Extended nursing thread part 3

[MommytoJashn]

So we have crossed the 21 months mark ! Wow guess am the last few moms around atleast in j circle. Of frds here!

[gogomama]

Thank you ladies for all of the suggestions on the blocked duct. I tried just about everything you all listed and it came out the next day, but was still really tender for a few days as is expected and supply took about as long to get back up as well. I think the source of the problem was that DS is starting to get his two top teeth in so his latch has changed a lot. I re-read what you wrote Vicku and am going to start trying the thing with the hands bc now even though the blockage is gone, I still have a lot of pain bc DS's teeth are scratching me when I feed. I feel like we are back in newborn days again

Also congrats on making it to 21 months Jashn's mommy

[Vicku]

Wow Jashns's mommy, that's awesome!

gogomama, good to hear the duct cleared without turning into mastitis. Yes, it does seem the teeth really changes things. We're doing fine and I'm not getting any pain atm but I did see some small teeth marks on my nipple yesterday, like the skin had been scratched off, so we're definitley still adjusting to new latch etc. Ikwym about feeling like you're back to newborn days again. It was awful to get sore nipples again after all this time of easy nursing

Sienna hasn't had an appetite at all last week. She's working on her first 5 teeth all at once so it's understandable. today I thought she looked (and felt) like she'd lost some weight though and that makes me a little nervous as she's already so little and has had quite slow weight gain. She has just started walking too so that together with not eating much might have made her lose. Idk for sure as haven't weighed her. Probably paranoid too as she's seeing a peadiatrician on the 30th for her slow weight gain and eczema, so suppose that is all worrying me a little. She's very happy and seems very healthy apart from the eczema that flares up every now and then. I don't feel worried about her but I would like to get some more food into her. I'm struggling to decide, now she's 13mo, if I should get as much milk in her as possible, or limit milk in order to get more solids in her to make her gain the most Anyone else have any experience of this?

[Whatbit]

Perhaps you can give her some higher fat foods like avacados.  When our ped was worried about DS falling down on the growth curve I gave him 1/2 of one pretty much every day!  How many feeds are you still doing?  Does she eat a good amount in between nursing?

[shivi]

Hugs Vick }}{{

For starters, its normal after 12 mths to have very slow weight gain compared to pre 12 mths. My two had no weight gain issues as older babies (Emma had as a nb as you know) but they both slowed COMPLETELY after a year - regardless of whether they are good or poor eaters or bfeeders. Emma would have been the better all round (she is a continual "smakosz" as we say in PL - she has a passion for her food but in saying that, she has been eating completely independently since just after a year thanks to BLW and her stubborn "I'll do it myself" streak). So she LOVES food, says yum, delicious to EVERYTHING but doesn't take in as much maybe as Oscar did on his good days....

We are due our 2 yr check soon with Emma and I think she has gained maybe a kilo or at a push 1.5 in the whole year since turning one! But she is long and lean and is going to be (just like me, once upon a time LOL).

I think though that bfeeds are more so for snacking purposes after a year old. For me, the best way to ensure weight gain in my two after a bad tummy bug etc is lots of pasta with cream, cheese etc or baby cereals with full fat milk to get lots of calories into them. I also add avocadoes and olive oil into as many dishes as I can as they are both way down for their weight compared to their height. Around 50th for weight and 90th for height....

S x

[Khalam's Mama]

I would agree with above high fat solids are better than milk for weight gain at this age. K has put on less than a kilo in the last year since he started moving around so much. He never seems to stop eating though.

We are very variable these days, K either wants to feed for hours several times a day or goes without for hours and has only one feed a day. I am just going with the flow.

[Vicku]

Argh, I spent last night and today worrying about her weight and feeling like a bad mum and like I'm not feeding my LO properly So glad I have access to so much info through here and have my own knowledge and strong belief in BF. So on the Swedish growth charts she has gained slowly from around 5mos. She's now 13mos. I checked on the WHO charts and she's followed her centile line perfectly (3rd )!! Yes, she's tiny. She was only 7545 grammes (16lbs 9oz) at 12mos LOL And only 67.5 cms (2ft 2.6in) tall. Sigh.. so glad I checked the WHO charts and I will take them with me to the appointment and show them. After all I trust those growth charts more as they're done on breast fed babies and shows ideal weight gain, not just an average of babies, many of them formula fed. She was born just above 15th centile for weight and 3rd for length, so chubbier for length than average. Then she slowly dropped down the centiles until around 4mos, when she'd dropped just below the 3rd, but then she stabilised just above the 3rd and have (according the the WHO charts) stayed there. Looking at the length she has dropped slightly below 3rd so off the charts at 12 mos, but on the Swedish chart she's still following so don't think it's the length they are worried about.

