How Many Times a Day Should She Be Breastfeeding?

My DD refused me at six months so I just started pumping. She is ready for more solid foods and is letting you know by refusing you. If you want to continue Breast Milk then just pump...in a couple of months she will be moving to a sippy cup and off of bottle/breast anyway.

I know it is hard to let go of that connection but as long as she is getting the Breast Milk it doesnt matter how she drinks it as long as she is getting it.

There could be any number of reasons for a nursing strike. My youngest daughter would stop nursing everytime her dad walked into a room. Didn't matter how hungry she was, she'd pull away and watch him. Teething is another big reason to slow down. She may just be ready for a change in the routine. If she is eating solid foods, she doesn't need to nurse quite as frequently. Doesn't mean she needs to stop.
La Leche League is a great resource.

At this point, I would say she should be nursing atleast 4 times a day. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, bedtime and maybe a snack in there somewhere. Are you nursing her before she eats the baby food? If not, I would recommend that. Try to be patient with her. If you are stressed, she will react to that. Also, she may be distracted by others in the room. When my babies were about 7 months of age, they would rather see what was going on than eat. I just had to keep directing them to my breast. It also would help, if I could send my other children to their room while I was nursing. That way, we could have "quiet time". The babies would do much better then. Another thing is that I would have to turn off the TV sometimes or stop reading a book while I was nursing.

Hang in there. You are doing a great job by nursing her this long. If you don't want to give her formula, then don't. Be patient and continue to offer the breast. She will nurse as much as she needs. Just continue to offer. I nursed 4 children (3 of them until they were 14mo. old) and yes, I struggled with each one of them at times to continue to nurse. But, I was determined not to have to give them formula. You can too.

Also, don't be afraid to call the La Leche League. They are big on breastfeeding. I called them once when my baby wouldn't nurse, and they gave me really good advice.

Hope this helps.

I wonder if she's trying to wean. I had a similar experience but forced my daughter to continue breastfeeding. Then after that my doctor told me I could have put her on cow's milk (I, like you, refused to buy formula) - but I think my daughter was more like 10 mos. Anyhow, I'd check on the cows milk and possibly pump. I don't know that I'd repeat what I did as I think I ignored my daughter's natural time to wean (which made weaning at 2 very difficult). Whatever you do, I wish you the best!

Hi Bethany,

I am sorry your girlie is doing this. I am a mom of 6 and my last 2 boys nursed up to 4 -- well 1 month before the 4th b-day. You mentioned you baby-sit during the day, is there anyway this a little distracting for her (maybe she interested in playing and just the kids in general). All of mine did go through a faze where they were interested in other things, but that lasted about a week or two. If you want your milk supply to stay plentiful -- pump and store or put in the cup, but don't get discouraged. As they get older they do nurse less. Just find a quiet spot.Have a nursing day. A day when all the two of you do is lounge around, cuddle and nurse. Saturday or Sunday was my day to do that (once or twice a month). Good job keeping it up, most do not do it past 3 mo. Take care.

Do you think maybe your milk is slow to let down? Maybe she is getting used to the "instant gratification" of the sippy cup and your let down is frustrating for her. (I have one breast that had a tumor removed along with a milk duct – and the let down on that side is much slower than my other side – and now that my daughter is older (just a few days younger than yours) she rejects the bad side unless I start nursing on the good side and then switch once I let down. When she rejects the bad side – she acts the same way you are describing.) If you think this is it – you could try pumping just long enough to get your milk to let down and then start to nurse.

I would stop the juice.

It may be that time where you both are busy and she is getting enoughh from the solid foods. This was about the time that my daughter and I weaned ourselves from the breast. She may be getting amjple nurishment from the finger food and such that she does not desire the breast any more. Try pumping and putting it in a sippy cup. I went from breast milk to powdered milk as it has the same consistency as breast milk she didn't like formula. Follow your baby's lead and you will be fine. The other S.

I've read that they go through a phase around now where they seem like they're weaning. You might want to talk to a lactation consultant, or hit the library and get some books on breastfeeding older babies. Definitely pump in case she changes her mind. She may also be copying off of everyone else drinking out of cups. Good luck!

Keep offering. At this age they are BUSY. So much to see and do. www.kellymom.com has a lot of great resources for nursing strikes (and a bunch of other topics!

Congrats on 8 months of nursing! You made it through the hardest you can make it through anything

When I worked in day care, we would feed the babies lunch and follow it with a bottle when rocking them to sleep (nap).

Then, when I had my own, I did the same, but nursed as I rocked them to sleep. That seemed to be what worked.

I agree that maybe you should cut back on the juice. If you can get her to nurse about 3 times a day and keep it in a "routine", you should be doing good. If she has enough teeth to be eating finger foods, she should be getting what she needs.

I hope this helps.

P. <><

I stopped nursing (cold turkey) at 9 months of age. Wouldn't nurse for anything (at least that's what my mom said). Some kids just decide to quit. If you want her to keep getting breast milk and she refuses to nurse, I'd just pump and give her a sippy cup with it. Sometimes kids just want to grow up so fast. I know my kids do - just not with nursing. I end up having to force them off so I can get my body back to normal. Good luck.

Your daughter is self weaning - in my experience, if you keep offering, she'll go back to it in a couple of months. If I knew then what I know now, I wouldn't have kept offering. Pump and sippy cup, by all means. She's also getting much more in a feeding than she used to.

S.

I wouldn't worry about it, just keep offering if she seems hungry and don't worry if whe wants something else. I talked to my pediatrician when my first was this same age because my baby went to a babysitters 2 days a week, and on those days I worked I was unable to pump out any milk any more. I was concerned about fluid intake, and asked him what babies needed at this age. He said if the baby is breastfeeding at least twice a day (which my son was- early morning and before bedtime), not to worry, they were getting enough fluids. He recommended offering a cup at mealtimes with some water, but not to worry too much if they weren't interested yet. Hope that helps ease your mind a little.