BLW and BFing

[MegBusset]

Hello and sorry if this question has been asked before, I did have a look down the list (and at Aitch's blog) but couldn't find the exact answer.

DS is 5 months and exclusively BF. I want to start BLW around 6 months (or whenever after that he seems ready) and continue BF. So my question is... as he starts to eat more solids, and presumably drinks less milk, am I likely to have problems with milk supply? And I'm hoping to go straight from boob to cow's milk in cup (can't be arsed with bottles if at all poss), is this realistic and if so at what age? I'd guessed around 1 yr - he has eczema though so do I need to delay introducing dairy?

This isn't going to be very eloquent or technical but...
your supply will decrease according to your lo's needs. It's how we're designed. Your supply changes all the time - to keep up with growth spurts etc and when they start on solids you will still produce what they need, when they need it.

Good luck with weaning - it's great fun!

Thanks all. Psychobabble, so did you just give EBM in a cup at six months? Or water in a cup and milk straight from the boob?

Hi Meg. My ds was exclusively bf until 6 months when we started BLW. I gave him water in an open cup which he got the hang of fairly quickly and breastmilk straight from source. I didn't do bottles or sippy cups at all. Cows milk is not recommended as the main drink until 12 months, so best to stick with water and bm for now. Cows milk is fine in cooking, but if you have concerns about allergy, then if possible, it is best to avoid cows milk at all until 12 months. You probably won't even notice your supply dropping, because at first, your ds isn't likely to be eating whopping amounts of solids, so the reduction in your supply will be gradual alongside his gradual increase in solids. If your ds started to feed more often (eg if he was ill and off his food) then your supply would quickly catch up to meed the demand.
My ds is now 21 months and drinks both cows milk and breastmilk, so it doesn't have to be one or the other.

DS grabbed DH's glass of water today and took a big swig out of it (all his own doing) - so I don't think introducing a cup will be a problem!