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The Breast Feeding Support Thread

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    #4712
    olaola
    Registered Users Posts: 4,139 ✭✭✭olaola


    John Mason wrote: »
    I am looking for some advice on weaning a 21+ month toddler.

    Don't want to go cold turkey. I have tried explaining it to him but he is having none of it.

    I'm waiting until he's two. But still haven't got a clue about how I'm going to do it. He's not going to be a happy bunny... I'd be interested to hear how you get on!


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    #4713
    Electric
    Registered Users Posts: 538 ✭✭✭Electric


    Does any one else's child wake frequently during the night?

    My 10 month old has been waking two to three times at night absolutely starving. It seems to be an issue that has gradually crept up on us. In hindsight I'm wondering if there was something that we should have done differently, but he genuinely seems to be very hungry at night.

    I've tried offering a bottle of water, or getting my other half to do cuddles, but it doesn't really work, and he waits us out until I eventually feed him.

    I don't know if it's just a habit that's developed or if he needs extra milk. He's crawling and nearly walking.

    If anyone has any advice, it'd be greatly appreciated! I feel like we are back to the newborn stage and are struggling to cope with the lack of sleep.


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    #4714
    bovril
    Registered Users Posts: 1,445 ✭✭✭bovril


    My little girl woke on and off at night until about 13 months. I put it down to needing more food because she was active like your baby. Could also be a leap. I just went with what baby needed and fed her. By then night feeds were very short as she was so efficient.

    Edited to add, you could also try giving slightly bigger portions of solid food during the day if you haven't already increased portions.


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    #4715
    Electric
    Registered Users Posts: 538 ✭✭✭Electric


    bovril wrote: »
    My little girl woke on and off at night until about 13 months. I put it down to needing more food because she was active like your baby. Could also be a leap. I just went with what baby needed and fed her. By then night feeds were very short as she was so efficient.

    Edited to add, you could also try giving slightly bigger portions of solid food during the day if you haven't already increased portions.

    Hi, thanks for the reply. It's wonderful to know I'm not the only one!

    Yeah, the night feeds themselves are short enough, it's more the disturbance. When he wakes at 4am I'm so tired we end up co-sleeping, which seems to be no sleep for anyone but him!

    I've tried upping his meals during the day, but they can be hit and miss. He doesn't seem to be hugely interested in solid foods.


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    #4716
    bovril
    Registered Users Posts: 1,445 ✭✭✭bovril


    Electric wrote:
    Yeah, the night feeds themselves are short enough, it's more the disturbance. When he wakes at 4am I'm so tired we end up co-sleeping, which seems to be no sleep for anyone but him!

    That is exactly how it was for us too!!!


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    #4717
    fro9etb8j5qsl2
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,391 ✭✭✭fro9etb8j5qsl2


    How is she feeding during the day? I found that once my little girl was on the move and crawling, she got to a stage where she was just too busy and distracted to feed during the day and would only feed while asleep or sleepy. So instead of feeding throughout the day, she added back in a night feed. Now she feeds first thing at 7am, again when she is waking from her afternoon nap, at bedtime and I give her a dream feed at around 12am. It is a pain in the árse staying awake to feed her ( I would normally go to sleep around half 10 or 11) but it is better than going to sleep at my normal time and being woken by her screeching at 3 or 4am :o


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    #4718
    spottybananas
    Registered Users Posts: 1,832 ✭✭✭spottybananas


    My 10 month old wakes every 1-2.5 hours since birth. Nothing makes a difference. He went to sleep at 9 tonight and was back awake crying at 10. I try not to think about it or I'll weep.

    No advice, just support!


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    #4719
    jlm29
    Registered Users Posts: 3,818 ✭✭✭jlm29


    I had this with my first, around 9 or 10 mths (I know it wasn't long before I went back to work, And with a long commute, I knew I wouldn't be able for broken sleep every night). I tackled it with bottles of water- he wouldn't take it, but that's all I offered. I walked the floor with him while he cried. The first night he woke 3 times, the second twice, the third night once, and then he was back sleeping through the night. Before this, I also added an extra meal before bed, so I knew he was well fed, and unlikely to be hungry.


