How often should a 10 month old nurse?

[Zephram]

You'd think I would know this being a second time breastfeeding mum, but how often should a 10 month old nurse? I realise all babies are different and all mums have different supply, but I'm guessing there's a minimum I should be bearing in mind? My first was an absolutely boob monster and I breastfed him until he was nearly 27 months, so I never had to worry about how much he was having, but my second is different. I'm worrying that he's losing interest in breastfeeding.

During the day he nurses at nap times (two naps) and then bedtime and at night he may have another two single boob feeds. I've just feed him before his afternoon nap and he refused my right boob completely but took my left. I am just wondering if he only has one boob, do I count this as a half feed or does it not really matter? I really think I'm worrying over nothing but it's just the comparison to my first that is getting me - my first never refused an offered boob and he wanted to sleep all night with my boob in his mouth, whereas my second can go to sleep without my boob (and in fact pulls off deliberately to lie down and go to sleep off the boob) and seems only interested in breastfeeding when he really, really has to - my first was very much a comfort feeder but my second does not comfort nurse.

I had intended to breastfeed my second until age two as well, but I really can't see us getting there at this point.

 

[OnErth&InHvn]

Call LLL if youre really concerned but i would offer as much as he wants and still check wet and poops.

 

[DaisyDreamer]

Offer breast first before solids at meal times. Babies nurse for more reasons that for nourishment--for when they are overwhelmed, frightened, or going through a developmental leap.

I would say as often as he will take it, and if he takes one breast and seems fine then that's a "feeding", two breasts later on still counts as one feeding.

Babies will also "self-wean" at some point I think usually after a year. It's entirely natural and may be really upsetting for you (I'm dreading this day) but it just means he is comfortable enough in the world that BF is no longer a crutch. A good thing!

Lots of babies are different and some will have a stronger sucking reflex than others. My son is a booby monster and would have my nipple in his mouth all day if he had it his way! Others only take it when they are hungry or overwhelmed.

HTH

P.S as PP said you can always check with LLL if you still are uncertain.

 

[jessmke]

My LO is only 5 1/2 months but she has been like this since she was 8 weeks old. She doesn't want to be anywhere near the boob unless she is really hungry, she usually waits until her stomach is audibly growling before she decides to nurse. She doesn't comfort nurse, she never nurses herself to sleep, and whenever she is upset offering her the boob only seems to make things worse. I usually nurse 6-8 times in a 24 hour period, usually 3-4 times during the day and 2-3 times at night. Sometimes if she is having an especially anti-boob day I will lay down with her for all of her naps and then stick a boob in her mouth just after she has drifted off to sleep. She always refuses to nurse first thing in the morning, she has a feed around 3-4 am and then not again until 9-10 am when she is ready for a nap. She also refuses to nurse on the left side during the day so my supply has plummeted on that side, but my supply on the right is really good so she can get a full feed on the right alone. At night I put her on the left first just to keep that boob from drying up completely, and she finishes her feed on the right. I also wanted to nurse her until 2 years old but I would be surprised if that happens because she is just so indifferent towards the boob unless she is really hungry. My goal now is to make it to a year and then just see how it goes. She has lots of pees and poops and is gaining weight well so I try to tell myself she is doing just fine, but I stress about feeding her every single day.

 

[BlingyGal]

My daughter has only been nursing four times a day since she was 9-10 months old (she's a year now). I tried offering her the breast more frequently than that but she is much too busy apparently. So, she just nurses when she wakes in the morning and before naps and then bedtime. At her one year Pediatrician appointment last week, the doctor said four times a day was very good. I don't think you need to change your routine. As long as the baby is gaining weight and he's happy

My daughter doesn't nurse very frequently but I think she really enjoys it when she does. It's part of her wind down routine before naps and bedtime. I can see us nursing for a long time to come. I don't think less frequent nursing means earlier weaning.

 

[noon_child]

It really does depend. If he likes his food he may be just fine on the amount of breastmilk he's getting. 10months is around the time when many babies go from getting a large proportion of their calories from milk to getting a large proportion from their food. If he is eating food well I don't think you have to worry that he won't like breastfeeding anymore as bf is about more than nutrition. When my LO went down to three daytime feeds because I went back to work she still continued to bf for another 15 months after that.

 

[minties]

Thomas nursed as often as he could at that age, whereas Sophie was down to about 2 feeds per day. She completely refused to nurse after 11.5 months .

 

[RaquelDee]

My nine month old is on four or five feeds a day. She often will just take one side, which I still consider to be a 'proper' feed as I'm assuming that she knows when she has had enough. Your son's feeding sounds pretty normal for his age, in my opinion, and I don't think it necessarily means that he is losing interest or wants to stop. Perhaps he's just going through a distracted phase.

 

[Zephram]

Thanks everyone. Upon reflection I do think he's probably breastfeeding enough. I'm just a little bit thrown by how different he is to his older brother who saw breastfeeding as the answer to everything. DS2 definitely sees breastfeeding as a source of nutrition only, so he really has no interest in nursing unless he is actually hungry. I just need to remind myself that if he is actually hungry he will breastfeed!

 

[Marumi]

Babies will also "self-wean" at some point I think usually after a year.

That depends. If you mean add more solids yes, but to self wean from breastfeeding the average is between 2-4 with quite a few going until 6 and their mouth's palate is designed to suck milk until 7. Then it changes and the mother automatically dries up.

 

[DaisyDreamer]

Babies will also "self-wean" at some point I think usually after a year.

That depends. If you mean add more solids yes, but to self wean from breastfeeding the average is between 2-4 with quite a few going until 6 and their mouth's palate is designed to suck milk until 7. Then it changes and the mother automatically dries up.

That is a good point, I've heard that too re: palate shape. I meant like dropping feeds automatically, but yeah every baby is different. I hope to nurse Zodi for 2 years. He's a booby monster, don't think that will be an issue

 

[Marumi]

Babies will also "self-wean" at some point I think usually after a year.

That depends. If you mean add more solids yes, but to self wean from breastfeeding the average is between 2-4 with quite a few going until 6 and their mouth's palate is designed to suck milk until 7. Then it changes and the mother automatically dries up.

That is a good point, I've heard that too re: palate shape. I meant like dropping feeds automatically, but yeah every baby is different. I hope to nurse Zodi for 2 years. He's a booby monster, don't think that will be an issue

Yeah I'm sure he'll be just fine. Seems the babies that lose interest earlier are fond of solids.

 

[meandmybabys]

every baby is different but mine still feeds quite a lot x

 

[noon_child]

Yeah I'm sure he'll be just fine. Seems the babies that lose interest earlier are fond of solids.

My LO loved both...I was sure for a while there, at around 11months, we did literally nothing but give her something to fill her tummy. She was working on going from 2nd to 25th centile though, where she has stayed ever since, so may be that's why?

 

[Marumi]

Yeah I'm sure he'll be just fine. Seems the babies that lose interest earlier are fond of solids.

My LO loved both...I was sure for a while there, at around 11months, we did literally nothing but give her something to fill her tummy. She was working on going from 2nd to 25th centile though, where she has stayed ever since, so may be that's why?

Good question. I know of many babies that became really good eaters and lost interest earlier but I'm sure there are exceptions. My first kept food for play until 16 months, then got all his teeth (12 at once) and began eating meals. He is still very fond of nursing though.