Stopping the DF but DS is inconsistant on how much he takes in at the DF!

[JenJ]

Hello

My DS is 7 months old and we are wanting to stop the DF.  DS is so inconsistant on how much breastmilk he takes from a bottle at the DF.  The other night he didn't take anything and slept thru the night.  Last night he took 2.5 oz and prior to that it has been 4.5 oz, 3oz, 4oz, 1.5 oz, 2oz, 3.5 oz.....it is different every night.  I'm still breastfeeding and when he is done with the breast he is done and I can't get him to take anymore.  So how do I add ounces of liquid when I already cluster feed?  Here is our routine and I hope someone can help me out.  What do you suggest for making sure he gets one bottle a day since the
DF was his one bottle a day?  Do I take a breastfeeding out and use a bottle instead?

6:30 wake and bf
8:00 solids (4-5 tsp)
9:00 nap
10:30 bf
12:00 solids (4-5tsp)
1:00 or 1:15 nap
2:30 or 2:45 bf
5:30 cn
6:00 bf
7:00 solids (4-5tsp)
8:00 or 8:15 bf and bed

Thanks
JEen

[RyansMum]

Why do you want to drop it?  I personally waited until DS let me know around 8 months. He just stopped taking any completely for about 2 days so I went cold turkey, he woke the next night, was able to put him back to sleep and from then ok he was fine.  Perhaps your lo albeit inconsistent still needs a bit of a top up.
I can't answer the bottle question as I didn't bf, sorry!

[clh]

We never did the df, so I don't know what to tell you about that part.

I'm afraid of what replacing a bf with a bottle would do to your long-term supply.  Even if you pumped to replace it, the pump wouldn't be as effective at removing milk or sending your body "keep making milk" signals.   

Why does he need a bottle a day?  Do you just need him to take the occasional bottle?  If so, then a bottle every few days or once a week may be enough to keep him in practice. 

Just some thoughts.  Sorry if I'm way off base.  I am nervous aobut the replacing bf with bottle, though.

[JenJ]

Well my DH thinks it is absolutely crazy that we are still feeding him at 11pm.  He says there are no 7month old babies that are getting fed at 11pm.  Tracey also said in one of her books that after 7 months you are working against yourself with the DF because they need to start taking in more solids.  I thought I should probably start thinking about quitting the DF here pretty soon.

[JenJ]

I guess I just wanted to make sure he would take a bottle so I could leave him with a sitter when I needed to.  I thought that if he didn't get a bottle a day that he might forget how to use it.  I am concerned about the milk supply too.  Should I have posted this somewhere else?

[clh]

I guess I just wanted to make sure he would take a bottle so I could leave him with a sitter when I needed to.  I thought that if he didn't get a bottle a day that he might forget how to use it.  I am concerned about the milk supply too.  Should I have posted this somewhere else?

{{hugs}}  No.  Sorry; I didn't mean to give you the impression it should be somewhere else.  I don't think it belongs on a different board, but you may get more/better answers if you make that question it's own thread with a more specific title.   

Personally, my boys were at daycare 5 days/week, so they had *lots* of practice.    But I'm almost certain that I've seen other moms post that they do it every few days up to maybe once every 2 weeks or so.  (Fuzzy on that upper number, though).  Something like that wouldn't impact your supply nearly so much as doing it every day.

[lisi's mum]

I give Norah a bottle every now and then - maybe once every 2 or 3 weeks. She hasn't forgotten how. I think once a week would be plenty. If you got some resistance you could give it more often for a little bit.

7mos and being fed at 11 - I know several 12mos who are being fed at 11!

[JenJ]

I never thought about giving a bottle once every 2 weeks or so.  I guess we could try that.  How do you create a question on its own thread?  I'm still learning how to use the message board.  Thanks for your input.

Are the 12 month olds still doing the DF or are they waking up at 11pm to be fed?  DH usually does this feed and I'm afraid that if I don't want to quit it he will not do it and then I'm stuck doing it along with the NW when we have them and getting up with him in the morning because I bf and DH can't do that.  GRRRRR!

jen

[RyansMum]

Well my DH thinks it is absolutely crazy that we are still feeding him at 11pm.  He says there are no 7month old babies that are getting fed at 11pm.  Tracey also said in one of her books that after 7 months you are working against yourself with the DF because they need to start taking in more solids.  I thought I should probably start thinking about quitting the DF here pretty soon.

There are plenty of babies needing a df trust me! If it helps them to not be hungry and stop waking up so much in the night then I was all for it!! I would try and go with your babies lead else you could be opening you up to nws.

My son rarely woke up during the dream feed, if your lo does wake up I would just make the room very dark, and I would not make eye contact or speak to keep him calm and enough to go back to sleep.

[clh]

I never thought about giving a bottle once every 2 weeks or so.  I guess we could try that.  How do you create a question on its own thread?  I'm still learning how to use the message board.  Thanks for your input.

Just like you started this one.    "new topic" on the bf board with a new subject line & text.  I was calling this chain of posts a "thread."  And each individual reply I was thinking of as a "post."  Don't know if that's right or not, but that's what I meant.

[JenJ]

He may open his eyes once in awhile, but then closes them right away.  I just don't know what to do because I do not want to deal with NWings.

clh ~ I see what you mean....starting a new thread about the bottle thing.....I'm a little slow somedays!!

Jen

[RyansMum]

Go with your instincts and what is good for you and your baby.