Question for B/Feeding Mums...

[MareeM]

My youngest is almost 11mths and still breastfed. I just wanted to know what others are doing or have done after weaning their baby - since formula's and dairy are out - I'm not sure what to do when I'm ready to wean and want to be prepared. I've been thinking about buying the book "Baby Greens" - does anyone have this and does it cover this transition period? I'm not sure at what age a baby is OK to stop drinking milk of some kind and then drink only water, nut milks or juice.

He drinks water and juice occasionally at the moment, but I haven't tried him on nut milk yet as I wasn't sure it would be OK for him. He has had a couple of things with pureed nuts in and hasn't reacted to them so far.

Obviously I would like to breastfeed as long as possible, but he is really draining me at the moment. He has gone back to feeding a lot more often - up to 3 times a night! Anyone else experienced this ? - any suggestions would be appreciated ! He is also a real biter every time he feels his teeth....OUCH ! :eek:

[faeauriel]

Hi There,

Your best bet is to try to continue breastfeeding as long as you can. I totally understand how draining it is as I have a 13 month old DS that nurses constantly and is still up anywhere from 2 - 10 times a night :eek: . I have found that being part of a like minded mothering group has gotten me through the rough spots. Just knowing that the other B/Feeding mamas are going throught the same thing. As for the biting - check about www.askdrsears.com or with a lactation consultant as to how to curb that. The Dr. Sears website will also have information regarding vitamin and mineral needs for babies and toddlers - it's a great site and they are our pediatricians so we are very lucky!

That said, you can try Rice Milk, Almond Milk, and Soy Milk. Soy is a pretty high allergen but my son has tolerated it well. Almond milk is his favorite though. Almonds are pretty low on the reaction scale so it is likely your child will handle it fine.

Ultimately, you will just want to do some more research on nutritional needs but there is absolutely no reason that you need to feed your baby cow's milk, even if you stop b/feeding. Cow's get their vitamins and minerals from natural sources - as can you and your little one :).

Good luck!
Blythe

[*green*faery*]

Hi, I'm still nursing my 14mo. Kylan. I have been giving him a little unsweetened rice milk and homemade raw almond milk, he also LOVES young coconut water. He is down to nursing about 3-4 times during the day. At night he nurses 2-10 time, just depending. On bad days, or when I'm sore (I've had lots of milk blisters and thrush on my nipples) it can be so draining, but on good days I love it. Biting...ouch! I hope you can get some help on that, maybe local LLL could give suggestions?

Kylan can't handle dairy, it gives him rashes. I had to cut dairy out for BF'ding, and then we tried cheese once (what was I thinking?) and he got a rash.

I've read that they need mommy milk or a subsitute until age 2, but I'm not sure if that's completely true. Oh, he's waking up, gotta go...

[juliebove]

I breast fed my daughter for 10 months and had to quit because she was biting me hard enough to draw blood. I also was not producing enough milk for her and she needed to be supplemented with formula. Had I been producing enough I would have just expressed the milk and given it to her via a cup. She was no longer using bottles at that age. Alas, I put her on cow's milk at a year. I didn't know then that she was allergic to it. Also to soy. So now I know why every formula I gave her seemed to make her sick. Gah!

If I were you, I'd keep on with the breast feeding for as long as you can. But I wouldn't start nut products prior to 12 months simply because she might be allergic. My daughter is also allergic to peanuts. That's another food I gave her early on. Peanut butter.

After a year you could continue with the juice and perhaps then add coconut water/milk and nut milk. My daughter is 8 now and occasionally drinks rice milk, but she's not on a raw diet.

[Nimmanu]

I can help with the biting.

When he bites, SMOOSH him up tight to your breast. Yes, so that he can't breathe. The instant he lets go, let him pull away from your breast and latch back on. It's almost universal... SMOOSH a few times and the biting magically disappears...

You don't like being bitten, and he doesn't like being smooshed. ;) It's win-win!

[faith4u]

Here I thought I was the only one with a baby that still nurses a lot at night! :)

I have a 13 month old that nurses three times per day and nurses every 2-3 hours at night and often more. It has made me wonder if it is because of being raw or because of sleeping in our bed.

It makes me feel better knowing that you are all in the same boat.

I have the book Baby Greens and I will have to looki that up. I can't remember if it addressed that or not. I didn't care too much for the book so I haven't looked at it in a long time.