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    #4720
    Electric
    Registered Users Posts: 538 ✭✭✭Electric


    Bella Most Rubble wrote: »
    How is she feeding during the day? I found that once my little girl was on the move and crawling, she got to a stage where she was just too busy and distracted to feed during the day and would only feed while asleep or sleepy. So instead of feeding throughout the day, she added back in a night feed. Now she feeds first thing at 7am, again when she is waking from her afternoon nap, at bedtime and I give her a dream feed at around 12am. It is a pain in the árse staying awake to feed her ( I would normally go to sleep around half 10 or 11) but it is better than going to sleep at my normal time and being woken by her screeching at 3 or 4am :o

    To be honest, feeding during the day is a bit of a struggle. I've been offering extra feeds almost on the hour in the hopes of 'tanking' him up for the night, but he's not interested.

    Also the amount he eats for breakfast, lunch and dinner has dropped off. He insists on only feeding himself now, but the amount of food that actually makes it into his mouth (as opposed to his clothes and the floor), seems to be negligible sometimes.


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    #4721
    Electric
    Registered Users Posts: 538 ✭✭✭Electric


    spottybananas wrote: »
    My 10 month old wakes every 1-2.5 hours since birth. Nothing makes a difference. He went to sleep at 9 tonight and was back awake crying at 10. I try not to think about it or I'll weep.

    No advice, just support!

    Thanks spotty! It actually really helps to know I'm not the only one. All of my friends finished breastfeeding at 6 months and never had this issue.


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    #4722
    Electric
    Registered Users Posts: 538 ✭✭✭Electric


    jlm29 wrote: »
    I had this with my first, around 9 or 10 mths (I know it wasn't long before I went back to work, And with a long commute, I knew I wouldn't be able for broken sleep every night). I tackled it with bottles of water- he wouldn't take it, but that's all I offered. I walked the floor with him while he cried. The first night he woke 3 times, the second twice, the third night once, and then he was back sleeping through the night. Before this, I also added an extra meal before bed, so I knew he was well fed, and unlikely to be hungry.



    Can I ask, when you were doing the bottle of water with your son, how long you ended up being up with him?

    We have tried the bottle of water thing before, but after an hour or so he's still awake and I've ended up giving in and feeding just so we can all get back to sleep.

    Part of me wonders if I'm giving in too easily?

    But the other thing is that when he gets really, really upset he pukes everywhere and I don't want to go down that route in the middle of the night.

    Am I being naive to think that this issue will resolve itself when I finish breastfeeding? I had planned on weaning him when he's a year old.


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    #4723
    jlm29
    Registered Users Posts: 3,818 ✭✭✭jlm29


    Electric wrote: »
    Can I ask, when you were doing the bottle of water with your son, how long you ended up being up with him?

    We have tried the bottle of water thing before, but after an hour or so he's still awake and I've ended up giving in and feeding just so we can all get back to sleep.

    Part of me wonders if I'm giving in too easily?

    But the other thing is that when he gets really, really upset he pukes everywhere and I don't want to go down that route in the middle of the night.

    Am I being naive to think that this issue will resolve itself when I finish breastfeeding? I had planned on weaning him when he's a year old.

    I can't remember exactly (he's 4 now), but I don't think it would have been an hour. It's hard to know really, and it's just awful to see them so upset, especially if you're worried they'll get sick.
    Good luck!


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    #4724
    jlm29
    Registered Users Posts: 3,818 ✭✭✭jlm29


    My 10 week old is gone on a bottle strike! He had a few bottles of expressed milk when he was quite small (to give my poor nipples a break) no problem. Then 2 weeks ago he had two bottles no bother (one from me, and one from someone else). Last thur he took one from his dad under duress. Now- not a hope. It's like he finds it offensive, unless it's coming directly from source! Just when I thought I'd go for dinner or something!


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    #4725
    olaola
    Registered Users Posts: 4,139 ✭✭✭olaola


    jlm29 wrote: »
    My 10 week old is gone on a bottle strike! He had a few bottles of expressed milk when he was quite small (to give my poor nipples a break) no problem. Then 2 weeks ago he had two bottles no bother (one from me, and one from someone else). Last thur he took one from his dad under duress. Now- not a hope. It's like he finds it offensive, unless it's coming directly from source! Just when I thought I'd go for dinner or something!

    Eep! Your milk could possibly have that enzyme in it (that I can't remember the name of!) That makes it taste funny after a few hours? Lipase?
    Have you tasted it yourself?


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    #4726
    fro9etb8j5qsl2
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,391 ✭✭✭fro9etb8j5qsl2


    jlm29 wrote: »
    My 10 week old is gone on a bottle strike! He had a few bottles of expressed milk when he was quite small (to give my poor nipples a break) no problem. Then 2 weeks ago he had two bottles no bother (one from me, and one from someone else). Last thur he took one from his dad under duress. Now- not a hope. It's like he finds it offensive, unless it's coming directly from source! Just when I thought I'd go for dinner or something!

