Breastfeeding and stuff

MrsZiz

So Bella has started eating a TON of solids. She wants anything and everything that she can get her hands on. We make everything for her and are cautious about what we give her but we've started letting her have more than we usually would. Her new loves: brown rice, rice cakes, multigrain cheerios and pirate booty puffs (sold in the chip aisle). She'll eat SO much, or at least it seems like a lot to me. 

It's a little bittersweet for me... it means the end is in sight. We're only about 6 weeks away from our goal with breastfeeding. I'm crazy and didn't really have a short term goal Now that the end is in sight I told DH, oh I might nurse her in the morning and at bedtime until she's 13-14 months old, I told him we'll see what happens... I'm a little sad about the whole thing. It means my baby is turning into a big girl!  She'll be 1 in 6 weeks! Where on earth did the time go?

Speaking of her turning one, we're having an early birthday party for her in Kansas City, where my fam is from when she's 11 months old. I didn't want her to have cake or sweets until her first birthday and ONLY at the party and no other time... Since we're celebrating a little early, would you have a cake there? What's an alternative to regular super sweet icing? Maybe something organic and not as sweet? Any ideas? WWYD?

mrspresley

there's no reason you have to stop when she turns one...just let her self wean...babies will slowly show less interest when they are ready to wean...so if you offer it to her and she takes the breast, then go ahead and BF her nothing wrong with doing morning and night feedings if that is what you want to do.

honestly i don't see it as a problem for her to have cake a little early at her party.  like you, we plan on not giving A any refined sugar, either, except for at her 1st birthday party, but i don't think there is much of a difference between 11 months and 1 year....unless you are saying you only want to offer her sugar once and only once and not at both parties??... in that case i would maybe try asking on the what's cooking board to see if anyone has ideas for sweet non sugar alternatives...i don't know since all i use is sugar LOL

sanae78

I can't believe she's almost 1!  Wow.  I don't know about the cake thing...no experience there yet.  But I already understand the bittersweet feelings and Kaya is only 4 months!  I plan to wean around a year, too, because I really want my body back.  But I already know I'll miss the time with her.

MrsZiz

mrspresley:

there's no reason you have to stop when she turns one...just let her self wean...babies will slowly show less interest when they are ready to wean...so if you offer it to her and she takes the breast, then go ahead and BF her nothing wrong with doing morning and night feedings if that is what you want to do.

honestly i don't see it as a problem for her to have cake a little early at her party.  like you, we plan on not giving A any refined sugar, either, except for at her 1st birthday party, but i don't think there is much of a difference between 11 months and 1 year....unless you are saying you only want to offer her sugar once and only once and not at both parties??... in that case i would maybe try asking on the what's cooking board to see if anyone has ideas for sweet non sugar alternatives...i don't know since all i use is sugar LOL 

I do plan to let her self wean but I can tell she's already starting down that path by eating more solid meals and wanting more and more solid foods- she's so interested! She's also eating less milk. She's having fewer nursing sessions and refusing sometimes when I offer. I do however tend to still offer every couple of hours.

I posted on the cooking board so we'll see what they have to say about alternatives. There's no difference in the age gap 11mo vs 12 but I really don't want to overload her with sugar! I guess I'm just trying to be on the cautious side  

mrs.winter

Wow, I can't believe that Bella will be 1 in 6 weeks!!  We were just pregnant!!

I have the opposite of you. Ashton is showing less interest in solids and wants milk more.  I am just offering him the boob at nights when I get home now (and of course he has the boob buffet during the night) and I pump in the mornings and while I am at work.  I don't foresee the night feedings going anytime soon. 

Let me know if you find an alternative to the sugar. Ashton had a cupcake at daycare a few weeks ago......I wanted his first sugar experience to be his 1st b-day party but oh well.

So what is Bella eating? I've been giving Ashton tofu sprinkled with flax seed. He likes the flax seed part but spits out the tofu.  He still has a texture issue. He does love his Cheerios though.  It's the only solid I can get him to eat most of the time.

MrsZiz

mrs.winter:

Wow, I can't believe that Bella will be 1 in 6 weeks!!  We were just pregnant!!

I have the opposite of you. Ashton is showing less interest in solids and wants milk more.  I am just offering him the boob at nights when I get home now (and of course he has the boob buffet during the night) and I pump in the mornings and while I am at work.  I don't foresee the night feedings going anytime soon. 

Let me know if you find an alternative to the sugar. Ashton had a cupcake at daycare a few weeks ago......I wanted his first sugar experience to be his 1st b-day party but oh well.