How many feeds are you still doing?  Does she eat a good amount in between nursing?

We are doing quite a lot of feeds still. Usually between 4 and 6 in 24 hrs We do morning feed, 1 or 2 daytime feeds depending on the day, bedtime feed and 1-2 nightfeeds. Kind of go with the flow.. She is eating 3 meals a day but the BFs are still her 'snacks'. She doesn't eat big amounts, but then she's not big so can't fit much in I expect LOL I've really focussed on her milk intake and done BLW but now after 1yo I'm just not quite sure whether to cut some feeds despite the WHO charts looking fine. I would prefer to allow her to self-wean, even in the night (if I can stick it out ) but perhaps I should actively wean to one daytime feed and give one solids snack?
Still a little nervous about the doctor visit.. Bet they want to take blood as they will probably test for gluten intolerance etc (according to our health nurse). Sorry for writing a novel here tonight, but it's nice to have a place to come to chat about it.

How are all others doing?

Just went to post and read Khalam's Mama's post. I know avocados are full of good fats, can I have some more suggestions of good solids for weight gain? Always good to get new ideas

[*Ali*]

We are back up to doing 4 day feeds and sometimes one or even 2 at night. He is feeding for much longer lately and I'm not sure if he is getting over his sickness bug still (although been better since Christmas eve), he has just got into bad habits comfort sucking or if my milk supply is dropping due to my current pregnancy. Our EASY has been all over the place due to Christmas visits etc and poor naps so I am hoping if I can get over the OT build-up he will start STTN again.
Today he ate a big dinner of lemon chicken and sweet potato over my sister's and then half an hour later ate 2 bowls of toddler musli she had made for my nephew who had refused dinner! I would have just BF him and put him to bed. Maybe I should start offering cereals as a supper before BT and just topping him off with a BF to see if that helps with the NFs.
Does Sienna eat cereals Vicku? They can be calorific and made with full fat milk. DS also seems to like pancakes and you can add all sorts of stuff to them. Plus full fat dairy like cheese and yogurt can be good for adding calories/fat.

[Khalam's Mama]

Not sure if that question was directed at me (or just generally I hope), I don't have any real knowledge on the subject, but I have heard bananas and full fat dairy products are good. maybe complex carbs for snacks. I found with K that he would ask for more BF if he was hungry but If I offer snacks and meals promptly (like 2 hrly) he is less likely to ask. HTH and some others will join in.

[gogomama]

I would prefer to allow her to self-wean, even in the night (if I can stick it out Tongue) but perhaps I should actively wean to one daytime feed and give one solids snack?

I also really struggle with this, but I am glad that I am not alone as I was thinking most of the other moms on here were down to 3 feeds at this time. I was hoping to do the gradual weaning route, but DS doesn't seem to be slowing down any time soon. He is still doing just about the same as Sienna..4 daytime and 1-2 nitefeeds. I am thinking that at this rate I am just going to have to go cold turkey on him someday  I don't want to be confusing by refusing to feed sometimes and not others.

Unfortunately,  I don't have any advice on the weight gain...DS has been pretty good in that department so far.

[shivi]

definately cereals are a big one for weight gain but they have to be taking in decent amounts.

I did cereals at bedtime from 6/7 mths for "tea" and with the BLW we did a lot of tiny finger feeding with wholemeal cereals....

I really think that taking that many bfs in 24 hours HAS to impact on solids intake but I was one of the lucky ones who "got away" with no NFs from very early and was down to four feeds in 24 hrs by 7 mths with them both. It was a juggling act - KellyC on here gave me great tips for dropping the 11am feed in order to increase appetite for a proper lunch as they weren't so interested in solids so my two went from 7am bf to 8am brekkie and then an early lunch at 11.30, 3pm bf, 5pm tea, 7pm bf and 11pm DF - this routine till DF was dropped at 10/11mths, then the 3pm feed went of their choice (they were too busy, wanted to "talk" to me and play with me on my return from work rather than feed from me)....with Oscar at around a year and Emma around 14 mths.

