Practical questions about nursing a toddler

[susannah14]

Hey ladies, I have a few questions!

-How many times a day does your toddler nurse?

-Does your toddler ask to nurse or do you offer periodically? If so, how do they ask? (nonverbally?)

-Do you have any idea how many oz of breast milk your toddler gets from you every day?

-Do you supplement with another type of milk (cow)?

-If your toddler goes to daycare, do you still send breast milk to daycare? If so, how much? And do you pump while you are at work? If not, when did you stop?

THANK YOU SO MUCH

 

[Tacey]

-How many times a day does your toddler nurse? It varies. If we're at home it could be 10 times, if we're out and busy it could be three times.

-Does your toddler ask to nurse or do you offer periodically? If so, how do they ask? (nonverbally?) I offer if it is convenient - mainly if I want a sit down! Otherwise, he asks (signing and saying meh meh).

-Do you have any idea how many oz of breast milk your toddler gets from you every day? Not a clue.

-Do you supplement with another type of milk (cow)? No.

-If your toddler goes to daycare, do you still send breast milk to daycare? If so, how much? And do you pump while you are at work? If not, when did you stop? N/A.

 

[susannah14]

-How many times a day does your toddler nurse? It varies. If we're at home it could be 10 times, if we're out and busy it could be three times.

-Does your toddler ask to nurse or do you offer periodically? If so, how do they ask? (nonverbally?) I offer if it is convenient - mainly if I want a sit down! Otherwise, he asks (signing and saying meh meh).

-Do you have any idea how many oz of breast milk your toddler gets from you every day? Not a clue.

-Do you supplement with another type of milk (cow)? No.

-If your toddler goes to daycare, do you still send breast milk to daycare? If so, how much? And do you pump while you are at work? If not, when did you stop? N/A.

Thanks Tacey! I'm assuming these answers apply to just your one year old, not your daughter? How many times a day does your daughter nurse?

 

[Bevziibubble]

-How many times a day does your toddler nurse? - Lots! I can't even count how many. Many are just short feeds as she gets distracted.

-Does your toddler ask to nurse or do you offer periodically? If so, how do they ask? (nonverbally?) - she always asks by putting her hand down my top!

-Do you have any idea how many oz of breast milk your toddler gets from you every day? - no idea but probably quite a lot as she feeds day and night.

-Do you supplement with another type of milk (cow)? - no

-If your toddler goes to daycare, do you still send breast milk to daycare? If so, how much? And do you pump while you are at work? If not, when did you stop? - N/A

 

[Brieanna]

-How many times a day does your toddler nurse?
It varies. If we are out she only nurses a few times a day but if we are at home she can nurse all the time! almost exactly like pp She nurses frequently throughout the night, every few hours or so

-Does your toddler ask to nurse or do you offer periodically? If so, how do they ask? (nonverbally?)
she ALWAYS askes now, lol. Nonverbally she will just touch my boobs or start lifting up my shirt, but usually just says "boobies!", lol. When she was younger I would offer it if my bb's were getting engorged or it had been awhile. But now she asks for it. She asks for it not only to eat, but when she is sick, falls down, gets scared, has a bad dream, etc.

-Do you have any idea how many oz of breast milk your toddler gets from you every day? no clue

-Do you supplement with another type of milk (cow)? no, she's never had cows milk to drink. Only water or breastmilk

-If your toddler goes to daycare, do you still send breast milk to daycare? If so, how much? And do you pump while you are at work? If not, when did you stop? n/a

 

[Tacey]

Thanks Tacey! I'm assuming these answers apply to just your one year old, not your daughter? How many times a day does your daughter nurse?

Yep, just Arthur! I cut Alice down to once a day a few months ago. She'd happily nurse more than her brother given half a chance!

 

[susannah14]

Thanks for the replies ladies!

-Do you supplement with another type of milk (cow)? no, she's never had cows milk to drink. Only water or breastmilk

Brieanna, I see that your toddler is 2 yrs and 5 months. That's quite an achievement that she's only had bm or water, I am impressed! I am curious, have you had any negative reactions to that from anyone (family, friends, pediatricians)? What are your future plans for milk?