So what is Bella eating? I've been giving Ashton tofu sprinkled with flax seed. He likes the flax seed part but spits out the tofu.  He still has a texture issue. He does love his Cheerios though.  It's the only solid I can get him to eat most of the time.

Renee Bella will eat just about anything! She LOVES feeding herself and has shown less and less interest in purees. So we've been cooking carrots but they are finger sized so we freeze them in that size and then take them out when she's ready. We still do the purees and we've been mixing stuff together, like chicken and sweet potatoes. She'll eat it but she would MUCH rather feed herself and she'll eat a lot more if she can feed herself. 

As for the night feedings, Bella has been going down around 6:30 or 7pm and gets up around 5:30 am... we've tried to put her down later but she still gets up at 5:30. She still gets up at least 2 times a night to eat. I'm not sure when/if that will end. I don't plan on night weaning unless she weans herself. I would like to keep going in the morning and at night and then overnight (although I SO wish she would sleep so momma could sleep!) I'm not sure how long I plan to do this... DH is really uncomfortable now with me not using a nursing cover, she pushes it away. I'm not sure when he became uncomfortable with it but he's mentioned that it bothers him that people can "see your nipple when she's finished"... ugh! It's for like a split second until I cover up! 

Here's a list of the things she eats (of the top of my head):

Garbanzo beans (not her fav but she'll eat them)

Cherries (we take the seed out and cut them into small pieces)

Multigrain cheerios

Pirate Booty Puffs

Gerber Puffs and bitter biscuits

Peas

Carrots

Squash

Chicken

Turkey

Fish (she sometimes likes this)

Sweet potatos

Green Beans

Zucchini

Rice cakes

Brown rice 

Apples

Peaches

Nectarines

Pears

Plums 

Married2MrWright

Hi Sarah,

For the cake thing you might ask on the AP board...a mama recently posted about her bday cake alternatives...how about carrot, zucchini, or banana bread with a little cream cheese frosting made into cupcake form so thet're celebratory looking?

As for weaning, as the other girls said, you can just let Bella set the pace, if you wish.  My BFF is due w/baby #2 next month and still nurses her 20 month old son...mainly for comfort at night or when he's stressed, etc.  She's fine w/it and will let him completely wean when he's ready.

mrspresley

mrs.winter:

and of course he has the boob buffet during the night

hahaha - your description of this made me laugh!!

 

Sarah, if Bella doesn't like the nursing covers and YH would rather you cover up a little then why don't you try these? I know you don't really care but if he feels strongly about it you might want to try it.  that link is from the archive but i'm sure you could find it online somewhere else.

MrsZiz

mrspresley:

 Sarah, if Bella doesn't like the nursing covers and YH would rather you cover up a little then why don't you try these? I know you don't really care but if he feels strongly about it you might want to try it.  that link is from the archive but i'm sure you could find it online somewhere else.

I showed that to Ryan and he said "Well that seems a bit ridiculous" I laughed and said "well you are the one that's uncomfortable with me NIP. He said that I just didn't realize that "us guys have eyes where you don't see them and we can see nipples even when you think we can't"... funny guy but I'm sure it's true! Those perverts! I said well if it's not this and a nursing cover doesn't work then what should I do and he said well nothing I'm just saying I want you to be aware of it.. I'm aware trust me!! 

mrspresley

MrsZiz:

mrspresley:

 Sarah, if Bella doesn't like the nursing covers and YH would rather you cover up a little then why don't you try these? I know you don't really care but if he feels strongly about it you might want to try it.  that link is from the archive but i'm sure you could find it online somewhere else.

I showed that to Ryan and he said "Well that seems a bit ridiculous" I laughed and said "well you are the one that's uncomfortable with me NIP. He said that I just didn't realize that "us guys have eyes where you don't see them and we can see nipples even when you think we can't"... funny guy but I'm sure it's true! Those perverts! I said well if it's not this and a nursing cover doesn't work then what should I do and he said well nothing I'm just saying I want you to be aware of it.. I'm aware trust me!! 

haha. that is funny. did you see the pics on amazon? i went looking for reviews of it after i posted that to you and found some neat pics on amazon where it really IS discreet! link esp when you are wearing a top that is the same color as the nursing cover.

i just use a receiving blanket she pulls at it sometimes but it isn't too bad. i don't NIP that much anyway...not b/c i am uncomfortable but just b/c i'm not out much LOL and when i am i feed her right before we go.