7 month old refusing expressed breast milk...wants solids.

[crayfishgirl]

I work outside the home and pump.  My 7 month old used to take bottles easily from my stay-at-home husband, now flat out refuses expressed breast milk in a bottle or cup, but is clearly hungry.  My husband has been giving him more solids (essentially whatever he's eating, along with finger food...veggies and fruit) because he's hungry, but is he invariably encouraging weaning by doing this?  Our son has never been a comfort nurser, but we co-sleep and he nurses at night.  However, even when I nurse him after work he still isn't super interested.  I fear that he'll wean early (my 2.5 year old still nurses) and want to try and prevent that.  Do we just stop feeding him solids and wait for him to get hungry enough to take a bottle?

ETA: he is incredibly dexterous, so he seems to get a lot when he self feeds

[CI Mama]

Personally, I think that if your baby is giving you a clear indication of what he needs and you're following that lead, you can't go wrong. It sounds like your husband is feeding DS because he really wants the food, and he's very happy eating it. He may just be changing his pattern to eat more solid food during the day and do more of his nursing at night.

[kathrineg]

In my experience this doesn't necessarily lead to weaning, but reverse cycling. Once they get older some babies get pickier about bottles/milk and only want it a certain way, temp, etc. I think it's because they can afford to be picky with bigger stomachs, solids, and more understanding of the fact that mom comes back at a certain time.

He could feed less solids later in the day to keep your 7mo interested in that evening feeding.

[crayfishgirl]

Thanks Mamas....that is reassuring.  My daughter was (and still is!) all about the boob, but Simon hasn't been that way; he doesn't nurse to sleep and rarely for comfort, and will get angry if you mis-interpret what he wants and offer him the breast.  This is so far removed from my experience with my daughter that I'm worried that he'll wean before she does (oy!), and while I'm happy for him to wean sooner than toddlerhood, he needs to be on the breast at least until he's one!!

[annie2186]

Originally Posted by crayfishgirl 

Thanks Mamas....that is reassuring.  My daughter was (and still is!) all about the boob, but Simon hasn't been that way; he doesn't nurse to sleep and rarely for comfort, and will get angry if you mis-interpret what he wants and offer him the breast.  This is so far removed from my experience with my daughter that I'm worried that he'll wean before she does (oy!), and while I'm happy for him to wean sooner than toddlerhood, he needs to be on the breast at least until he's one!!

My LO is doing this (almost 7 months) and I am home all day long!!!! I don't see her weaning, but reverse cycling. The only time I can get her to nurse is a little bit before each nap, before bedtime, and through the night. If I didn't give her solids she would be a miserable mess 

She also has never been a comfort nurser, and gets really really mad at my boob most of the time   Very strange I tell ya! 

[KateDavies45]

My dd is 8mo (7mo adjusted age) does the same thing and I am also at home or with her nearly all day. She does still nurse (mostly in the morning for about 30 min on waking and before and after naps but when she's awake and playing she's all about solids and finger foods. I'm in the same boat, i.e. worrying that she'll wean earlier because of it (she is my first so I don't have anything to compare this with) but she does nurse for comfort at times and -definately to go to sleep before naps and at bedtime so hopefully that'll help.