Need help please from extended nursing Mums.

[Jo-FrasersMum]

Hi Ladies

I have a couple of questions about feeding my 12 1/2 month old DS.

I have for the past couple of months been feeding morning, mid afternoon (when he either gets a bf or a sippy of EBM) and in the evening before bed.  DS also feeds during the night, once or twice depending on the night.  I work away from home during the week. 

Just lately he has started to "ask" me for milk at various times throughout the day.  We have been using sign language and so he is clearly asking for milk.  DH (who looks after DS while I am at work) says that he signs to him too but no where near as frequently as he does to me. 

Today has been CRAZY.  Fraser has been signing for milk all day long - he has fed about 6 times.  I have been trying distraction, offering food and offering water - but he is not interested in any of those things and keeps at me until I offer a feed.  I am completely OK about feeding him whenever he wants it but am interested in anyone else's experiences with this. 

So is this normal?  Do you think he is getting sick?  Is it a phase because he now knows he has some control over when he gets fed?  Any thoughts anyone?

And on a differnt point, while I am posting 

As I said earlier, I express milk during the day to give him while I am at work.  As time goes by I am yielding less milk.  We have been giving Fraser a small amount of cows milk with meals to help him get used to it and he seems to tolerate it fine.  So when we need to "top up" my EBM for while I am at work, what should we do?  Should we mix cow's milk with EBM in a sippy?  Or should we give them separately one after the other?

OK, I think that's all my questions for now 

Look forward to your advice
Jo

[Samuel's mum]

It's sounds to me as though he's really excited about the fact he can 'ask' for it and he's testing out his new skill. It's a phase I experienced. If you are happy with it then there's no reason to stop although it's also obviously OK to teach him eventually that this is a 2-way relationship and sometimes it might not be convenient for you (not such an easy lesson to learn but a valuable one). Someone once said to me this is his first 'intimate' relationship and a great opportunity to teach respect for other people's feelings and empathy. I'm still working on it at 20 months!

On the other point I would say that mixing the 2 milks (with a gentle swirling action - got that from Carter's mama) should be fine and probably easier to manage than 2 separate cups.

[JacobMarksMummy]

Yes it sound perfectly normal to me. Although my DS has just stopped nursing due to my milk returning to colostrum for my next baby he had just learnt that he could pull my top up and point to my boob to ask for milk. It was cute the first few times he did it at home but not so nice when we went to our mums and toddler group. I got some funny looks    As long as you dont mind it I'd let him carry on, its probally just a phase and next week it'll be something new