    Same thing happened me around 12 weeks and I never got her to take a bottle of expressed milk since. She won't take expressed milk at all, even if it has been expressed immediately before. Funny thing is, she drinks loads of water from a plastic water bottle no bother :rolleyes:


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    #4727
    madeinamerica
    Registered Users Posts: 787 ✭✭✭madeinamerica


    jlm29 wrote: »
    My 10 week old is gone on a bottle strike! He had a few bottles of expressed milk when he was quite small (to give my poor nipples a break) no problem. Then 2 weeks ago he had two bottles no bother (one from me, and one from someone else). Last thur he took one from his dad under duress. Now- not a hope. It's like he finds it offensive, unless it's coming directly from source! Just when I thought I'd go for dinner or something!

    We had to work really hard to get my guy to take a bottle of ebm when I went back to work. My oh offerede him one bottle every day for a few weeks, from about 9 weeks i think. He wouldnt take it for ages but kept gently offering it every day and he eventually took it. He didn't seem to like how it was coming out of the bottle, the flow was different I guess. We tried lots of nipples and he eventually took the very first one we tried (typical!). I guess my point is that it took us a fair bit of effort over a few weeks to get him to take it, so perhaps some babies at that age take a bit of convincing!


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    #4728
    spottybananas
    Registered Users Posts: 1,832 ✭✭✭spottybananas


    Electric are you on Extended Breastfeeding in Ireland page? I can categorically tell you that there are at least 45 other mums there with babies 9 months and older like this :) Thanks to a recent post there I know this :)


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    #4729
    Electric
    Registered Users Posts: 538 ✭✭✭Electric


    spottybananas wrote: »
    Electric are you on Extended Breastfeeding in Ireland page? I can categorically tell you that there are at least 45 other mums there with babies 9 months and older like this :) Thanks to a recent post there I know this :)

    Noooo..... *goes and googles*


    Thanks Spotty that's really helpful! It really is such a relief to be realising it isn't because of something I'm doing or haven't done!


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    #4730
    spottybananas
    Registered Users Posts: 1,832 ✭✭✭spottybananas


    Electric wrote: »
    Noooo..... *goes and googles*


    Thanks Spotty that's really helpful! It really is such a relief to be realising it isn't because of something I'm doing or haven't done!

    Sorry its a group on facebook, excuse the mistake of not including that info, I'm a tad sleep deprived ;)


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    #4731
    jlm29
    Registered Users Posts: 3,818 ✭✭✭jlm29


    olaola wrote: »
    Eep! Your milk could possibly have that enzyme in it (that I can't remember the name of!) That makes it taste funny after a few hours? Lipase?
    Have you tasted it yourself?

    I haven't tasted it- for some reason, I think that would be weird! He drank it fine a couple of weeks ago- I think he's just been stubborn. I tried him myself s couple of times- I must get someone else to try again. Maybe it's just me he's on strike with! I suppose if i do get him to take it, I better keep it up, and give him bottles often. I had thought once or twice a week would be loads to keep him used to it. i hate expressing unless I really need to! Effort!!


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    #4732
    spottybananas
    Registered Users Posts: 1,832 ✭✭✭spottybananas


    Smell the milk, if it smells soapy it has excess lipase. Happens some of mine, not all. You can fix it by scalding the ebm before you freeze it.


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    #4733
    Cunning Stunt
    Registered Users Posts: 1,292 ✭✭✭Cunning Stunt


    Hi there, can any of you advise on when baby should start solids? Our little one is showing interest at mealtimes, following us eating with her eyes and shouting as if she wants to try. Shes drooling a lot at mealtines too but she does drool at other times also, so am not sure if thats a sign. She will be 4 months next week. PHN says its normal to start around 4 months but everything i have read online says 6 months. She is my first breastfed baby so am looking for some of your experiences. Thanks!


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    #4734
    Neyite
    Administrators, Politics Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 25,947 Admin ✭✭✭✭✭Neyite


    Best practice is as near to 6 months as possible, but in some cases, they sometimes start earlier.

    In our case, I think he was a few weeks off 6 months when we gradually introduced solids, but it was so obvious he was more than ready and was insatiable on milk alone.

    I know another mum who started her baby early - around 4m if I recall correctly. This was on the advice of her PHN, GP, and Paediatrician. Sad to say, she got a lot of stick from other mums in a FB group because of the 6 month guideline which was unfair and upsetting - they had very valid reasons for putting the baby on solids early, and researched it fully and it was the right decision. The baby is thriving.