Do you plan on keeping your baby all raw? Is your baby eating now?

[MareeM]

Thanks for all your replies!

Wow. I feel better about the night nursing now...It is just hard at first, getting used to it again, when he was only feeding once a night, sometimes up to 8 hours between and now so often - last night was 2 hrly! Amazing though, since being raw I seem to be able to cope so much better. He also feeds still up to 8 times a day.

He seems to have stopped biting again - I think it's just when he's teething and it's hurting him. Thanks for the smooshing tip - I will try that next time!

I really want to try young coconut milk (for the whole family) but can't get any locally - I'm looking at getting some sent. Is it much different than the milk from older coconuts?

Yes, Greenfaery - that was what I have really been wondering - up to what age they need breastmilk or a subsititute. There are so many differing opinions out there...

Faith4u what is the reason your don't like Baby Greens? Perhaps I won't worry about buying a book on how to feed the kids, but just go with them instead. I was a bit worried to start with (lots of rejecting & refusing), but they seem to be adapting quite well now. I have just discovered that my 4yo loves Alissa's nori rolls - YAY! another win! My 2.5 yo is the hardest to get to eat vegies. He loves fruit, nuts & flat breads. The only greens he eats are avocadoes (loves them - actually fruit aren't they?) and small amounts of carrot & celery. Funny thing is, he seems to like our green drinks (we juice one small apple with them), but the 4yo doesn't. I guess I should just make sure he has some of our green drink every day and then he should be getting enough! OK, after reading what I just wrote - what am I worried about...?? I don't need to read any books on how to feed my kids raw - I'm doing just fine aren't I?

Yes - my baby is also raw, he eats most things I give him - LOVED the durian we got for the first time the other day (so did I & 2.5 yo) - we have all committed to it - the whole family (the kids have no choice!) - I still can't believe my husband has come on board - it is WONDERFUL! Been about a month now. Feels like things are getting easier. Still learning lots - got to throw some things out, like the shredded shop bought coconut (didn't realize it wasn't raw), carob powder I had which is probably roasted etc.

WARNING! DH couldn't get raw cashews the other day, so bought roasted ones instead :eek: Both older boys got into them and boy did they react !! It was coming out the other end for days - I mean POURING OUT! Burning their poor little bots, the 4 yo messed his undies twice (that NEVER happens) and also in his bed too! So DH has learned his lesson! (I made him clean up some of the mess! :D )

[RowanC]

I love the smooshing idea... it doesn't hurt him and gives him a negative response to the biting so he gets the picture. Smart! Where were you 35 years ago? ::grin::

[adrienne]

I breastfed until my daughter was 2 and it wasn't until she was about 18mo that she stopped waking at night (at least once, usually never more than twice). I had 2 other friends who were breastfeeding and they were experiencing the same.
Keep up the good work and breastfeed as long as it really works for you and baby - nobody's time table is the same. Even though I do not have concrete advice for you, I wanted to chime in to let you know you are not alone in your experience.
Best to you and baby :)
Adrienne

[Nimmanu]

I love the smooshing idea... it doesn't hurt him and gives him a negative response to the biting so he gets the picture. Smart! Where were you 35 years ago? ::grin::
Being born myself. :D

[Noix_coco]

Hi!

Anouk is still BF at 2.5yo, still wakes up at night (from 1 to 4 or 5 times).
For the food, my suggestion is to let the child choose by himself. We were cooking for us and when Anouk wanted something she knew how to ask for it. So she ate almost all we were eating (in very small quantities though).

[Pailani]

I've never weaned a child early enough to have to figure out what to do about milk - mine have all weaned around their third birthday. If they'd had a biting problem that I wasn't able to solve, I would have weaned earlier. ;) Hopefully you'll be able to get him to stop biting so that he can continue to nurse.

The night nursing has never been a problem with co-sleeping.

[Sharon in Colorado]

There have been some studies about weaning that I can't remember the source but... once a child is weaned from the breast after a good amount of time (a year or so), there is no need for milk consumption.

Remember, we are the only species that purposely drinks some kind of milk, be it animal or vegetable after weaning.

[AvyB]

I would go with water. Also, I think it is VITAL for optimal health & well being that children nurse for a bare minimum of 2 years, as per the AAP & WHO. I am a breastfeeding zealot, LOL! :D