Suddenly feeding less (at 20 months)

[Marie000]

When my daughter was around 17 months old, I stopped breastfeeding on demand and instead started feeding her only before her nap and before bed. Now at 20 months, she still gladly nurses twice a day, but I have noticed in the last week or so, she doesn't drink as much. She seems to be mostly nursing for comfort. I thought I was imagining things, but in the last two days, I had some leaked milk on my shirt in the morning. That hasn't happened in ages.

Why the sudden drop?
She's not sick and she eats normally (which in her case, means she eats a lot!)
She's too young to be weaning herself, right?
Should I introduce some cow's milk? She normally only drinks water and the very occasional juice. She eats cheese and yogourt.

I wouldn't be worried if I still fed her on demand, but since I am not, I am a little worried about her milk intake, and about losing my supply before she is ready to stop.

 

[aliss]

Sorry Marie but approaching this age, I would say your baby is probably just growing up Bittersweet. My son is the same age and acting the same.

 

[Marie000]

Sorry Marie but approaching this age, I would say your baby is probably just growing up Bittersweet. My son is the same age and acting the same.

but she's just a baaaabbyyy

It's though watching them grow up so fast. I thought I was looking forward to the end of breastfeeding, but now I'm not so sure. I feel a bit guilty too about stopping the on-demand breastfeeding (especially since I did it for me, not for her) and maybe I pushed her to wean early.
Ah, mommy guilt never stops!

I guess she'll be fine though. She is growing like a weed (taller than most 24-30months old I know) and eating tons.

 

[aliss]

That's fantastic! I was just visiting a friend today with a girl the same age and she said the same thing. I guess its just time!

 

[kittylady]

I find they go through phases. My lo did slow down for a while but she has days where she feeds a lot and shes now 22 months.

 

[Agcam]

I breastfed on demand till about 19 months, and then cut it down to first thing in the morning, before naps (when we were together at weekends) and before bedtime. Prior to that, he was still waking to nurse at night and my health was suffering due to lost sleep and exhaustion, since I work full-time.

A couple of weeks after I cut down, I noticed that he was feeding for shorter than normal. When he was just past 20 months old, he got distracted one morning before he could feed (spotted one of his favourite toys at the time). That was the end of breastfeeding for us. He just never wanted to feed again. Definitely bittersweet, but they grow up fast, don't they?