1St Time Mother...need Some Help!

You're supposed to give babies only whole milk after they're one year old. We use lactose free milk because of my husband but it's probably good for her too in case she inherited his lactose intolerance, I'd rahter not find out the hard way! There are many milk alternatives, look into what works best for you if you don't want to give the baby cow's milk. My daughter never took formula, she wouldn't! So I breastfed her through 20 months, after one year she had milk too, but the one day a week that I worked I pumped or she just drank water, because she absolutely refused the formula those days. I also felt like I didn't have enough milk, but they will quit if they're not getting what they need, trust me! I tried weaning three times after 18 months but every time something came up and I couldn't. She weaned herself one night shortly afterward. Good luck!

You should start giving her WHOLE milk after her first birthday. She needs all the nutrients that breastmilk/formula can give her until then and there is less of a chance of developing problems with cows milk. After her second birthday you can give her any percentage that you usually drink.

We introduced milk at 12 months. Our Pedi recommended using whole milk.

As for your BFing concerns/supply etc; It's normal to produce less milk once a baby starts solids, and the demand goes down. When the number of nursings decrease, the milk supply decreases as well. But dont stress about it! Your breasts will adjust to produce whatever amount she needs. Some mothers only nurse once a day, for years!

It sounds like your doing a great job, Mommy!

You can start giving cow's milk at 1 year of age and it needs to be whole milk (babies need the fat for various growth including her brain). Your mother is probably right - your body will produce as much as your daughter needs and as your daughter grows and eats more solids she won't eat as much breastmilk. However, it can happen that your body won't produce enough milk and some woman have to supplement with formula - if you're concerned about this start giving her sippy cups with 3/4 breastmilk and 1/4 formula. When she seems used to that make it 1/2 breastmilk and 1/2 formula and continue like that until she is drinking all formula from a sippy cup. Most likely though the amount of milk you are producing is just fine - a good indication of this is whether your daughter still seems hungry after she finishes nursing. If she seems satisfied then she is getting plenty.

No cow milk till she is a year and then it should be whole milk. I'm sure you are making enough. Our breasts just get adjusted to how much they need and we stop getting that engorged feeling. I remember feeling the same way.

you are not supposed to give cow milk until they are 1 but I didn't introduce it until I was ready to wean my daughter at a 18mo because they don't really need if they are nursing regularly.

Hi C.. You are not supposed to give milk until they are 1 yr old and it is whole milk only for the first year because the baby needs the good fats in it. And yes, your body produces only as much breast milk that your baby needs. I breastfed my daughter for 14 months and am still breastfeeding my almost two yr. old. he is getting his back mollers in and has been nursing a lot lately, so much so that I was leaking the other day which has not happened since he was 3 months old! Your body knows when to produce more or less depending on how much your child is taking in. Hope this helps.

Hi C.!

I breastfed my son until he was 12 months old and introduced whole milk at 12 months as recommended by his doctor. My son hated formula so his doctor also suggested Pediasure which tastes much better than formula and has all the nutrients. My son was beginning to slow in his weight gain so his doctor also suggested a high fat diet so that he could get back up to a weight percentile consistent with his earlier growth curve. Since then his growth has been super! It sounds like your daughter is a good size so I guess try not to worry too much (I know it easier said than done) and talk to her doctor about your concerns openly. She should be going in next month for a 9 month check-up, right? Or you could just call the office, most have a nurse that will answer any questions and recommend a visit if things sound serious.

Good luck!!
M.

If I remember right, most doctors recommend to wait at least until they are 1 year old. Its always best to talk to your doctor if changing milk, etc..
Hope this helps.

You are doing a good job mom

they are not supposed to start milk until they are 1. I would not worry about your milk drying up unless you are on medication, because some medications including certain birth control can dry your milk. Your breastmilk works on supply and demand. Your body will make as much as she eats. I would not worry that she is not getting enough nutrition, you say she's a porker (just like my baby) and if she is mentally developing well, then i don't believe there is any cause for concern. Just keep doing what your doing, it sounds like you've already got it figured out and your doubting yourself for no reason.

Hey there. I never had enough milk for either of my sons by myself. With my first son I didn't know anything about producing more milk accept pumping more, which didn't help because I didn't get anything out. Then when my second was born 14 weeks premature, I quickly had to learn ALOT About pumping and how to produce milk.
I have learned 2 things that helped me go from almost no milk to having plenty by the next day. First one is Mother's Milk tea, for breastfeeding mothers. It's in the organic aisle of teas at Fred Meyers, and tastes kind of like chammomile tea.
The second and BEST advice I have it FENUGREEK! You can also buy it at Fred Meyers or at GNC's (but much cheeper at Fred Meyers). The back of the bottle says to take only 3 a day, but that didn't help me so I looked online for help. I found on many many websites that you can take up to 14 capsules a day, and if you take any less than 6 it won't help at all. On days I had no milk, I took 11 (4-breakfast, 3-lunch, 4-dinner) and my milk would be completely back by the next day. If I had enough milk but wanted to make sure it didn't dwindle again since I always battled that problem I just took 9 a day, 3 at each meal. It sounds like alot, but there are no side effects. I found out if they actually put the right amount you need on the bottle it would have to be prescription only so they just write 3/day on most herbs to get away with selling it over the counter.
So anyways, goodluck! I have been where you are. Especially when they get older, you feel like you have no milk all the time, atleast I felt that way. The Fenugreek was something I learned really late in my breastfeeding career and I have to say it is the single handedly best piece of advice there is for upping breast milk.
Godbless~
H.

