Dumb extended breastfeeding question...

ChristyML · July 2013

So after a baby turns 1 year old, can they have breastmilk/formula meals (in place of actual food)? Not for the entire day, just one meal a day. Is that healthy/nutritionally okay?

boogerbearoriginal · July 2013

At 12m, my LO wasn't always consistently eating 3meals, and 'snacks' were just BM. To this day, he'll occasionally skip dinner and just nurse, and often have more of a snack vs. meal. Breakfast/lunch tend to be bigger meals.

Weaning should be a gradual process wherein solids are slowly taking place of BM for nutrition. Some kids prefer solids earlier than others, some kids are big fans of the boob and BM will be their primary nutrient source through 18+m. So long as you're providing ample opportunities for LO to try solids, new tastes and textures I wouldn't get too hung up on # of meals per day at 12m.

TiffanyBerry · July 2013

Every day of the week? As in, they only get two meals of solid food regularly? I wouldn't - it's not helping the transition to solids.

Once in a while - during teething, during illness, during high stress, when they refuse solids? Heck yeah. That's when ExBF is super awesome.

tokenhoser · July 2013

My kid was still very uninterested in solids at 12 months. We offered, daycare offered, he had many opportunities in a day to eat solids. He preferred to wait for me to get home and nurse instead. He's now a healthy, happy, (still nursing) 2 year old with no food issues or health issues at all. He eats all kinds of things and is a pro at feeding himself.

Emerald27 · July 2013

Same here as with token. DS is 20 months old and still isn't too interested in solid food. The important thing is to offer plenty of nutritious, healthy foods for them to eat if they choose. I offer him some solids at every meal and I offer snacks in between. He plays with his food and makes a mess, and a little gets eaten.

If you're concerned that LO is becoming less interested in nursing, there's no need to back off on solids. Just offer to nurse more frequently throughout the day and snuggle/cuddle a lot. Even little short nursing sessions help you maintain the connection and boost your supply.

ChristyML · July 2013

Emerald27:
Same here as with token. DS is 20 months old and still isn't too interested in solid food. The important thing is to offer plenty of nutritious, healthy foods for them to eat if they choose. I offer him some solids at every meal and I offer snacks in between. He plays with his food and makes a mess, and a little gets eaten. If you're concerned that LO is becoming less interested in nursing, there's no need to back off on solids. Just offer to nurse more frequently throughout the day and snuggle/cuddle a lot. Even little short nursing sessions help you maintain the connection and boost your supply.

So are you saying most of his nutrition still comes from your breast milk?

pixieprincss · July 2013

Think of it this way, if "food under one is just for fun" then the transition to eating three+ full meals per day is not going be complete at 12 months. Baby can have a blend of solid meals and snacks and BM meals and snacks. Both my boys--including my 10 mo--make it clear when they want to partake in eating solids (like going nutso when they someone else eating). Other words, you can plan to offer just BM but baby will let you know if that isn't going to fly. Each day will be different during transition times, and that is fine.

tokenhoser · July 2013

Most of DS's nutrition was breastmilk up to 18 months - by his choice, not mine. You can lead a kid to food but you can't make him eat.

rjeller32 · July 2013

This is a great KellyMom article on extending BFing. I probably wouldn't extend formula as I would breast milk, but that is just me personally. I think I've seen you say you are at 80% formula intake (?). I feel like they should maybe slowly be eating and increasing solids, and at least offering them 3 times a day. It's more about helping your LO transition into a solid diet, so offering is really important.

If you want, you can always give BM/Formula with your LO's meals, in a cup. We did that for awhile with DD1 with soy formula, but she wouldn't take it. Then we switched to soy milk and she enjoyed it a lot more.

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