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EAT => Breast Feeding => Topic started by: me and bean on August 31, 2005, 04:07:07 am

Title: is he weaning himself?
Post by: me and bean on August 31, 2005, 04:07:07 am

i'm soooo sad today.

my lo would only stay at the breast for about 5mins a side.  when i expressed with my fingers, plenty of milk sprayed out.  but, he just wasn't interested.   :( so i gave him a 4oz bottle of formula and he drank the lot.

i've been using samples from the hospital and he will eagerly drink soy or milk, so flavours can't be an issue.

is this just par for the course?  a phase?

Title: is he weaning himself?
Post by: annamum on August 31, 2005, 14:47:16 pm

Babies less than a year old are not very likely to be weaning themselves. Normal age for child led weaning is anything between 1.5 year up to 5 years of age.

But, your lo may be going through a nursing strike when he will refuse breast. Most likely he decided that he gets his milk easier if he gets a bottle, he doesn't need to work hard to get it. Bottle nipples have usually bigger hole and milk flows freely thus making it easier on a baby to drink.

Have you tried to offer your breast milk in a bottle? Would he drink it? If yes, that's probably the reason. If you are determined to keep nursing going, avoid offering bottles and offer the breast, he won't starve himself. After a few days he may be back to breast only  :D .

Title: is he weaning himself?
Post by: opp2 on August 31, 2005, 15:01:39 pm

I agree with annamum. I had a similar situation a couple weeks ago. Around Aug10-11. My lo was 4+ months old and he was nursing only a few minutes each side. He did however love the bottle. I was to the point where he absolutely would not nurse and wait for the bottle. I decided that I wasn't ready to wean him so I took away the bottle. Unfortunatley for Thomas, I had made the mistake of giving him too many bottles. It took only 2 days for him toget back on track, but it was hard. I only breast fed him, whenever he cried, so it was alot of times. He is now back to nursing every 3-3:30 hours and I know I have lots of milk. This is very hard, but stick to your guns if you don't want to wean you lo.

good luck...

Title: is he weaning himself?
Post by: me and bean on September 04, 2005, 03:49:19 am

thanks girls...

he'll take anything out of a bottle, although, sometimes he'll turn away from that too.

anyway - whatever it was, it's over now.  he's back to his normal 10mins a side, and less in the evening.  i don't mind topping up that one with formula.

phew...

Title: is he weaning himself?
Post by: annamum on September 04, 2005, 04:04:01 am

Good news!