Some questions about my almost 1 yr old nursling

[Vegan Princess]

DD will be 1 at the end of the month. I've had supply issues from the get go but DD loves the boob. We used to nurse then sup 1-3 ounces by bottle. I started using a lactaid at 5 months old but only for 2 feeds/day bc it was frustrating with a baby that popped on and off. Fast forward to a month or two ago when she got a cold and I started using the lactaid for almost every feed. She started refusing a bottle except when strapped into her car seat or right before bed from dad. Sometimes she'll take sips of a bottle to wash down food but she barely drinks any of it. Also we've gone from her drinking 10-15 ounces of supplement/day to only 3-6 ounces. I know I'm not making any more milk. She is eating more but she is picky and not a big eater. She still has wet dipes but they are not super heavy wets and occasionally I'll go to change her and she'll still be dry.

BC I am so paranoid about DD getting enough fluids I have been offering the breast really frequently. She used to eat every 3 hours but now it's every hour or so. Though she seldom ever asks.

At some point I'd like to decrease the amount of nursing a bit but I'm afraid since she won't drink much from a bottle or sippy. I'd also like to stop the domperidone at 1 yr (start weaning then...will take a couple months to get off). I know my supply will go down so I worry about her fluid intake, even though I use a lactaid. I guess I am wondering how much milk a 1 yr old really drinks and why she won't drink much of the lactaid? And why is she rejecting bottles all the sudden? And how will I ever reduce the nursing if she won't take a bottle or sippy very well? I'm in no hurry to end our nursing relationship though I am very adament about going off the domperidone bc I am afraid of the long term impact to my health as my family has a history of breast cancer. I also hope to conceive in the next 6 months so I am guessing my supply would be all but gone then.

Cindy

[lifeguard]

At a year you could skip the bottle or sippy altogether & go straight to a cup. I also have a friend who had success getting her dd to use a straw.

[hotharmony]

According to the Kelly Mom site babies over 11 months only need about 19oz of breast milk per day. I would follow the plan you want to for weaning off the medication and start trying a bunch of different cups and sippy cups to find one she might like. I would also start offering water often.

Good Luck and Way to go for making it a year!

[Megan73]

I wouldn't be that concerned unless you see signs of dehydration, such as dark urine, if baby is still nursing well. Even as a low-supply mama (and I'm one, too) your LO should get enough from nursing to stay hydrated.
I think you're right to offer frequently.
My DS started leaving some of his supp about that age, too, and he wasn't drinking much by cup, either.
I'd keep offering and trying different cups. My little one loves to drink water out of a small open cup and a little bit actually gets IN and not just ON him.
I also wanted to tell you that I've been weaning off the dom in hopes of my fertility returning and my supply still seems OK. I cut down from 90 mg to 60 mg over a month or two before he turned 1. I've since (he's 17 months) cut down to 30 mg a day and I plan to wean off entirely in the next month or two.
I can't say if he's getting less from the tap – although he doesn't seem to be – but I pump once at work and get only slightly less than before.
Also, are you a SAHM? I find my son will drink lots of milk at DC (he started at 12 months) or with dad but seems less interested if I'm around – even though he only nurses three times a day on weekends. I only supp once a day – 2 oz a day – using the milk I pump at work.

[Vegan Princess]

Very helpful Megan! Interesting. Your son only nurses 3 times/day and only needs 2 oz supp? I feel better then! I used to be able to pump up to 3 ounces the one time I pump at night so I figured she could be getting 2-3 ounces from me when nursing but lately I have been sick and it has been more like 1-2 ounce when pumping. I will keep offering all sorts of cups frequently.

You make me hopefull about weaning off the dom but I sort of don't think I'll have as much luck. I once tried to drop 2 pills and my supply tanked. But I do plan to add shat so maybe that will help offset.

Cindy

[Megan73]

Originally Posted by Vegan Princess

Very helpful Megan! Interesting. Your son only nurses 3 times/day and only needs 2 oz supp? I feel better then! I used to be able to pump up to 3 ounces the one time I pump at night so I figured she could be getting 2-3 ounces from me when nursing but lately I have been sick and it has been more like 1-2 ounce when pumping. I will keep offering all sorts of cups frequently.

