Breastfeeding Support - 6 months and beyond!

[Eve]

DF I know what you mean about the weight. I weigh the same as you. It is about 55 lbs above my prepg weight with Otter. I gained SOOO much with my pgs. It is doing my head in. But I'm just trying to accept it and work toward loosing it without jeapordizing my kids and their BFing experience.

MumJK, why formula? K is old enough to go to cow's milk instead of formula. There is no need for formula at her age. Just start adding whole milk into her diet in addition to BFing and have her drink as much as possible through the day. She'll probably like it better than formula anyway. Formula tastes awful anyway and babies often won't take it if they haven't had it in the first few months.
Besides, I wouldn't worry too much about her size anyway. As long as she is healthy and meeting milestones... bright and happy... then she is fine!

JB, that is only the first of many comments to come if you carry on. I have learned to approach it in a very confident manner. If someone asks, I respond in a strong way and with the attitude that "Of course I am still feeding him at 17 months! It's normal!" I don't necessarily say that, but that is the sort of confidence in my voice. If someone looks at me like "You're still feeding him!" Then I respond with "Yes. Of course. He isn't ready to stop yet." My attitude clearly states that extended BFing is normal and they are strange to even question me. That always shuts them right up with a look on their face of confusion like they suddenly doubt why they thought it was strange.

MB, I've never had that problem of my toddler randomly wanting boob. Though I know loads of ladies that do. I don't know if that is because I am just lucky, or because once I started "don't offer, don't refuse" on feeds that I wanted him to drop, I tended to "not respond" at early signs of him wanting a feed. I would never tell him no if he insisted, but if he gave me little hints that he might want to nurse, I distracted him with other things. Now we are on just a bedtime feed as part of his night routine. He seems to be completely comfortable with only getting a feed at that time now. But he is definitely REALLY into that one and doesn't want to give it up.

She has been drinking cows milk regularly the past few weeks and before that she would have a bottle of it a day since around 10 months, with no weight gain and now she is very constipated... She hasn't gained any weight since August/September and even lost an ounce, plus she will hardly eat solids at all. She will eat supper with us, but that's about it. I fed her some squash and sweet potato... but it was the most she has ever eaten at once and I had to distract her. The nurse is very pro-breastfeeding, nursed her own into toddlerhood and has never told me to introduce formula the whole year as she said Kayleigh is just small... but she dropped way off the charts and she said when they dip so low off their normal curve, they want something extra... cows milk isn't cutting it for her, so I don't mind using it instead of cows milk... I just wish she would grow...

 

[TigerLady]

Oh! I hadn't realized you had been down that route.

Gah! Poor you... you've tried everything haven't you. Well, formula is next and there is no shame in it. If it helps her put on a few ounces, then perfect.

Hopefully she will have a growth spurt soon and catch up a little. My friend's baby (Otter's best friend) dropped off the charts on the small side when she was about a year old... she slowly crept back up and by 20 months is back on the charts.

 

[Eve]

Oh! I hadn't realized you had been down that route.

Gah! Poor you... you've tried everything haven't you. Well, formula is next and there is no shame in it. If it helps her put on a few ounces, then perfect.

Hopefully she will have a growth spurt soon and catch up a little. My friend's baby (Otter's best friend) dropped off the charts on the small side when she was about a year old... she slowly crept back up and by 20 months is back on the charts.

That makes me feel better I hope so... I'm tempted to feed her at night when she wakes again lol.. bulk her up somehow!

 

[lynnikins]

well after ages with no bottles EJ is refusing flat to take one at all and would rather have solids if hes hungry so if i go out in the evening then hes stuck with solid food only till i get back, we have gotten him sleeping through the night better now though although sometimes he wakes at 5.30ish for a feed but will go back to sleep after that

 

[JellyBeann]

Hi guys, I just skimmed the whole conversation then, Ollie is on a bottle of cows milk a day now, he lies down on the sofa with it, and falls asleep, it's too cute!! I am going out the end of January, so it's Ollie's first night staying at his Nanny's! I don't know how I am going to sleep, but it's a friends 21st (I feel old, 25 in 2011) So I think it'll be a giggle! Hopefully I won't notice too much, until I wake up in the night and panic because he's not next to me!

DF, I wouldn't worry about your weight just yet, Alex is still so young, they say 9 months on, 9 months off, yes? I'm sure BF two will help you to drop the pg weight soon!!

I heard putting breastmilk on your nips before and after feeds helps with soreness, if they're still sore!! Or baths?? xx

How is everyone else? I've finally got my Christmas tree up, on top of a table, out of Ollie's reach! He loves the tree and lights, I think I'm going to take him for a walk around the neighbourhood tonight to see all the lights in the dark!! He'll love it! And I am also charging my cameras, I am prepared for millions of pictures this year!!

 

[Dragonfly]

i put on weight last time the bf weight loose dosnt work on me. I need to tone up and i will feel mentally better. not that i ever cared before but i do know i get confidence when i look better. I have no confidence as it is anyway but helps when I dont loath what I look like.

I hope my guts will behave today, I am sure to loose weight with the amount I go to the loo now. so not like me. But apparently this happens after birth. I have no xmas present tghis year I cant pick anything I want. I want stuff but to dear or no oint on getting clothes . I have insured my bike just cant go out on it,

 

[florabean1981]

DF- I've struggled with my weight too; it seemed to fall off quickly at first, then nothing for months- I'm still about a stone heavier than I was pre-pregnancy & it aint going nowehere!!!

