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Lilylow, or other BFing moms of 6 mo+ babies
Lilylow- I directed this question to you because I follow your blog and our DDs are similar in age and development. But I will gladly accept other opinions.
Did your daughter go through a breastfeeding/bottle strike after she started solids? DD started solids at 5 months, loves food now, but is hardly nursing or taking a bottle (bm only). I almost had a heart attack today when I came home from work and saw that out of 2 5 oz. bottles, she only took about 1.5 ounces out of each. However, she ate 2 meals of oatmeal (2 tbsp. w/ bm) and fruit/veggies so I know she is eating. She doesn't show signs of hunger, or sickness or teething for that matter. What the heck? Any input is helpful! TIA!
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Re: Lilylow, or other BFing moms of 6 mo+ babies
My DD is 5.5 months and she cut out her late afternoon nursing session about three weeks ago but that was when she was only getting 1 oz of veggies once a day. She still nurses 4 times a day though and I'm estimating she's getting about 6-7 oz per session. In the past two weeks she's started getting 1 ounce of solids twice a day.
Try scaling back on the solids...offer her solids once a day about an hour after you've nursed her (or given her a bottle) and see how she does. Skimping on the solids isn't going to hurt her. If she doesn't improve her intake during nursing I'd give your pedi a call.
Is she acting normally besides the nursing issues? Is she showing signs of teething? Drooling, bright red cheeks, hands in the mouth? Is she pulling or rubbing her ears?
ETA: Are you sick, started a new med or supplement? How old is the milk you're leaving for your DD?
E was the opposite actually. It took us awhile to grasp the whole open mouth insert spoon idea. She was a late bloomer to the spoon feeding idea. She would flat our REFUSE being fed and would reach out for me. As soon as she was out of her high chair she would practically claw at me to breastfeed.
E will refuse a bottle if she can see me or knows I am around.
This is our current eating schedule:
Have you tried introducing a sippy cup instead?
Thanks for your responses! I know she is teething and has been for a few months, but no teeth yet! I haven't changed anything at all in my diet, vitamins, or anything else. The milk she is getting in bottles is from September. I asked DH if he thinks it went bad, but he said she drinks it then just seals her lips and is done. No crying or fussing, just done. Right now she gets milk then her solids an hour later, breakfast and lunch. Maybe we'll try breakfast and dinner? We have introduced a sippy cup and she totally doesn't "get" it yet. It's just another fun toy on her tray right now. Does E get a sippy? What are you putting in it?
C actually had her 6 month check up last Friday and I brought up her disinterest in food to the pedi and he wasn't concerned. She's 19th percentile for weight (14 lbs. 15 oz) and 37th percentile for height, which is right on her growth curves. I guess all I can do is follow her lead.
On an unrelated note, where do you girls live? It'd be fun to get the girls together since they're all so close in age. We're in Mount Holly.
That is really odd that she just decides she's done after only a few ounces. Everything I've read on nursing strikes is to keep offering. She won't let herself go hungry so don't worry to much, just try to be patient (easier said than done right?).
I'm in Pine Hill which is central Camden County.
Yup. Just done. She has never been a big eater though- no cluster feeding, nursing every 3 hours from the time we came home from the hospital and even now she only nurses every 5 hours. She doesn't show any sort of hunger signs and I have to say "ok, it's time to eat now." It's hard to be patient-I want her to eat, but I know she isn't going hungry.
I went to Camden County College. That's not far from Pine Hill, right?
I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one with a baby who goes so long between feedings...I'm talking 4-5 hours easily and she never seems hungry but will definitely put it back when it's offered.
Yep CCC is right around the corner from me.