Anyone elses baby NOT asked to be breastfed?

[ParisJeTadore]

My son is 14 months old and I still nurse him approx. 5 times a day. I often hear of babies asking to nurse but I honestly cannot remember my son doing this except for when he was really little and would "root" for the breast.

I guess what I'm asking is is it common for a baby/toddler to show so little interest? He doesn't seem opposed to nursing and I hope to nurse him until around 18 months (too many health benefits for both of us and it's SO easy these days...) but he doesn't seem to show any interest either.

 

[lily28]

My son is the same. Only in his first 2 months he would root and then he stopped showing clear signs that he wanted to nurse. I always have to keep it on my mind and offer the boob often.
We just started solids and he shows DEFINITE signs that he wants to eat food. He opens his mouth super wide and does AAAHHH! And chews his fingers lol
If he had another mom he would be weaned by now *sigh*

 

[Reidfidleir]

Thorrin doesn't ask to nurse. If anything he dropped feeds on his own and was very clear when he didnt want it!!!
I nurse him twice a day. Once in the morning and once before bed. And that seems the routine he's comfortable with for now.
I guess I'll keep going with this for now at least thru the winter so as to keep him healthy. But no he never asks. I just do it and he accepts haha.

 

[charlie15]

Yep. Sophia doesn't really ask, only occasionally. She has gradually reduced feeds herself since 6 months by clearly showing no interest when offered. now, she's almost 13 months, we are on 2 feeds a day, both of which I offer and she has 99% of the time. I don't know if she would ask if I didn't offer though.

But I am glad you posted this as I have often wondered the same, if Sophia is the only breastfeed baby that isn't a booby monster?! Good to see not.

 

[ParisJeTadore]

Glad to hear I'm not the only one with a baby who isn't too interested!

For those of you who are only feeding twice a day...do you replace those day time feeds with regular milk? If so, how much? At this point it would make things a lot easier to just feed him in the morning, once at nap time then before bed but seeing as my son is small for his age I'm afraid to omit those extra calories/fat.

 

[charlie15]

I offer cows milk during the day and sometimes she has it other times is really not interested. However Sophia is a great eater, so a lot if her solid intake makes up for it.

 

[ParisJeTadore]

I offer cows milk during the day and sometimes she has it other times is really not interested. However Sophia is a great eater, so a lot if her solid intake makes up for it.

Yes, increasing solid intake I guess is the best replacement. I hope this isn't a dumb question but how much, on average, does your daughter eat per day? I never know if I'm feeding my son enough. We feed him until he refuses but some days it's really not a whole lot and he is at the bottom of the weight scale.

 

[charlie15]

I offer cows milk during the day and sometimes she has it other times is really not interested. However Sophia is a great eater, so a lot if her solid intake makes up for it.

Yes, increasing solid intake I guess is the best replacement. I hope this isn't a dumb question but how much, on average, does your daughter eat per day? I never know if I'm feeding my son enough. We feed him until he refuses but some days it's really not a whole lot and he is at the bottom of the weight scale.

Well today she had a bowl of porridge for breakfast and a very tiny bit of yogurt. Mid day snack a fruit bar and a banana. Lunch vegetable and bean chilli with rice and yogurt. Tea scrambled egg on toast ( but this she ate very little). And she had 2 breast feeds. Today no cows milk, just water. However yesterday apart from breakfast, she ate very little.

I have read that the amount they eat after 1 reduces comparatively to when they were babies, which s certainly true of Sophia, she use to be little piggy! Now she has days when she is just not bothered by food and days when she eats everything. I also have heard that toddlers tend to eat more in the morning and less as the day goes on, so I don't know if that applies to you. If she hasn't eaten much of her meals I just try and offer lots of snacks which she usually eats.

 

[susannah14]

My son also never asks to nurse. I offer him the boob 4 times a day and he never refuses. I am sure he would accept even if I offered 8 times a day. But it's like, if my boobs are put away then he doesn't even think of it. He is almost 15 months.

However, if my boobs are out because I'm pumping, he whines and whines until I give him a boob. Because he can see it. The second I put the boob away he forgets!! But he walks around the kitchen going mmmmm mmmmm and pointing to the fridge when he wants food.

 

[ParisJeTadore]

Well today she had a bowl of porridge for breakfast and a very tiny bit of yogurt. Mid day snack a fruit bar and a banana. Lunch vegetable and bean chilli with rice and yogurt. Tea scrambled egg on toast ( but this she ate very little). And she had 2 breast feeds. Today no cows milk, just water. However yesterday apart from breakfast, she ate very little.

I have read that the amount they eat after 1 reduces comparatively to when they were babies, which s certainly true of Sophia, she use to be little piggy! Now she has days when she is just not bothered by food and days when she eats everything. I also have heard that toddlers tend to eat more in the morning and less as the day goes on, so I don't know if that applies to you. If she hasn't eaten much of her meals I just try and offer lots of snacks which she usually eats.

That seems to be true with our LO. He eats a big lunch and smaller dinner quite regularly. I guess I could be offering bigger snacks. I have a bad habit of being on the run quite often and bringing nothing but cheerios with us and some juice. I can't imagine my son eating a whole banana in one sitting though...I guess they're all different but somedays he really doesn't eat much.

My son also never asks to nurse. I offer him the boob 4 times a day and he never refuses. I am sure he would accept even if I offered 8 times a day. But it's like, if my boobs are put away then he doesn't even think of it. He is almost 15 months.

However, if my boobs are out because I'm pumping, he whines and whines until I give him a boob. Because he can see it. The second I put the boob away he forgets!! But he walks around the kitchen going mmmmm mmmmm and pointing to the fridge when he wants food.

Susannah, that is too funny, lol!