Breast-fed 15 month old barely eats

[RosieLee2019]

My 15 m/o is just not interested in solid food. He still wants boob all the time and kicks off if I try to deter him. I’m sure he’s getting too many calories from breast milk so he isn’t hungry enough for solids, but I’m worried he’s not getting the nutrients he needs from the breastmilk alone.

He eats little bits of solids, and what he does eat is varied… it’s just very small quantities.

I don’t want to stop breastfeeding yet, but I also don’t want him missing out on other nutrients.

Any advice?

I think you may need to stop offering the breast milk so much, does he currently feed on demand?

Yes… I’ve tried cutting down but he just cries until I relent. I don’t know how to deter him!

My DS was very similar. I tried to distract him (from breastfeeding) as much as possible, however in reality the battle wasn't worth fighting! He's now 3, in good health and eats just fine.

@RosieLee2019

Yes… I’ve tried cutting down but he just cries until I relent. I don’t know how to deter him!

Put coffee on your nipples.

I tried covering my nipples with plasters several times. It didn't work/last long!

Does he go to nursery? This would help in terms of set meals and no milk on offer.

Is there someone else who can take him off your hands for the day? Partner/grandparent/nursery etc? That way he can't bf on demand.

If not, can you distract (TV might be way to go) every time he tries to bf in the day? Cut it right down to just bedtime/night.

How many feeds does he have during the day? I started a thread on this recently mine is 13 months old and just doesn't eat. She goes to nursery and doesn't eat there either. She may have some toast and fruit but that's it.

At home she will eat porridge, fruit, yoghurt, sometimes she will have things like scrambled egg, jacket potato and beans etc but she really doesn't eat proper portions of solid food.

She doesn't even have milk in the day, she has a feed before bed and feeds throughout the night. Some people reckon that she's getting the calories at night so is doing things the wrong way around and isn't as hungry in the day.

We obviously keep offering food at every meal time but 9/10 times she will refuse it!!

Do you have a partner to help at all?
What helped me cut down was having my husband take over and certain points that were linked to breastfeeds. I had to cut her down around 12 months as she was going to nursery/my parents for 4 days a week 9 hrs a day so from 12 months cut from 4/5 feeds to 2/3 then 1 feed just now at 18 months.

As soon as she got in the habit of eating more instead of bf I was able to step back in as she wouldn't go for my boob as much.

She still puts her hand down my top at other times and would probably go for the boob if I offered it more than once but I just distract now with toys, or a song, or looking out the window etc x

Also my DD is another difficult eater as well- deffo enough calories but still won't eat 'proper' meals that are the same as the family.

She will eat veggie soups I make, jacket potatoes, toast, weetabix, but if I were to make a Sunday dinner or something she would only eat the mash.

He goes to nursery 2 days a week and is absolutely fine with no breastmilk (I think he eats a bit more at nursery too) but this has no impact on the days I’m with him! Similarly, DH has him one day, and my parents another day - during these days I wfh so he doesn’t have as much breastmilk, but still some if I’m around.

But on the days he’s with me, he’s just insatiable for the boob!

Could he be anaemic? My son was like this as anaemia reduces the appetite. He started eating better with supplements.