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EAT => Breast Feeding => Topic started by: JennVanessa1083 on April 14, 2016, 17:15:34 pm

Title: 10 mo old self-weaning?
Post by: JennVanessa1083 on April 14, 2016, 17:15:34 pm
Hello!

I was wondering how do I know if my DS is self-weaning a day feed? He's 10 months old now and usually does about 6 BFs a day:

WU-BF
After Nap 1- BF
After Nap 2- BF
BT- BF
(4 hours later)
(Another BF around 5-6 am)

However, last few days he has been uninterested in BF after Nap 1 and/or Nap 2 but is still doing 2 NF (now usually after 6 hours from BT then around 3.5hrs after that)

I'm perplexed; shouldn't he be night weaning first? Does this mean I should be doing something different? He is still cutting top two teeth (he's a slow teether) and going through a developmental leap so not sure if that's also why. But it's happening just this week so I doubt it's that.

Any insight would be great thank you!!
Title: Re: 10 mo old self-weaning?
Post by: MasynSpencerElliotte on April 15, 2016, 14:13:43 pm
Does he go to sleep independently? Have you tried to settle him without a feed at night? My DD3 would never have self weaned her night feeds, I had to actively work to wean those off once I felt she was getting enough in the day that they were not necessary (which if he is dropping a daytime feed sounds like it could be the case for him too!).
Title: Re: 10 mo old self-weaning?
Post by: JennVanessa1083 on April 15, 2016, 15:22:30 pm
I haven't tried settling him without any feeds only because he has been cutting his top two teeth and was nursing 3 times a night then dropped a feed so I figured maybe he will self-wean?

So should I starting night weaning?

He usually goes straight to sleep after the feed.

Thank you!
Title: Re: 10 mo old self-weaning?
Post by: michaeljacknnugg on April 15, 2016, 18:33:00 pm
Once we started getting refusals during the day with DS1, that's when he dropped a night feed too. Stomach growing, maybe?
Title: Re: 10 mo old self-weaning?
Post by: MasynSpencerElliotte on April 16, 2016, 00:37:37 am
Up to you really...if the night feeds are easy and not a prop I can definitely see leaving them, but if he starts dropping more daytime feeds and keeps the nighttime ones you might want to actively wean them (just thinking they may turn into a habit/prop eventually).
Title: Re: 10 mo old self-weaning?
Post by: JennVanessa1083 on April 16, 2016, 00:51:35 am
Ok thanks ladies! He can fall asleep on his own as long as I am there. I also don't feed at every NW.

Today he actually wanted more day feeds  ???

Perhaps his gums were bothering him or maybe too much solids? Either case today he wanted all feeds plus a top up after lunch.

So what signs should I look for to see if I need to night wean rather than wait for him to drop on his own? At what age should I wait until to see if he self-weans? I want to completely wean by 13 months.

Thank you again!!
Title: Re: 10 mo old self-weaning?
Post by: MasynSpencerElliotte on April 16, 2016, 14:40:46 pm
But if you have to be there then technically he is not doing it on his own ;)

If you plan to wean completely in a few months I would want to start sooner rather than later to see if he can do without the nightfeeds - maybe a gradual approach?  So he has one nf about 4 hours after bed and another close to.morning? Generally when they get into the toddler stage the nw's become more to do with teething, development etc and not hunger.
Title: Re: 10 mo old self-weaning?
Post by: JennVanessa1083 on April 16, 2016, 14:57:45 pm
Ha! Yes I guess that's true, it's not technically on his own. I was working towards that until he got hit with illness then teething  ::) I would need serious hand holding on that one.

Now I feel like we are back to square one. What would be a nice gradual approach to night weaning. I started prolonging the first feed until 6 hours after BT. He did it on his own one night and so I continued to reinforce it.
Title: Re: 10 mo old self-weaning?
Post by: MasynSpencerElliotte on April 16, 2016, 15:23:54 pm
That is sort of what I meant by gradual...moving that first feed later and settling other ways until a certain time.  Sorting out independent sleep would for sure help as if he has the skills to get back to sleep himself it will go easier as I wonder if part of it is just prop related.
Title: Re: 10 mo old self-weaning?
Post by: JennVanessa1083 on April 19, 2016, 16:17:27 pm
It could be but not sure how to encourage total independent sleep when we are currently co sleeping. I did push out the feed to 7 hours after BT last night. Well actually more like he did that himself lol
Title: Re: 10 mo old self-weaning?
Post by: JennVanessa1083 on April 19, 2016, 21:29:10 pm
On another note, is it common for DS to have 5 milk feeds a day at around 10 months old?
Title: Re: 10 mo old self-weaning?
Post by: MasynSpencerElliotte on April 20, 2016, 05:58:38 am
Ah okay I can kind of see why he maybe would not night wean if you are co-sleeping, being that mommy is right there and handy! 7 hours is pretty good though. Not sure on 5 daytime feeds - we were mix feeding so not a good comparison...but it does seem like a lot if he has a nf too. How is the solids intake?
Title: Re: 10 mo old self-weaning?
Post by: JennVanessa1083 on April 20, 2016, 11:48:29 am
Hmmmm here's his eating schedule give or take 30 minutes:

BF 7:30 am
Solids 8:45 am
BF 11:45 am
Solids 1:15 pm
BF 5 pm
Solids 6:15
BF 8:15 (top up feed)

It's hard to measure what he eats because he most eats finger foods. Even if he does get puree, he will eat 4oz pouch then some finger foods. He eats a good amount of food and I try to give him a variety.

Last night he didn't wake up for a feed until 8 hours after his last one! It's been so long since he has slept that long! I hope it stays that way.