self-weaning?

[sandir]

My son was an avid breastfeeder for 10 months. He suddenly went from 8-10 feedings a day to 2, only at night. A week before his first birthday (2 months after cutting back), he stopped breastfeeding completely. He eats LOTS of solids (more than me often, and I have a healthy appetite). We cosleep, and I have always breastfed on demand. He just seems to be done. It's been two weeks now. I'm just wondering if anyone else has gone through this. I was planning on bfing for longer, but he's just not into it (totally surprising since he was such a feeder). He went on strike once after a high fever, and we got over it. This is different. Is this out of the norm? Thanks.

[PatioGardener]

The 8 times a day to 2 only at night (suddenly) sounds like a nursing strike to me. Before 1 year of age breastmilk is typicaly the bulk of a baby's nutrition. Most babies become really distractable around 9 months, and again in early toddlerhood and need to be reminded to nurse.

Are you offering often? Treating it like a strike and seeing if baby will nurse?

Good luck.

ETA: Sorry Mama, I re-read your post and see that baby hasn't nursed for 2 weeks? Do you want to continue breastfeeding? If so, there are moms here with advice who can help.

[Catherine12]

My oldest did something similar, though a bit more gradually, and weaned just past 12 months. Like your ds, she was an especially enthusiastic eater of solid foods (she really likes eating a variety of foods, and even now is my most food-adventurous child).

I think most babies self-wean at an older age (my other dc weaned at 18 and 21 months), but I don't think this is that uncommon. I had mixed feelings about dd doing this - I had planned on bfing longer, but I was happy that weaning had happened so smoothly and non-traumatically for her.

[sandir]

Thanks for your responses. Yes, breastfeeding is done for us. He has shown zero interest in weeks after the initial slowing down, so I'm sure I'm dried up now. I assumed that this was normal, though a little too abrupt for me ;( until I started researching and saw that it was pretty early statistically. It certainly felt natural, and he is VERY fond of any sort of solid food that I place in front of him, so I guess this was just the right time for him. I was just curious if anyone else had experienced this. Thanks again.

[cheryllynn]

My 10 month old is also an AVID eater of all solid foods we have given her. She often times does not want to finish her 3.5 ounce bottle and yet eats 2-3 ounces of whatever puree we put in front of her and then also eats her crisps. I pump while at work and that's how we have bottles. We are 'hiding' the breast milk in her purees and rice cereal to make sure she is getting at least 9 ounces/day in bottles. She doesn't come to me for nursing and is quite happy with bottles. I do still nurse her at night.

We are also very adventurous in eating. Our next puree will be organic chicken thighs, organic brown rice, organic carrots and curry - very mild though but we will add some curry for flavor.