S/o BFing - Extended BFers...

MomIn2013

...when did you start giving WCM? DS eats three meals a day and I still nurse on demand, so I know he's getting enough milk. His pedi said I could start giving him some with meals, but do I need to if he's still nursing?

joyfullyfound

You don't need to, as long as he's getting the milk he needs from you. DD started weaning herself around 14 months, and that's when I introduced WCM, because I knew she wasn't getting enough from me anymore. As long as he's bfing well I wouldn't worry about it, unless you just want to for funsies  

jillyjill1026sr

I nursed until about 16 months. She got one 7 oz cup of WCM a day from about 13 months til we weaned. She gets 2 cups now. If you're nursing on demand and your LO gets dairy/calcium from other sources, there's no reason why you have to give WCM.

LoriLee14

I added in WCM to my breast milk stash and gave it to him in a bottle as one of his feedings. But I was also trying to wean from breastfeeding.

We started a couple of days before his one year appt.

lyingliarlies

it's a replacement/substitute for human milk so no, you don't *need* to.  it's really only  useful as a source of fat & calcium. DS just weaned at christmas (at 2/5 yo)) & we still haven't offered WCM. he gets lots of cheese, full fat yogurt, & broccoli. our pedi was fine with it.

sschwege

You certainly don't 'need' to, your milk is made for your baby so it will always be superior to any other kind of milk.

I started doing WCM for DD when I dropped from 3 nursing sessions down to 2 around 15 months or so.  She would get one sippy of milk at night.  When I fully weaned at 20 months she started getting 3 cups of milk a day.  I haven't started doing WCM with DS, I still nurse him 3 sometimes 4 times a day. 

sschwege

aggiecyd said:

We introduced it when she was 1, but I also don't feel it's necessary. It's not a consistent part of her diet, and she's never had more than a couple of ounces a day. I just weaned her completely a few weeks ago. Our old pedi was completely supportive; the new one looked at me like I was abusing my daughter by "denying" her milk. That's just one of the many reasons we're looking for a new pedi. She does eat cheese & yogurt regularly though.

I just don't get that reaction!  How could something that is made for a calf be superior to what is made by you for your child?!  I don't have a problem with milk at all, we are a dairy loving household, but it just defies all logic to think breastmilk suddenly loses its nutritional value at the one year mark!

MomIn2013

Thanks for all these responses, I think I won't rush into giving it to him, since he's still nursing quite a bit and also gets dairy from eating a fair amount of cheese and yogurt. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something, since his pedi said he should be getting cow's milk now.

pitterpatter129

DS1 is lactose intolerant (as am I), so we've done away with most cow's milk in our house anyhow. He weaned around age 2 and had some milk here and there when my stash ran out for daycare. DS2 is over a year now and still nursing. Since I'm home, no need to really give him a cup most of the time. I have yet to introduce any liquids other than some water here and there to him. He did get a sip of chocolate milk the other day just because he stole DS1's cup and I had bought some special treat chocolate milk. Good day to steal a cup. I agree cow's milk is for baby cows and not necessary to the human diet at all.