[newbymom05]

I'm curious because we are desperate to find some sleep solutions and the nursing-to-sleep association seems to be the biggest hurdle.

I was thinking that maybe he isn't nursing enough during the day and then I realized that he's only been nursing pre-nap (sometimes post-nap). This evolved after I had surgery and couldn't easily hoist him onto my lap. So how much should a 14 mo. old be nursing? I feel like the 3-4X a day he's currently at might not be enough, but then what--offer the boob before solids? After? Confused here!

 

[hubris]

I couldn't tell you how much DS2 nurses. A lot? He nurses multiple times during the day, usually it's a touching-base sort of nursing, but sometimes it's more for hunger.

He doesn't need to nurse to sleep but does want to nurse when he wakes up at night. I really wish he didn't want that so much, I'd really like to sleep for more than 2-3 hours at a stretch. I'm so tired!

DS1 was different, at this age he was tapering off the daytime nursings, sleeping long stretches at night, but really needed to nurse to sleep.

I would say to go with whatever he seems to need. Each kid is very different.

 

[mendocino]

My son is 14 months, too, and he nurses only around sleeping. He nurses before both naps, before bed, once or twice at night, and upon waking.

He also eats a wide variety of food all day - including a huge dinner.

My feeling is that breastmilk is a nutritional supplement to his diet and that breastfeeding at this point is as much about snuggling and winding down as it is for feeding.

 

[alegna]

At 14 mo my dd nursed at LEAST 8-12+ times a day. Still nurses 8-12 times a day now at two.

-Angela

 

[sunnysideup]

Quote:

Originally Posted by alegna At 14 mo my dd nursed at LEAST 8-12+ times a day.

: DD is 21mo now and still nurses 10-15 times a day.

 

[mendocino]

For those of you that posted at least 8-15 times per day - does your bub empty both breasts at each sitting, just nip throughout the day or a combination?

shani

 

[MamaSong]

my ds (13 months) nurses about every half hour when we are at home - and sometimes its just a quick check in while other times its a full on meal... If we are out or he is distracted then he will go anywhere from 2-4 hours w/o nursing, but if we are just together hanging out then he nurses all the time... He does eat food too, but he just loves the boob!!!

I am hoping that the nursing 4-5 times a night will end soon too, but I really want to let him call the shots when it comes to how much he nurses, so I will just have to wait...

 

[newbymom05]

Quote:

Originally Posted by alegna At 14 mo my dd nursed at LEAST 8-12+ times a day. Still nurses 8-12 times a day now at two. -Angela

Wow! We had something similar until I hurt my back and had surgery--can't easily pull him up on my lap so it was a "don't offer but don't refuse" situation a lot of the time. Now I'm much better so I"m starting to offer more. My question is, though, do you offer before solids? DS likes his solids so now when I see he's hungry I just automatically offer him food if we're at home. Or do you think your DD is nursing mainly for comfort? I'm in no way looking to wean or put limits as to *why* DS wants to nurse, just curious as to whether I should be offering BM first. Obviously if he nurses first he isn't that interested in food.

 

[Tonia80]

DS is 15 months odl now and it varies with him. If he eats meals well and is busy all day with play and such he may only nurse afew times, especially before nap. upon waking and before bed. But other days if he is not as interested in solids or is just feeling extra snuggly he may seek to nurse every couple hours through the day. When he nurses more often it is usually for shorter periods.

 

[hubris]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mendocino For those of you that posted at least 8-15 times per day - does your bub empty both breasts at each sitting, just nip throughout the day or a combination? shani

seems to depend on his mood/hunger/needs

He's still getting a LOT of nutrition from breastmilk. Sometimes he eats a lot of food but other days he eats barely any. Toddlers are so unpredictable, plus he's cutting his fourth molar.

 

[sunnysideup]

Quote:

Originally Posted by newbymom05 My question is, though, do you offer before solids? DS likes his solids so now when I see he's hungry I just automatically offer him food if we're at home.

I think it's a good idea to offer bm before solids if you think your toddler is not nursing enough.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mendocino For those of you that posted at least 8-15 times per day - does your bub empty both breasts at each sitting, just nip throughout the day or a combination?

Sometimes she nurses for 5 minutes, other times it's 20 minutes. I never have nursed from both sides at one sitting.