Now what

[Harper]

I feel so silly posting this. Since dd was eight months old, I have been upset because she wanted to eat about four ounces more of bm than I could pump and I had to give her formula. For the last couple of weeks we have been getting more and more in line with her taking about nine ounces (in the ten hours I am away) and that is what I am pumping. But each day it seems like she wants less and less milk during the day. Yesterday, she only had seven ounces. So now, after months of being upset that I couldn't pump enough, I am now worried about the fact that she doesn't want what I am pumping!! :D My sister's kids both self-weaned before they were a year old and she is a SAHM. My nursing relationship with dd is so important I am worried she will be an early weaner!

(I'm posting this in working mamas because I'm guessing if I was home and she was nursing she would nurse more because she nurses throughout the day on the weekends.)

She is now 11 months and she nurses right when I get home, before she goes to bed, two or three times a night and once before I leave for work. She really enjoys solid food and eats mostly fruits, vegetables, yogurt, cereals and wheat free finger foods (rice cakes, Os, puffed corn, biscuits etc.) I feel like if she is going to give up bm during the day, I should be feeding her a more well rounded diet or maybe what she is getting is good enough.

I guess my question is: how have other working mamas dealt with it when baby has stopped wanting ebm during the day?

(Sorry this is so long winded. I am long-winded!)

[gretasmommy]

Yep. My DD stopped taking any EBM at around 11 months. She still won't drink milk of any kind - unless directly from mama! I make sre she eats a balanced diet otherwise, and nurse her when i am home. It's much easier now that she's almost 2.
Good luck!
Andrea
mom to Greta 3/14/02

[kofduke]

Sounds pretty normal to me! I went to our dr. yesterday and mentioned starting whole milk. She said it was fine, but that at this age babies (at least those well-established on solids) only needed about 20 oz. of milk a day, combined from mom & cow. So, I'd think the 7 oz. plus all her nursings at home were fine! I'd be much more worried if she didn't want to nurse, kwim?

[tessamami]

I stopped pumping when DD was 13mos. Sounds like your daughter may not need as much milk during the day. I wouldn't stress it. Pump if you need to - I doubt that it will go to waste. Maybe try storing it in smaller amounts. Worse comes to worse, you can freeze some and put it in her cereal, and start pumping less, basically weaning yourself from the pump when you are ready.

DD started taking less milk during the day, too - and she's still nursing (over 3 years old, now).