DD Weaned Herself

[Harris06]

(I origianally posted this in the breastfeeding group that I am in and the ladies were absolutely wonderful!! I just wanted to post this here just in case others were having similar/same issues.)

I was just in the middle of this long post and my computer spazzed and erased it. *tear* I am too frustrated to retype it all right now so I am going to see if I can give you the Reader's Digest version...

DD is about 11 months old and my goal from the beginning is to breastfeed for at least a year; yes, I know I have almost made it so I should be proud of myself, but I can't help but be a little disappointed that I am one month shy. Ok well, let's see, first off, I have always had trouble pumping even when I had a really good supply. I don't know why but pumping has always been hard for me and I have a really nice pump. I have not been able to pump since July so I have a few bottles frozen but not too many. I am 9 weeks pregnant with #2 and ever since I became pregnant I have not enjoyed nurse BUT I did it. I developed a nursing aversion essentially but I nursed through it. It was like nails on a chalkboard for me but I did it. At about that time I noticed that DD wasn't wanting to nurse as much. She would nurse in the mornings after her oatmeal, MAYBE in the afternoon if I would offer it to her, and then before she goes to bed at night. Being that that was the case my supply dwindled even more. I have done some reading online and saw that when you get pregnant your supply does dwindle some AND that it can change the taste and texture of the milk for the nursing child which may cause them to essentially wean themselves. Sounds just like my situation!! I do not think that I have much of anything as far as supply goes now and I tried to nurse DD this morning and she did not want anything to do with it. Like it really upset her. LOL

Now, here is where I am at a loss, I know not to give her cow's milk but do I need to put her on formula after I finish off the frozen milk that I have? I HATE the thought of that...it make ME want to gag! I know to talk to my pedi first before just putting her on but I am just looking for some opinions. I do have DD on a  multivitamin, I only started this in the past couple months when she started nursing less and being more interested in what daddy and I were eating, eventhough her Dr. wanted me to put her on the vitamin from day 1. But that is another story. So, do I look into putting her on formula? Toddler formula? How long do they "have" to be on formula?

I am hoping to get some real answers because I already feel bad enough that I can't get my supply up and I was not able to pump more throughout the months. DD's next Dr.'s appt is next month but if I don't have enough supply or supply frozen than obviously I will see if they will see me sooner.

Thank you in advance, ladies.  

[MSugarKane]

Nov. 11, 2009 at 5:05 AM

If she was bottle fed with formula she would be weaning from the formula at age one anyway.   I would go to cows milk, juices, and water.  By age one they can pretty much eat what an adult eats.

Great job on nursing for 11 months!   I did it with all four of my girls and just about this time they all were weaning themselves, so its normal.

[wendy46121]

Nov. 11, 2009 at 10:04 AM

You can try to use almond milk instead, and make up for the lack of fats in the almond milk by feeding him WHOLE organic yogurt. (make sure it has 4% milkfat in it, which is why I said organic because its not easy to find whole yogurt unless it IS organic. I believe Yo baby is whole yogurt. 

[wendy46121]

Nov. 11, 2009 at 10:05 AM

Oh I want to add you can give him other healthy fat foods like avocado as well.