Evelyn- there's no harm in trying K with some formula & seeing if it helps- you could start slowly, like just a few oz's a day at a set time, so your boobies dont get too confused, & build up if you need to. I've been told to make sure harry has plenty of good fats (like avecado & bananas, for example) & dairy in his diet, so he's offered tons of fromage frais/yogurts, full fat cheese, I add whole milk to mashed potatoes, which i guess if you're TW, you could add to other veges too?
Remember though that BM has more calories & nutrients that cow's milk, so you could always add BM to stuff if you're able to pump? And formula has all the added vitamins 7 stuff that cow's milk doesn't have, so in a way, may be better for K anyway?

I've forgotten now what else I was gonna reply to..... ho hum!

 

[Miss_Bump]

Afternoon ladies hope everyone is having a nice day

Ive been stuck indoors again today due to the snow!

Evie was meant to have her 8 month check and then a play date with her cousin today but we cancelled as I felt it just isn't worth it and I'd hate to be stuck in static traffic with Evie so we have been wrapping presents today lol

On a good note the cat has stopped peeing on the Christmas tree
xx

 

[Dragonfly]

dont they look alike

 

[Miss_Bump]

dont they look alike

Yes!!!

Wow they could be the same baby!

 

[Eve]

DF- I've struggled with my weight too; it seemed to fall off quickly at first, then nothing for months- I'm still about a stone heavier than I was pre-pregnancy & it aint going nowehere!!!

Evelyn- there's no harm in trying K with some formula & seeing if it helps- you could start slowly, like just a few oz's a day at a set time, so your boobies dont get too confused, & build up if you need to. I've been told to make sure harry has plenty of good fats (like avecado & bananas, for example) & dairy in his diet, so he's offered tons of fromage frais/yogurts, full fat cheese, I add whole milk to mashed potatoes, which i guess if you're TW, you could add to other veges too?
Remember though that BM has more calories & nutrients that cow's milk, so you could always add BM to stuff if you're able to pump? And formula has all the added vitamins 7 stuff that cow's milk doesn't have, so in a way, may be better for K anyway?

I've forgotten now what else I was gonna reply to..... ho hum!

Thanks hun!!! Yeah I try pumping and don't get much. She has only had two feeds from me today, but had more solids than usual too, which is good. I think we will do 1-2 bottles of formula a day and a few bf's when she will take them, and up her cheese and yogurts etc.. today she had some toast, mashed potatoes, squash (jarred) and some cheerios. Going to offer chicken tonight I think with some carrot and peas and for desert, some yogurt. Hope it helps get her munching more! Ive never been engorged or anything and going from 6 feeds a day, to 2 didn't bother them for some reason, they dont feel full at all...

 

[cleckner04]

You know, I started a milky mommy weightloss thread in the weightloss section if any of you want to join! We weigh in every Friday and motivate eachother on. I'm heavily overweight but have lost 3.2 lbs so far. I lost NOTHING from breastfeeding. I weighed only 5 pounds less than the day I went in to have Emma. But now I'm 8.2 lbs less so that's a start! This thread is only for breastfeeding mommies trying to lose weight. So we all have similar struggles.

 

[lynnikins]

DF they do look so alike, Nate and EJ looked really similar too for a while but EJ hasnt chubbed up the same way Nate did from 6months+

 

[Seraphim]

Only just found you all!
(Like a life-raft in a very lonely sea )

 

[Dragonfly]

how the hell i loose half a stone in a few days since moaning to you all other day??

 

[celine]

Hi all I totally forget about this thread at times bad me!!

Just a quick one on chunky babies, my son is very slim and on the lower end of the graph but the HV's here in Holland arent that concerned cos he is healthy and they are fine with us still bfing

 

[JellyBeann]

how the hell i loose half a stone in a few days since moaning to you all other day??

YAY!! That's good going!

They are like twins, or the same baby!! Both absolutely gorgeous and Alex is definately going to be a handsome little man if he keeps following his big brother! x How are you doing hun, is Alex still a chilled out babba? Ollie was so chilled, still is, people don't believe me that he cries lol! x

 

[Dragonfly]

found it again

my mum complains he is always sleeping. He laughs at me when I talk to him and kicks his legs,. he is gorgeous and so calm. From when I was pregnancy with William all I heard was that I wouldnt ever sleep again, babies screaming all the time inconsolably, vomited on,. needing a drink all the time from s suicidal thought from stressful babies and all that. None of that true yet. bit apparent that means something wrong with my kids.

 

[florabean1981]

DF- no pleasing some people, hey?!!!

Clerkner, what's the link to the thread about weightloss- I'd like to join you as I'm in a grump about my weight.... well, not my weight so much, but just all the jiggly bits that depress me when looking in the mirror; only thing I got going for me right now is a cracking pair of boobs!!!!!!!!

 

[JellyBeann]

DF- no pleasing some people, hey?!!!

Clerkner, what's the link to the thread about weightloss- I'd like to join you as I'm in a grump about my weight.... well, not my weight so much, but just all the jiggly bits that depress me when looking in the mirror; only thing I got going for me right now is a cracking pair of boobs!!!!!!!!

I could have written that! My boobs are awesome! Well, I have one 2 cup sizes bigger than the other, my fault, really, letting Ollie feed off his favourite all the time!! I'm going to have to try and switch him now I think!! x