    I cant see the harm giving her a finger of toast to suck on while you are all eating, but it is totally up to you. Really until they are one, their main nutrition source is their milk, and food is about fun, learning about new textures and tastes so no need to worry too much if they don't eat a lot.


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    #4735
    angeldelight
    Registered Users Posts: 5,175 ✭✭✭angeldelight


    The guidance now is six months unless there's a medical reason for earlier. Even the HSEs own most up to date booklet says six months. Some PHNs seem to have some very dodgy advice about everything so I'm not sure I'd go by their advice alone


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    #4736
    Fagashlil
    Registered Users Posts: 450 ✭✭Fagashlil


    As above, as close to the 6 month mark, babas digestive systems not fully developed till 26 weeks. FF babies tend to be weaned earlier due to the high sugar content in formula, the WHO guidelines reccomended 26 weeks, I'd always go by their guidelines rather than the PHN, a lot of them tend to be outdated with their advice. Unless of course there's medical advice and guidance and need.


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    #4737
    RentDayBlues
    Registered Users Posts: 2,131 ✭✭✭RentDayBlues


    If you can wait until closer to 6 months you can go straight to baby led weaning, basically she'll eat what you eat. No purees or spoon feeding.

    But they have to be able to sit in a high chair and pick up the food pieces themselves. My second started at 24 weeks, but she was sitting up for a few weeks and had started grabbing. Now at just short of 2 she will eat anything. I cannot recommend it enough.

    When you're breastfeeding they will get all their nutritional needs from you so the food is a learning experience for them, food is fun until you're one!

    At her development check recently they asked if she had started to use a spoon, I laughed as she's done this since 8 months.

    Enjoy the weaning whatever route you take


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    #4738
    olaola
    Registered Users Posts: 4,139 ✭✭✭olaola


    Babies will show interest in putting anything into their mouths, and will shove anything in. And they will copy your actions, they don't know what food is, so it's not like they know they want it. We sat our little fella at the table with his own plate, spoon and cup (all empty) and he banged and clanged away while we ate. Try to leave it as long as possible!


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    #4739
    tinkerbell
    Registered Users Posts: 6,423 ✭✭✭tinkerbell


    Please do not start any sort of solid food before 6 months. Babies do not need any solids until then - all they need is milk. Neyite - a lot of health professionals are giving out-dated advice. The HSE, NHS, WHO, etc all recommend milk only for first 6 months. I find it hard to believe that they could realistically justify a baby as young as 4 months starting solids in this day unless they were going with out-dated advice. Babies guts just are not fully mature yet to be able to handle solids and if started early, can reduce the amount of milk consumed which is not what you want.

    Cunning - drooling, showing an interest in what you are eating are not signs your baby wants to eat a solid meal. They are interested in all the things you are doing at that age. Wait until 6 months. The WHO recommend exclusively breastfeeding until 6 months and then offering complimentary solids alongside breastfeeding up until at least 1 year (ie not replacing milk feeds with solids).


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    #4740
    tinkerbell
    Registered Users Posts: 6,423 ✭✭✭tinkerbell


    Please do not start any sort of solid food before 6 months. Babies do not need any solids until then - all they need is milk. Neyite - a lot of health professionals are giving out-dated advice. The HSE, NHS, WHO, etc all recommend milk only for first 6 months. I find it hard to believe that they could realistically justify a baby as young as 4 months starting solids in this day unless they were going with out-dated advice. Babies guts just are not fully mature yet to be able to handle solids and if started early, can reduce the amount of milk consumed which is not what you want.

    Cunning - drooling, showing an interest in what you are eating are not signs your baby wants to eat a solid meal. They are interested in all the things you are doing at that age. Wait until 6 months. The WHO recommend exclusively breastfeeding until 6 months and then offering complimentary solids alongside breastfeeding up until at least 1 year (ie not replacing milk feeds with solids).


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    #4741
    How Strange
    Registered Users Posts: 6,339 ✭✭✭How Strange


    Both of mine showed the typical signs of readiness is watching you when eating, grabbing, drooling etc but I waited until 6 months and both of them weren't bothered with solids until 7-8 months. I reakly would hold out to minimum 5 months and then just see how you go. At 5-5.5 months perhaps a little taste of food like sucking on a pear you're holding won't do them any harm but try to stretch out the full weaning until as close to 6 months as you can.


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