I honestly don't see a toddler choosing to self-wean night feeds, particularly if for comfort rather than hunger, without some intervention. Self weaning the night feeds could be as late as preschool or even school years or later when we think about how other kids self-wean from their night comforts such as dummies, lovies and other such items and with thumb-sucking even later. And it IS snacking during the night which HAS to compromise daytime hunger. but that's just MHO and not based on any research or reading just on the kids I know who have bf well into toddlerhood (quite common in PL among the mums who make it to toddlerhood). But if mum and toddler and the rest of the family are fine with it then why not? It just might be an issue with appetite during the day.....

My boss fed her son till he was over 4 yrs and had to send him to his grandma's for a weekend to finally wean him - he was ONLY nursing in the night from 3 yrs old and would come to his parents bed up to 6 times from 11pm to 7am for a sip - of which there was very little left. He is now in his early 20s but she still talks about this and how much it upset him and her....her older two were "on a routine" but bf and weaned a lot earlier, around 2 yrs old as far as I remember....I don't really know whether she regrets that she weaned him so suddenly or whether she didn't let him decide....must ask her when I get the chance again.

S x

[Whatbit]

Balkan and mediteranean yogurt are also great!  I add it to smoothies and other stuff.  It's 6%-10% milk fat and so yummy!

I don't know about the self-weaning at night either.  It might be more of a habit than anything else... and I agree with Shivi that the NFs might be affecting the day feeds- both of BM and solids.  I pretty much feed DS every 2-2.5 hrs whether it's a snack, BF, or a full solids meal.

At 12 months we were at 4 fedds/day and I chose to drop the mid-morning one because we were always out and he was too distracted to BF anyways.  he now takes about 5oz 3.35% milk as a snack mid-morning instead and that works fine for us.  Interested to hear what the Dr. says at your apt, Vicku. 

[First Time Mom]

Vicku, I'm of the mindset that you just can't beef up some babies! With my first lo I was always worried about her weight gain, from the time she was weeks old until she was 2, she always ranged on the charts from "off" the charts to 10% max. She's now 5 and average height but slim. Both dh and I are taller and very small boned (so light weight). My ped always said "if she's happy and healthy, sleeping well, eating a variety of foods, having normal bathroom functions, then don't worry, all babies are different". She was never concerned about dd's slow weight gain and now, she is not concerned with ds (who is now 16 mths). Not sure where ds is on the scale currently, but I can see he is a slim baby.

At snack time have you tried to do both bf and a solid snack? I do with ds, I first offer a bf and he will usually just take one side and then he eats his solids snack right after. I find he eats the same amount of solids for his snack but he doesn't drink as much water from the sippy (which is fine, I'd rather him bf). As for weight gain I remember my ped saying that any extra calories up to 12 months should be in the form of bfing (or formula) and after 12 months extra calories should be from solids. I have tried (previously with dd and now with ds) increasing calories but I find if snack is higher calorie (ie cheese or higher fat yogurt) then they just eat less at dinner, if it's fruit and bf then they eat more at dinner. If I mix more calories/fats into dinner (more meat, adding avocado, or whatever), I find he eats a smaller portion as I guess it's heavier in the tummy so he feels more full. I find in the end, I can't seem to make them gain extra weight and I refuse to start stuffing them with crap like cake/cookies or McDonald's just to get extra calories into them.

 

[Whatbit]

Anyone down to 2 BF/day?  I'm already thinking ahead about the switch (in the next couple of months) and am not sure about which feed to give up.  Morning feed will stay but he has one in the afternoon after his nap and one before bed.  Usually he one after his nap is the better BF but it seems strange to me to cut ther one that he eats best at... anyways, wondering if anyone else is there and what your thoughts might be.

[First Time Mom]

We're still at about 4 feeds a day and Gradon is almost 17 mths. When my dd was this age we were down to 2 feeds, the morning and the evening, she eventually dropped the morning and then the evening one last. I would keep the strongest feed last and drop the weaker ones first.