When your baby really doesn't want to BF much anymore

[JulieL]

My DD is 9 1/2 months old and is really giving me a hard time nursing. It's actually been going on since about 8 months but is getting more frustrating. She nurses first thing in the morning fine but her next feeding like 5 hours or so later she often will play with me by nipping, nurse for like 5 minutes, sit up during nursing with her face totally turned away, or cry, or spit the milk out (a new talent that also is part of dinner time as well, NOT FUN). I will try to get her to nurse for a few minutes but give up after she won't do it. Then we wait till the next nursing session and often I have the same issue. I would say she only get 1 to two long productive nursing sessions in, but has 3 sometimes 4 nursings a day. I had this problem with my son at 8 months and weaned him to formula only at 9 months. I'm not doing that this time, but am worried she's not getting enough milk. Should I figure she'll take what she needs? My goal is to get to one year and wean. I really hate the thought of the next 2 1/2 months being so frustrating.

Any thoughts?

[o_mom]

That actually doesn't sound too bad for 9 months. They get much more efficient as they get older. DS2 can take 5-6 oz in less than 5 min (weighed him before and after just for kicks). So, she could be getting quite a bit. I would just feed her on demand - if she is playing around, just stop and wait an hour or so and try again. Dark rooms and calm, boring surroundings can also help her focus on the feeding.

Unless she is acting hungry or not gaining any weight over a month or two, don't worry. Weight gain slows as that age also. DS2 went from gaining 1/2 -3/4 lb per week in the first few months, to gaining 1/2 lb or less per MONTH from 9 mos on.

[mudder17]

This is the time when Kaya got distracted often as well and I also ended up having supply issues. So I just nursed her as often as she demanded, and then started pumping to get my supply back up. Often times she would nurse at night and then take an additional 4 oz in a sippy from DH. In any case, eventually my supply came back (I rented a hospital pump) AND she started getting less distracted and here we are at 2.5 months and still nursing (not much though--she could go a whole day nursing just 3 minutes and be just fine). So I would say, nurse her as often as she wants, and if she gets distracted, don't worry about it, but maybe add a pumping session instead and just go with it. I know, easier said than done! Big hugs, Julie! I know it's not easy! But I think if it hadn't been for the fact that I got sick and then had to talk to the LCs, I wonder if I would have quit. I don't think so, since the thought never occurred to me, but I do know it was frustrating until then. Once I talked to them, I felt so relieved and having the hospital pump also really helped. These things combined with me relaxing about the whole thing (plus having a supportive DH) really helped me get through it.


Eileen

http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/33734.gif 28 months...
http://tickers.baby-gaga.com/t/catcatcvi20040222_-6_Kaya+is.png
http://tickers.baby-gaga.com/p/dev317pp___.png
http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/33732.gif for Leah

[DrSally]

Maybe she's getting enough in those short nursing sessions, they do get very efficient. Like the pp's said, if she's gaining weight, it shouldn't be a problem. I was just reading about "hidden causes of weaning" at kellymom.com, and they said babies very rarely self wean before a year. Instead, several hidden issues, such as low supply, might be the cause. Not saying that that's true in your case, but I thought the article was interesting. I wonder how she would do with the pp's suggestion to go to a dark, boring room?

Good luck and hang in there!