is not around!

IntergalacticWalrus · 08/02/2007 13:01

I agree. DS1 was bfed for 15 months, and didn't eat a mouthful of solids until 9 monmths, he just wasn't intetested.

However, my HV made me feel like I was starving him, and came round to see ghim eat to see what I was doing wrong. Just waht a mothe with massive feelings of inadequacy and in the throws of bad PND needs.

Nayway, DS2 is 5 months old now, has shown no signs of intetest in food, and we'll embark on weaning at some point, when I can be arsed, and when he's ready. There';s no way I'll get hung up on it lik I did last time.

annmarieandlily · 08/02/2007 13:46

Really interested to hear your experiences BikeBug. I really struggle to get my 6 month old dd to eat any substantial amount of solids - she fusses and whinges until she gets bfed. When my mum looks after her however she eats like a horse.

Trouble is she's not gained weight well at all in the last 6 weeks and HV says i need to increase her solids dramatically. I'm now really worried about it and not sure what to do.

I'm struggling at the moment with the milk/ solids feeding times routine - does anyone have any suggestions that have worked?

frenchleave · 08/02/2007 13:47

I logged on intending to post for advice about my 6.5 month old bf son who is showing almost zero interest in food, and came across this thread

I've tried purees, I've offered finger foods. He seems to prefer the latter, but spits out any microscopic piece that breaks off, so he's not actually taking in any real calories.

Still if it's nothing to worry about, I'm not worried , but just slightly concerned at the thought of another 6 months of full-time bfeeding - I'm pretty tired and struggling to keep my weight up. What if my supply tails off before he's eating properly? And does late weaning really have no implications for later?

terramum · 08/02/2007 13:58

DS didnt eat very much in the way of solids until he was well over 1 year, unless you count the brief couple of weeks around 9 months when he had a HUGE growth spurt! He is now 2.5 & still Bf on demand (anything from 2x to 8x a day depending on his mood, what we are doing, illness etc) and there is usually a big increase in his solids intake on days when he only has his morning & night time feeds. Im perfectly happy with how much or little he eats & with the BM he has - he is obviously thriving going by his growth, development etc

mawbroon · 08/02/2007 14:08

Disagree. My ds got the hang of solids very quickly. We did BLW at 26 weeks and once he got the hang of shovelling down food (think of a whole banana going down the hatch four days after we started), there was no stopping him. And he still loves breastfeeding too

eviletc · 08/02/2007 14:13

disagree too. dd is now 9 months and eats like a little horse. although she occasionally wants bfing during the day she is far more interested in food than boob!

not trying to disprove your theory emkana - but have never actually heard that before. am sure it does happen lot though.all babies are different aren't they?

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