You make me hopefull about weaning off the dom but I sort of don't think I'll have as much luck. I once tried to drop 2 pills and my supply tanked. But I do plan to add shat so maybe that will help offset.

Cindy

He nurses twice a day - morning and night for like an HOUR - on weekdays and three times (lunch, too) on weekends. On week days when I pump at lunch I get 3 ounces or a bit more or less. On the rare occasions that I have to pump morning or night without nursing (usually work-related) I get 4 or so ounces. So I figure he's getting about 10 ounces of BM a day at 17 months. I probably could just give him what I pump in a cup instead of the LA but I just want to keep him happy at the boob. And the LA is a security blanket
As I said, he does also drink cow's milk and water at DC and water with meals at home. Dad gives him cow's milk in a cup if I'm not home to nurse.

On the dom, how much are you taking, Cindy? I'd never heard it was linked to breast cancer. My doctor has been prescribing it for me since my LO was born and has never mentioned any risk. Can you share a link?

[Vegan Princess]

I'm taking 160 mg. If you google domperidone and breast cancer a number of things come up. It states it has causes breast tumors in rodents but hasn't been duplicated in humans. I have also found prescribing info saying to use caution when prescribing to someone with a family history. It just makes me nervous to be on it longer than I feel necessary if it could cause me to be more likely to get cancer!

How old was your little one when he started taking a good amount from the sippy? DD is sick and we are having soooo much trouble getting her to take fluids! It's awful. And she wants to be on the boob but she isn't sucking today.

Cindy

[Megan73]

Originally Posted by Vegan Princess

I'm taking 160 mg. If you google domperidone and breast cancer a number of things come up. It states it has causes breast tumors in rodents but hasn't been duplicated in humans. I have also found prescribing info saying to use caution when prescribing to someone with a family history. It just makes me nervous to be on it longer than I feel necessary if it could cause me to be more likely to get cancer!

How old was your little one when he started taking a good amount from the sippy? DD is sick and we are having soooo much trouble getting her to take fluids! It's awful. And she wants to be on the boob but she isn't sucking today.

Cindy

Honestly he didn't really start drinking a lot by sippy until 12 months when he went to daycare - and was obviously nursing less because I was at work. I'd just keep offering - sippies, straw cups, open cups. I think she'll get the idea eventually. It sounds like you're offering the breast plenty and she'd finish her supplement if she really needed it, I think.
I hadn't heard that about dom but it sounds like they were giving massive doses over an animal's entire lifespan - conditions no human would duplicate. But I see why you don't want to take it longer than necessary. Have you seen Dr. Newman's FAQ for weaning off dom? I did it even more gradually - a pill every few weeks - and didn't notice my supply tanking.
As I said, I'm at 30 mg a day and plan to wean off totally in the next month or so in order to TTC.
Good luck, mama.

[justKate]

Cindy,

How about a regular glass/cup? Obviously she shouldn't hold it, but could you give her sips of water from your own glass? Aubrey hates the sippys too, but will take sips of water or goat milk from my glass or from a small glass (like baby food jar size). Maybe this would be enough to reassure you that she won't become dehydrated?

With Aubs its almost like she thinks the sippy is a fun toy to chew on, whereas a CUP is very serious adult business. Just a thought! And kudos to you--did you think we'd be posting in the BF beyond Infancy forum already?! You've done a great job.

Casey

[Vegan Princess]

Casey,

I NEVER EVER thought I'd be posting here!!! :-) And I never ever thought my supplemented with a bottle 6 times/day baby would be rejecting the bottle down the road. You're right about the regular cup. She will drink from it when she is in the mood (sometimes she pushes that away too). I think some actually goes down her throat and not all over her. So I guess we just have to offer the cup all the time. Not as convenient but what can you do? She still doesn't drink a lot that way either but maybe an 18 lber really just doesn't need very much.

Cindy