Moms of 10 month olds or those who have bf at 10 months

schnookee

DD usually only feeds a couple minutes at each breast.  Sometimes she doesn't even want the second.  Is this normal?  It's really like she latches on, sucks a couple times and then she's done.  Am I not producing enough?  Can she actually get enough that fast?  She also gets a couple bottles of formula a day. Could that have something to do with it?

CarissaRenee

Sounds normal to me. Up to about 10 months, she was nursing every 2-3 hours or so. All the sudden around 10 months, she started nursing maybe 4 times during the day (and 2-3 in the night.)  During the day, 5 minutes would be a marathon session.  I'd guess she nurses for 2-3 minutes.  A lot of times she will nurse for a minute, climb down, want back up, nurse for another minute, climb down again, etc.

CarissaRenee

I should add, she's always been a one-side eater.  Only recently has she even shown interest in both sides, and I think that is more just the fact that she now realizes there are 2 sides, so she thinks she needs to try both out.

Mystery2B

CarissaRenee:

I should add, she's always been a one-side eater.  Only recently has she even shown interest in both sides, and I think that is more just the fact that she now realizes there are 2 sides, so she thinks she needs to try both out.

C has also always been a one side per session eater, but now sometimes she wants both sides and will go back and forth. I love watching her face as she comtemplates which one she wants!

But back on topic - yes, I think getting formula bottles can impact how much she wants to nurse, combined with more interest in everything going on, could restrict how much she wants to nurse. If you nurse when she's sleepy/right before sleep/as she's waking up from a nap is it any better? C only nurses maybe 5 minutes during a regular daytime session now (with multiple starts and stops), but before and after sleep (in a quiet place with no distractions) she'll go a little more solidly and I feel like she's getting more then. 

Keep offering, even if she just nursed, and see if she is interested and maybe try to sub a formula bottle with boob (if you're home to do so) or give smaller formula bottles when you're not home so that hopefully she makes up for it when you're around. 

ncbelle

10 month olds are very distracted at the breast.  I'm sure the formula bottles are contributing - she knows that she doesn't have to work as hard for those so there's less incentive for her to stay at the breast.

If you want to keep nursing, I'd drop as much of the formula as you can and focus on offering nursing more frequently.

LurkieLoo

Are you nursing in a room where she can be easily distracted?  Right now I have to nurse N in a room completely by myself, no TV, no music, absolutely no sounds... If he hears ANYTHING he will pop off.  Hear Daddy in the next room talking or even just moving around... Off.  Hear the phone ring or even just vibrate... off. 

 Also, I do think that the formula has something to do with it.  I read just yesterday on the 9-12 boards that a few ladies were saying that their LOs only have 3 bottles a day.  So if your LO is having a few formula bottles, that may be almost all she needs.  Like others have said, if you want her to nurse more, I would think about cutting down some of those bottles if possible.

Good luck and kudos for making it this far