Even at 14 months I'm getting questions about why I'm not just putting him on cow's milk already.

 

[Celesse]

-How many times a day does your toddler nurse?
It depends entirely on what we are doing. If we are super busy then first thing in the morning and bedtime, if I'm distracted around these times he'll just hug the adult getting him up/putting him to bed. If we are at home having a quiet day then he'll nurse lots.


-Does your toddler ask to nurse or do you offer periodically? If so, how do they ask? (nonverbally?)
Theo comes up and sits on my knee and tugs at my top to try and get the boobie out. If I ask him what he wants to do with the boobie he points to his mouth.


-Do you have any idea how many oz of breast milk your toddler gets from you every day?
Not the faintest idea. I've been pregnant twice whilst nursing Theo so he's now on his second supply dip due to pregnancy. The amount he nurses hasn't been effected.


-Do you supplement with another type of milk (cow)?
He has milk on cereal and eats cheese and yoghurt. Occasionally he has a milkshake when the rest of us do. But I don't intentionally give him milk.



-If your toddler goes to daycare, do you still send breast milk to daycare? If so, how much? And do you pump while you are at work? If not, when did you stop?

I'm a SAHM.

 

[Marie000]

just 13 months here, so barely a toddler

-How many times a day does your toddler nurse?
usually 3-4. Sometimes just 2, other times up to 5-6.

-Does your toddler ask to nurse or do you offer periodically? If so, how do they ask? (nonverbally?)
I offer in the morning and at nighttime. I sometimes offer before naps, unless she ate recently.
She also asks for it. She will sometimes put her hand down my shirt, but I try to steer her away from that. Instead she'll climb on me and lie down.

-Do you have any idea how many oz of breast milk your toddler gets from you every day?
Just enough. (so really... I have no idea)

-Do you supplement with another type of milk (cow)?
No.

-If your toddler goes to daycare, do you still send breast milk to daycare? If so, how much? And do you pump while you are at work? If not, when did you stop?
She doesn't go to daycare, but every now and then spends a day with her godmother. I don't send any milk with her. She is a good eater, so it's not as if she'll go hungry. If she is distracted enough, she is fine nursing just morning and before bed.
If she went to daycare 5 days a week, I might reconsider and send milk with her. I don't know.

 

[susannah14]

It's so great to hear all these experiences!

Any working moms nursing toddlers? I'd love to hear from you too!

 

[susannah14]

-How many times a day does your toddler nurse?
It depends entirely on what we are doing. If we are super busy then first thing in the morning and bedtime, if I'm distracted around these times he'll just hug the adult getting him up/putting him to bed. If we are at home having a quiet day then he'll nurse lots.


-Does your toddler ask to nurse or do you offer periodically? If so, how do they ask? (nonverbally?)
Theo comes up and sits on my knee and tugs at my top to try and get the boobie out. If I ask him what he wants to do with the boobie he points to his mouth.


-Do you have any idea how many oz of breast milk your toddler gets from you every day?
Not the faintest idea. I've been pregnant twice whilst nursing Theo so he's now on his second supply dip due to pregnancy. The amount he nurses hasn't been effected.


-Do you supplement with another type of milk (cow)?
He has milk on cereal and eats cheese and yoghurt. Occasionally he has a milkshake when the rest of us do. But I don't intentionally give him milk.



-If your toddler goes to daycare, do you still send breast milk to daycare? If so, how much? And do you pump while you are at work? If not, when did you stop?

I'm a SAHM.

Congrats on your pregnancy! Are you nursing Abigail as well?

 

[korndogger123]

I am going to start weaning so I am not sure my answers will help much as I am not as actively trying to keep breastfeeding.

-How many times a day does your toddler nurse? It varies. Some days it could be 5 times could be 10.. but she LOVES to nurse so never less than 3.

-Does your toddler ask to nurse or do you offer periodically? If so, how do they ask? (nonverbally?) She still cries for it, or sticks her hand down my shirt to try and self serve.

-Do you have any idea how many oz of breast milk your toddler gets from you every day? I have no idea really. At work I can pump 10 0z pumping 2 times in a 6 hour shift. I believe she gets way more than that though as my pumping has slowed down.

