When did your baby lose interest in breastfeeding?

**milach** · 08-15-2003, 03:39 PM

As I'm typing this, my boobs are just killing me. I just wanted to share that...

Anyways, DD is now 8 months she's crawling around everywhere exploring everything and eats like a hog. Since I have to bring ds to preschool in the AM, she's been getting up later so I don't have time to breastfeed her in the AM. The rest of the day, she's too busy crawling around and playing and has no interest in anything else, then at night, she's more interested in playing with her big brother. So I think she's about done with the whole thing.

She drinks from a sippy cup really well, but I don't want to give her formula. My pump I have is OK for relief when I'm engorged- but I can't exactly fill a bottle with it- and it's too late now to buy a good $300. electric pump. Can I just give her regular milk? She already does take vitamins with flouride, but are those enough?

What's your experience?

**mommy2three** · 08-15-2003, 05:38 PM

hi laura,
my little one is 5 months old and still nurses. my dd nursed till she was 14 months.
what exactly is your dd drinking from the cup?? is it juice or expressed breast milk? i'm not so sure she'd be ready for cow's milk, but i'm not a dr.

i would say maybe try to make some quiet time where you could nurse her in the evenings....if you still want to.
maybe sara can chime in on this one, since i know she breastfeeds....or frugalmel.
sorry i don't really have any advice....except to maybe keep trying.

**mommy2three** · 08-15-2003, 05:41 PM

i forgot to mention a nursing necklace. have you tried one?? i have one and my little one loves it. we don't use it while he's nursing yet, but he loves to play with it. i have heard MANY good things about how they work to keep the baby's attention while nursing.
GOOD LUCK.

**dz_blonde_girl** · 08-15-2003, 06:11 PM

Call your child's Dr and ask. If she's eating a good variety of other food he'll probably say OK.My dd started on cow's milk at 9 months.

**Milhos** · 08-16-2003, 12:55 AM

By 9 mo. ds was down to 1, sometimes 2 times a day with nursing. The rest were formula bottles and cups. Formula is like extra vitamins and $8 Carnation Good Start coupons made most of the formula free. My dr. said not to start baby on cow's milk too early because there isn't as much nutritional value as formula and the chance for a baby to develope an allergy to milk and milk products was higher. She told me to wait until after his first birthday.
I had to stop nursing him all together at nine months because I needed to take medication for my kidneys which would have been harmful to him. I was very lucky that he was so used to formula and just cut him off cold turkey - no frozen to change with. I pumped for about a week or so and then I was fine.

***If you say that you can't get enough for a bottle from pumping, maybe she knows that she won't be sustained with nursing and doesn't want to bother working at it.

**Ellise** · 08-16-2003, 10:29 AM

Each child is different. DS1 nursed untill he was 9 months, then went straight to cow's milk. DS2 nursed for 11 months then to cow's milk. DD nursed for 5 months then to cow's milk. so it really depends on the child and their tolerance to the cow's milk. I would check with my pediatritian(sp?) to make sure. Only the child can let you know for sure.

By the way, all three of mine were eating from a spoon (baby cereal) by 3 to 4 months. But then again I had BIG babies. Dr, said to give them soupy cereal to help them sleep longer so I did and it worked like a charm.

Best of luck to you. and keep us posted on how shes doing

**Sara Noel** · 08-16-2003, 10:53 AM

Alexandra is just about 9 mos old and still nursing. She is nursing less though. I offer her a sippy cup once a day. She drinks it like an ole pro and I know will do fine when it comes time to wean.
I don't have plans on when. I am leaving it open to her cues. So far, she naturally is nursing less and I think within a few months, she may be weaned completely.
I don't have any advice because I'm not quite there yet myself. Alexandra also has a dairy allergy through bfing, so I have no idea if she'll tolerate straight milk later.
I guess if my options were milk or formula, I'd choose formula. I'd ask a dr and see what they had to say though.

**frugalmel** · 08-16-2003, 03:48 PM

I would definitely ask your doctor. Both my kids went through a less interested phaze, but never gave it up. (I just weaned the 22mo old last month against her will! ) How does your dd go to sleep at night? My 2 always nursed to sleep.

One thing I would NOT do is put her on a bottle now. If you do wean I would only use a sippy cup. But you probably already knew that.

**milach** · 08-18-2003, 08:58 AM

Maybe I'll askj her dr at next month's visit. After meals, I give her a sippy cup with water (she probably drinks a 1/2 of a sippy cup of water a day, maybe a whole one if it's really hot out).

I never went through this with ds, because I stopped nursing him after 2 weeks and even to this day, he'd rather drink than eat. Amanda is the complete opposite. If it's out infront of her, she'll eat it and throughly enjoys it.

Everything I read says they have to have breastmilk or formula for the first year- but I know there's gotta be some leeway on that.

Misty- I remember seeing you original post when you got that necklace- where did you get it and could you post the link if you got in online? Thanks!!

**mommy2three** · 08-18-2003, 09:03 AM

sure,
i got it at www.busybabybeads.com and they are really nice. they are made of BIG BRIGHT wooden beads. just perfect for little hands. the girl that runs the site is named lauren and she is soooo nice. i ordered the personalized one. hope this helps. good luck.