Busy baby that wants more solids = decreasing daytime nursing.

[Beauchamp]

HOW do I get her to nurse more during the day? She wants more solids lately, even though I think I've been taking it slow. She also wants to keep playing and doesn't calm down enough or have time to nurse. Or when she does nurse, she'll latch on, look bored, kick me in the neck (ugh) grab at my face, suck just enough to make my milk let down and the pop off!!!

What is going on?!? I am so upset that my milk supply will drop. (Oh, and of course, we still have the frequent night wakings to nurse, so maybe she thinks she just gets her milk in the middle of the night.) Should I pump when she unlatches right at let down, or what? BTDT? Help!

[woodchick]

I'd make sure you are always nursing first before offering solids. And also maybe start a habit of nursing a couple of times a day in a dark quiet room to discourage distraction and encourage a longer session.

Distraction is absolutely normal for her age. I know a ton of babies who 'self weaned' at 9/10 months when I suspect they were just distracted.

Try not to get too upset. Just offer frequently and keep up the good work. Oh. I'd also gently encourage good manners as well. Move her hand down or hold it when she's poking your face and say "Hands down." or "lets hold hands"

[Beauchamp]

Yes, I do NOT want her to self wean right now, and it is making me so upset. How long of a session is normal/average for a baby her age? I mean, sometimes I can't even call it a "session" because it's so quick!

[isabchi]

Are you spoon feeding her?. Some they eat more solids because they can control the amountof food when some else is feeding them.
I second to offer to nurse first before meals.

[karika]

I can't remember how it was with dd1, but dd2 went through a stage like that at that age. She ate a lot of food and nursed all night. She still does the thing where she gets on long enough to get me to let down then goes away, leaving me spraying... but it comes and goes as her interests vary. I keep a 'booby cloth' handy to soak it up. She isn't eating as much solids now as she did then and nurses a lot, so for us, it was just a phase in her growth so far. I am a sahm and she is my last baby so I don't stress about her night nursing. Sometimes she latches on for hours and other times only nurses 10 min every few hours...

[Beauchamp]

We spoon feed only things that go on a spoon (I don't bother with purees)...YoBaby yogurt, a bit of brown rice today for the first time. She self-feeds black beans, brown rice puffs, banana pieces, bits of toast, peeled grapes, pasta, mandarin oranges, tomatoes, frozen blueberries...probably some other things I forgot...

We do pop things in her mouth, though. But she opens for them, so it seems like she wants it. If she turns her head or doesn't open her mouth, we don't push it. Should we not do this?

[pumpkinhead]

I used to have to nurse my kids in a darkened room at that age. They were just way too distractible and I'm not a fan of elasta-boob .

Always nurse her first before offering solids. This doesn't mean nurse her and then 1-2 hours later, offer solids. It means nurse her and then offer her anything solid right afterward.

Is she 9 months or 5 months?

[Beauchamp]

Originally Posted by pumpkinhead

Is she 9 months or 5 months?

She's almost 11 months. (born June 11, 2009)

[pumpkinhead]

Originally Posted by Beauchamp

She's almost 11 months. (born June 11, 2009)

Sorry, that was supposed to be 10, but I was still off . I wasn't sure if the 6 was the month or the date.

If she's almost 11 months, I'd still try nursing her when it's quiet or maybe in a quiet, dark room, but once she hits 12 months, it's fine to start offering solids first and following her lead in terms of how much solid food she wants.

[woodchick]

Originally Posted by Beauchamp

Yes, I do NOT want her to self wean right now, and it is making me so upset. How long of a session is normal/average for a baby her age? I mean, sometimes I can't even call it a "session" because it's so quick!

It is a tough phase for Mama's patience and poor breasts! We had a ton of quickie nurses during the day with a couple longer sessions here and there. Nursing to sleep at naptime was the best/longest. DD2 would then cluster feed in the evening and once or twice during the overnight.

The phase did pass for us, DD2 is almost 14 mos now. She's back to nursing a bit longer each session and is not so distracted during nursing time. Hopefully it will pass soon for you guys too!

[babyulu]

I agree with the rest, always BF before solids. My almost 7 month old loves to BF but also isn't the biggest booby freak so can get my letdown going like you said than give up. Definitely a quiet, no distractions room is good.
If you are worried about losing your milk, can you pump? Will your baby take it in a cup if she doesn't want to BF long enough to get the same amount? If you are this adament of BFing, she has probably gotten enough for the bonding park, maybe suppliment with pumped breast milk? I make all of my babies food myself, and puree it with my breast milk so he's always getting some of it. You baby nursing well at night sounds common, my baby always nursed best at night. I ended up reading that is common.

[Beauchamp]

So if she doesn't (or barely) BFs in the morning, (probably because she just had a five minute nurse an hour before when she was asleep), I should not give her "breakfast" of solid food? I should wait until she has a "good" nurse?

[alegna]

I would follow her lead on food, BUT I would only let her self feed unless the whole family is eating something that she can't feed herself at all (watery soup...) but I'd stop putting other foods in her mouth for her.

I would offer nursing very often and if she doesn't yet have a way to ask- start teaching one

IME most babies who have the opportunity to nurse at will might slow down around a year, but pick right back up.

-Angela

[Llyra]

If she's still nursing frequently at night, I think your supply is probably okay. As they approach a year old, it really is normal for solids to start to play a bigger role. Not all kids are into solids, but some are, and I think it's okay to follow their lead. I wouldn't withhold a meal until she nurses, not if everybody else in the family is eating at that time-- I think they like being part of the family meal and eating when everybody else eats. I would let her feed herself when it's mealtime for everybody, and offer the breast frequently at all other times.

As far as whether to pump off the letdown she doesn't want-- I think that's a matter of your own comfort. If you're uncomfortably full, then sure. But I don't think you have to. Your supply is likely very well-established by now, and is stimulated by the nighttime nursings, and will probably adjust itself just fine to the fluctuations in demand that happen as baby grows.

What I wouldn't do is offer milk in any other form, like bottles or sippies. That's far more likely to lead to early and unwanted weaning, I think, than self-feeding healthy solid foods. I would offer other drinks like water only in cups, not in a bottle, and I would only offer milk from the tap.