-Do you supplement with another type of milk (cow)? Yes, we use cows milk for when we are out, and I either don't have breast milk or have forgotten it. I no longer nurse in public as I am going to be mommy led weaning. but if we are home she gets mommy milk.

-If your toddler goes to daycare, do you still send breast milk to daycare? If so, how much? And do you pump while you are at work? If not, when did you stop? They no longer will give her breast milk at daycare as she is a year old. So they give her cows milk. I DO still pump at work though, and put that milk in the freezer, or send it with her to my grandmas as she will still give her breast milk if I send it.

 

[ttc bubby no2]

-How many times a day does your toddler nurse?

1 year ago it would have been several times a day. Now once or twice, some days not at all but I am trying to slowly wean.

-Does your toddler ask to nurse or do you offer periodically? If so, how do they ask? (nonverbally?)

He just puts his hand down my top. I don't offer anymore but that has only been in the last few months.

-Do you have any idea how many oz of breast milk your toddler gets from you every day?

No idea. I can't get much pumping but I assume he can get more out.

-Do you supplement with another type of milk (cow)?

He has been having cows milk since I started working full time at about 18 months. He is also offered it before bed in my attempt to wean.

-If your toddler goes to daycare, do you still send breast milk to daycare? If so, how much? And do you pump while you are at work? If not, when did you stop?

I don't get enough milk pumping and both mine would never take EBM. For DS2 I didn't even bother trying as he was 18 months. For DS1 he started CC at 10 months and I expressed at work for about a month but gave up as he didn't drink it anyway. It was only 2 days a week so he just had yougurt or cows milk.

 

[Celesse]

I worked when DD was a toddler and nursing, part time and was away from DD 6 hours a day, 5 days a week. I supplied the child minder with formula so she could have one cup a day but she wasn't very consistent in drinking it. My working pattern gave little time for expressing, I didn't do enough hours to need a break. I don't think I'd have bothered expressing even if I worked full time and just given/offered formula or cows milk.

DD made up her feeds first thing and last thing, which is similar to what DS does even though he has me all day long and DD was away from me.

 

[Celesse]

Congrats on your pregnancy! Are you nursing Abigail as well?

I Mother-led weaned Abigail the night before her third birthday.

 

[charlie15]

Sophia is barely a toddler but I will be going back to work so curious what others have to say.

How many times a day? 2, morning and night. Occasionally 3.

Does she ask, nope I just always offer. If she has the 3rd feed during the day she does ask by laying down in feeding pose! I don't think Sophia is a big boobie baby, she doesn't seem to need to comfort feed at all which may be why we have less feeds than others who are feeding older toddlers.

How many ounces? Not a clue

Supplement. We have started giving cows milk. TBH this is only because I want to see her drinking more when I start work next week, only part time but 12 hour shifts, so I really won't be at home at all twice a week. Also give a diet rich in calcium to try and balance out when I will be at work.

Daycare n/a when I will be at work, OH will be with Sophia.

 

[Rachel_C]

My LO is 27 months old now.

-How many times a day does your toddler nurse?
First thing in the morning and before bed every day. Often she will ask at around 11am and sometimes in the afternoon too, but if we're busy or out she doesn't.

-Does your toddler ask to nurse or do you offer periodically? If so, how do they ask? (nonverbally?)

I've never really offered periodically, apart from when she was really little. I just waited for hunger cues and since about a year old she could ask verbally.

-Do you have any idea how many oz of breast milk your toddler gets from you every day?

Not a clue!

-Do you supplement with another type of milk (cow)?

No, there's no need IMO. Sometimes she will have a hot chocolate made with milk (no water) or some milkshake because that's what we're all having, or when she asks for coffee I fob her off with warm milk with some vanilla in it, but she doesn't like milk as a normal drink. She has it in cereal every day though.

-If your toddler goes to daycare, do you still send breast milk to daycare? If so, how much? And do you pump while you are at work? If not, when did you stop?