I have an 8 month old, also, but mine's a boy. :) I've been breastfeeding as well and I really noticed that my milk supply really goes up when I've been drinking a lot of water that day. If I don't have a full breast to give him when it's bed time he does not sleep well, and drinking a lot of water makes all the difference.

I've heard that you should avoid giving dairy until 12 months old since it is so difficult to digest. My little guy has had tiny bits of cheese and has handled it just fine, though.

Breastmilk is best! :)

Hope this helps!

Hi C., I'm also a 1st time mom and my son is now 9 months old. My doctor and my WIC office have told me to wait until my son is 1 years old before introducing cows milk. Breast milk and formula has a lot more vitamins and nutrition in it, so it's best to wait until your daughter is one.

As for her not wanting to take a bottle with formula, it just may take multiple tries before she gets use to it. Try and make a small bottle of formula every day, just to try and get her to adjust to the change and eventually she will take it. It may take some time because that not what she's use to but don't give up, but also don't force her to eat it. Maybe just squirt a little bit on her tongue day by day, eventually she will start to like it.

Then if that works then try and give her just one bottle a day. I would suggest at night because you can add some rice to the bottle and then she'll sleep longer through out the night. This way, you've already gotten her use to the bottle just in case your breast milk dries up or if you and your hubby want a night alone, then you will know that she will have plenty of food in her belly while she stays the night at grandmas house. I wanted to breast my son until he was a year old but I dried up when he was 6 months old.

good luck

what i was told to do, was mix it with formula for a month or so so they get used to it. i personally just started giving my son milk at about 11 months because he was such a big boy (30 lbs at a year) and the doc said that was fine. since you can't mix it lol, i would give her a little bit of whole milk every day around 11 or so months. you could talk to your ped and see. some docs let you do it around 10 months, and some say don't until exactly 12 mo. my daughter was so small (only about 19 lbs at 1) that i gave her whole milk a little early too just to get fat on her bones lol. but def wait until 11 months at least, unless your ped says otherwise.
and don't worry about not producing as much milk as she needs. just drink lots of water, and try the tea and stuff that the other mother recommended. and i would def try weening her around 10 mo so that when 1 yr comes around you're not stopping cold turkey. my kids were bottle babies, and i swore i was going to take them off when they were 1 but it was so easy not to. so he was 18 mo and she was 16 before i finally got them off the bottle lol. its hard, but you can do it. good luck!

Pediatricians usually recommend introducing whole milk into a child's diet at age 1+. I breastfed my daughter until she was 11 months, and them weaned her into sippy cups with whole milk. As long as you are breastfeeding on a regular basis, you should'nt really worry about your breastmilk production. Once you start weaning gradually, your milk will then start to reduce in time... Hope that helps.

My sister has a 3 yr. old that has only ever had water to drink. As long as they have proper nutrition and vitamins, I don't think it's necessary.

Hi C.,
You shouldn't give her milk (whole milk is the first because it has so many vitamins) until she turns one. Maybe you could try incorporating some formula now in her sippy cup (yah if she never takes a bottle and goes straight to a cup!!). I nursed my kids too and stopped at 8 months. Now would be a good time to start wheaning her a little (not much) so that she gets both so you don't have too hard of a transition when she turns one. She is also old enough to have juice now too. She might like that. It sounds like you're doing everything right so don't worry!! :)

Hello there,

I am also a first time mom... But growing up with my older sister, who had her first when I was 4... I was always around babies. I also asked my doctor this question... At one year old, they are ready for whole milk, they need all the vitiams and the formula is for under one years old. I also breastfeed, he is four months, and i have bigger breast.. they were always full in the beginning but it is true you breast know how much your baby needs so it only makes that much. Good luck and congrats on your daughter!

they grow toooo fast

I breast fed my first boy til I got pregnant and he didn't like the milk anymore! I think it's the best so however long you and Hailey are happy nursing, keep at it. Your milk WILL meet your little girl's needs. If you find your milk not as satisfying to her, make sure you drink enough water and eat enough food. I never went to formula or cow milk. We went right to juice and water. There are other ways to get calcium and the stuff in milk (and the fact that it is a highly allergic food) isn't worth the risk. My son just drinks water and juice, eats and drinks what we do. He's strong and healthy.
God made your body so incredibly! And you mother instincts are better than anything!

C.- you don't need to introduce milk until you wean the breastfeeding- and it isn't good to introduce it before her 1st birthday (higher risk for developing an allergy) At this point you have been nursing for 8 months (way to go!) and your breasts are really used to the routine, so most times you won't feel full or like you have milk in them until she starts sucking. And you mom is right, it is very much a supply and demand thing, you will only make as much as she needs. Anyways- you are doing great and keep it up!

K.

I have been breastfeeding since my son was born. He never cared for a bottle, either. I started giving him whole milk around age 1. He is now 20 months, has 2 cups (about 12 oz.)total daily of whole milk. He still nurses quite a bit. He never drinks any formula. Breastmilk is plenty. Just like your mom said, the breastmilk keeps producing as long, and as much, as they keep drinking. I remember feeling like my breasts were much fuller at first. I dont' know if I just got used to it. I'm sure there's less milk than to begin with, but then I was nursing every couple of hours when he was tiny. You sound like me, my mom has been my only babysitter, too. Plus, my son, drinking breast milk, and cow milk, and eating solids....well, I don't know where he puts it all. He isn't a chunk at all. He even lost his little round baby face!! His weight is always around the 50th percentile. He eats lots of fruits and vegetables so far, knock on wood.