Confused about how many breastfeeds

[linny75]

Hi all
I took my DD to get weighed today, she's coming up to 8.5 months. She is breastfed 4 x a day (when she wakes, breakfast solids 1 hr later, breastfeed after morning nap, lunch solids, breastfeed after afternoon nap, dinner 1 hr later, then bedtime feed about 6.30/6.45.) her breast feeds don't last long at all, a few minutes on each breast. She sleeps through the night- does sometimes wake briefly at night but puts herself back up sleep.

The health visitor was surprised that I am still breastfeeding that many times and that I should aim to cut it down to 2 feeds a day (morning and evening ). Is this right??
DD is growing well and putting on good weight on the curve.
She was also saying she should doesn't need any baby food (ie baby porridge, baby yoghurt etc) and can eat everything that I eat. I make her food separately using annabel karmels recipes. I also thought the foods us adults eat would be too heavily seasoned for a baby? I said this to her but she said no, just as long as you don't put added salt to the meal after it has been cooked.

Any thoughts on this ladies?

[Lotusblossom02]

It's my understanding that it isn't the number of breastfeeding sessions, but the quantity of milk they are getting on a per day basis.

Without solids, all babies regardless of age should be getting 25-30oz roughly per day. No baby can get that in two feeding sessions.

Good luck, and remember generally speaking, a breast fed baby regulates their hunger well and most times will eat only when hungry.

[linny75]

So do you think I should carry on with what I'm doing instead of HVs advice?

[*Ali*]

I agree with pp, 2 BF sessions is not enough. The WHO and LLL actually recommend feeding as much as the baby wants to all the way up to 12mo and then alongside more substantial solids food until 2yo and beyond. I'd ask your HV on what evidence she is basing her advice as it seems very out of touch with current recommendations. I'd even say 4 feeds in 24hrs is on the lower end of normal as a large number of BF babies are still having a DF or NF at this age. Personally I'd stick with the 4 feeds you have been doing for another few months yet. Most mamas I see drop to 3 BFs between 10-12mo.
Unfortunately I find many HVs are not up on current recs and give outdated advice and even base their advice on what they did years ago when their LOs were babies so it always pays to have done your own research and be in a position to question their advice if it seems off.
I remember my HV told me at my DS2's 12mo check that he "should be in cows milk by now" and she had no answer for me when I asked why when he is a human not a cow surely the milk from his mum is better for him than milk from another species. And besides didn't she know that the WHO recommend BFing  until 2yo and beyond. All she could say was that she did know that but nobody she knows does so she is more used to seeing babies who are weaned off BFing by that 12mo check.

[*Ali*]

Oh I also meant to say that yes babies can eat family food rather than special baby food but it depends how healthy the food is you eat tbh. If you are adding salt during cooking (e.g. To water for pasta and vegetables or seasoning chicken with lots of salt) or using very salty foods like gravy or stock cubes then that wouldn't be suitable as babies can only handle about 1g of salt per day. It isn't just a case of whether salt is added after cooking as you mention above. Spices and herbs are fine as well if babies will eat them. If I was making a spicy chilli for example though I might take out the LO's portion before adding the chilli or hot spices as they weren't so keen.

The other thing to consider is sugar. LOs don't need lots of sugar so if you are having sweet desserts or the yogurts you eat contain lots of sugar (especially added sugar) then it can only be a good thing to offer an alternative to your LO (or eat it after she is in bed LOL!).

[linny75]

Hi Ali
Thanks for your replies, it has really helped, I will carry on as I am regarding breastfeeding. I question the HV that the food I cook for myself would be too salty as I use things like stock cubes, season with salt during cooking (I very rarely add salt after cooking). She says babies from 6 months can handle that as long as you don't add it to food when serving. Gosh sounds like this midwife has no clue !!! In fact, her advice could be quite dangerous for babies !! If I do let Olivia eat the same food I eat I always portion out hers before I add seasoning. I use baby stock cubes for her which has low salt.
Thanks ali I feel much happier with what I'm doing

[*Ali*]

Well, salt is salt isn't it? I don't see that their bodies would be able to handle it any more if it were added while cooking that afterwards It does sound like she has got her wires crossed.

This link is also helpful. http://www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/824.aspx?CategoryID=51

[babyrose]

hi linny,

 was just having a read through your post and i remembered when ds was starting solids i found stock cubes specifically for babies. i think it may have been tesco or asda.

hth