I don't work and LO isn't at nursery yet, but if we were I don't think I would still be sending milk because she doesn't ask for it if I'm not there and hasn't done since maybe 20 months old.

 

[Brieanna]

Thanks for the replies ladies!

-Do you supplement with another type of milk (cow)? no, she's never had cows milk to drink. Only water or breastmilk

Brieanna, I see that your toddler is 2 yrs and 5 months. That's quite an achievement that she's only had bm or water, I am impressed! I am curious, have you had any negative reactions to that from anyone (family, friends, pediatricians)? What are your future plans for milk?

Even at 14 months I'm getting questions about why I'm not just putting him on cow's milk already.

I am lucky and my friends have never said anything (although a lot of them don't have babies yet so have no basis) and I have a twin sister that had 2 children that she breastfed for 2+ years so my family was used to it.

My LO eats unsweetened yogurt for breakfast, has cheese for snacks and loves things like broccoli and spinach so gets plenty of calcium. When I was pregnant with dd I shopped around for pediatricians that I would like and agree with my parenting decisions. She actually always remarks about how healthy LO is.

Humans actually don't need to drink milk. Most of the world is actually lactose intolerant and we only developed the ability to drink milk after we domesticated the cow.

I am not actually against milk or anything, lol. I would just rather have lo drink only water or breastmilk and get calcium and vitamins from other things.

When people say something to me (about anything involving my parenting actually) I now just smile and nod and then do what I want. If someone asks and is genuinely interested I will tell them things, but otherwise I have found that most people will think you are doing something wrong no matter what, people usually won't change their ideas about something no matter what you say anyways and no one knows my lo like I do. I am really glad I have stuck to my guns about lots of things, even though it has been hard sometimes.

 

[Care76]

I am going to start weaning so I am not sure my answers will help much as I am not as actively trying to keep breastfeeding.

-How many times a day does your toddler nurse? It varies. Some days it could be 5 times could be 10.. but she LOVES to nurse so never less than 3.

-Does your toddler ask to nurse or do you offer periodically? If so, how do they ask? (nonverbally?) She still cries for it, or sticks her hand down my shirt to try and self serve.

-Do you have any idea how many oz of breast milk your toddler gets from you every day? I have no idea really. At work I can pump 10 0z pumping 2 times in a 6 hour shift. I believe she gets way more than that though as my pumping has slowed down.

-Do you supplement with another type of milk (cow)? Yes, we use cows milk for when we are out, and I either don't have breast milk or have forgotten it. I no longer nurse in public as I am going to be mommy led weaning. but if we are home she gets mommy milk.

-If your toddler goes to daycare, do you still send breast milk to daycare? If so, how much? And do you pump while you are at work? If not, when did you stop? They no longer will give her breast milk at daycare as she is a year old. So they give her cows milk. I DO still pump at work though, and put that milk in the freezer, or send it with her to my grandmas as she will still give her breast milk if I send it.

The part in red is absolutely appalling to me. I can't believe a daycare would deny a mother's milk! I am not sure you can legally do that here. We used to foster and we could not ever not accept a mother's milk for their child if given to us.

 

[Care76]

My son just turned 1 two weeks ago, so he is barely a toddler.

-How many times a day does your toddler nurse? 4-5 times. I count 1 feeding when he nurses both sides. So if he just eats from one side I count that as half a feeding.

-Does your toddler ask to nurse or do you offer periodically? If so, how do they ask? (nonverbally?) He pulls at my shirt to try and get my boobs out himself. But I always offer first thing when he wakes and before each nap and night time bedtime. But he will ask if we are home and chilling. If we are out he is too busy to nurse. Maybe for a minute but not longer if we are out.

-Do you have any idea how many oz of breast milk your toddler gets from you every day? No idea

-Do you supplement with another type of milk (cow)? No. But he has had fresh goats milk twice (an ounce). It was from his nanny for us to cook with and we wanted to see if he liked it. He loves goats milk cheese and yogurt.

-If your toddler goes to daycare, do you still send breast milk to daycare? If so, how much? And do you pump while you are at work? If not, when did you stop? I work from home so this doesn't apply. But I did have to go to the hospital and my husband had to give him pumped milk.