Nursing 1 Yr Old

Hi K.,
Awesome that you're still nursing!
I do wonder why you would switch your human child from human milk to cows milk though. If you're nursing on demand and giving your child healthy food options there is no need to measure your quantities of milk. Nature provides the right combination of stuff in your milk for your child, just like it does for cows to nurse their calves.
The World Health Organization recommends nursing till at least age 4. No offense to the woman who suggested weaning your daughter she doesn't know what she's talking about for proper nutrition for a child. Her reasoning is idiotic, "is so dependant on Mom". A baby is supposed to rely on her/his parents!!!! Nursing has been proven to do nothing but create a child that feels secure and loved and able to go out securely into the world knowing that her/his parents will be there need be.
I don't think there is a real science, nurse and provide food when you eat for her. Fresh fruits, veg and grain should be there to taste, if she wants.

I have a 14 month old still nursing around 3/4 times a day. I have been giving him a sippy cup with water for 2 months now and just last week started milk. Its a slow process but I think hes doing well. Hes my only child so its taken me a while. Good luck! And I think nursing is a positive thing and you should be proud of yourself for sticking with it!

I just took my son to his one year old checkup and I told my ped that my son doesn't like milk at all but he does love yogurt. She doesn't seem to be too concerned about him not drinking milk as he is eating yogurt. She told me to buy the liquid vitamin D to put in his food and is okay that he is not drinking milk. My son eats about 12 oz. of whole milk yogurt and the only time he will drink milk is if I add a bit in his baby food but I am starting to cut back on his baby food and start feeding him table food. My ped said that milk / breastmilk is taking the backseat now and my son should be eating more table food because if they fill up on milk they will not want to eat food. They have to learn to get used to texture in their mouth or they will have a hard time getting used to it when they get older.

Now I am feeding my one year old three meals a day with a 4oz. yogurt at each meal since he doesn't drink milk. I feed him anything from bread with cold cuts (without nitrate ones) and cheese to mac and cheese and scrambled eggs. I still feed him baby food for fruits and some veggies since he only had two teeth and hard for him to chew things that are not soft enough.

I also give him snacks in between if he will take it. Things like cheerios or crackers or cheese bites.

I really do not want to be negative, however, have you considered weaning baby from nursing? All babies should be OFF the bottle by age one. Then you introduce the sippy cup. If not the baby is at risk for bottle rot teeth. I am going to guess that you baby is walking, or starting to walk. Baby is definatly ready for a sippy cup. If you are really serious about the breast milk, couldnt you pump the milk? If you keep it up mush longer, You will have a 2 years old reaching for your breast and you risk keeping your child from growing and learning skill because baby is so dependant on Mom. Sometimes, you have to look at your motives, are you still nursing because YOU want to? It is healthy to give baby independance and let baby learn and explore the world. If not you are going to have a very needy , whining, TODDLER. and that is what your baby is. A toddler.I would get a second opionon because the bottle should be totally out of the question. Your baby wants less nursing because the food she is eating is making her/he strong and helathy.I offered my INFANT - 1yr old 3 meals of food a day, and inbetween an unlimited amount of milk at any other time of the day or night, Baby will drink plenty of milk.. It really should be food first, then milk. She will want milk trust me.I guess the bottom line is I need to just come out and say it. I know some moms will be mad.(nursing after age 1 is ussually because Mom loves the bond and has trouble detatching from baby. It is not only my opinion, it is in the majority medical books, that nursing should end by 1 years old. That is when baby becomes a toddler. All 4 of my childrenstarted solid at 8 months old. They were tottally off the bottle by age 1 with the exception of my first baby. I didnt know any better and she was still sticking a bottle in her mouth till age 3. i know know the damage I was causing.Let nature takes its course. She wants food, do not worry, she will still want pleanty of sippy cups durring the day. Good lLuck to you and the other Mom that responed. She is nursing very late also. Take care and pls do not be mad. It is only an opionon.I think you will know what I am saying if you have another baby.you will celebrate the sippy cup milestone.

Currently my son is almost 13 months. His eating schedule is:

6am nurse
9am real oatmeal with pureed fruit and yogurt
noon gerber cereal with 2oz breast milk mixed in, 1-2 servings of veggies and possibly cheese
3pm fruit
6pm gerber cereal with 2 oz breat milk mixed in, 1-2 servings of veggies and possibly cheese
8pm real oatmeal with yogurt
9pm nurse

I wanted to introduce cow's milk to him this week buy he had a severe allergic reaction to eggs so the dr told me to wait another couple of weeks. I have been making sure he gets lots of calcium in his veggies too by feeding him broccoli, kale, etc. I cook all his food with the execption of the gerber cereals. Personally I wouldn't worry about nursing with meals anymore. I would just offer good veggies that are filled with calcium to make sure she's getting the nutrients she needs.

PS when I do introduce the cow's milk to him it will be in a sippy cup. No bottle here now and no need for ME to introduce it to my son now. So I also would recommend that if you're not using a bottle now, go to the sippy cup instead.

I hope this helps!!

Around a year I was no longer pumping at work and just nursed right after work and sometimes before bed. It was more for comfort at the point for my son than for nourishment, so I didn't worry too much about it. At that age, we also offered milk in a cup with all meals and snacks (I work during the week, so my husband is home) and we had no trouble. If you are really worried about that quantity of milk, try measuring it in the morning into a smaller container and serving from it throughout the day. Estimate how much she might get from a feeding from you. She is probably getting enough. Not long and she probably will only need 16-20 ounces at the most. I have always been terrible with schedules so just go day to day and let everything balance out. Good luck!

P.S. I also agree--ignore anyone who tells you to wean, that is stupid. I did wean my youngest around 13 1/2 months, but he was naturally down to one nursing session a day and that was not even before bed. My boys are very outgoing and sociable and always have been, even when they were running back to mommy when they were hungry, so nurse as long as you and your baby want to! I have never heard of a medical opinion that did not support extended nursing, and many children are simply not ready to stop at a year.

hi,
I am nursing my toddler (23 months) 2/3 time a day.He likes to nurse upon awakening and still does eat is breakfast ( i am 5 months pregnant though ,so i may have a lot less milk than you do ) then we nurse after lunch usually to put him down for his nap and once at night after dinner to go to sleep too.He does get two bottles of milk during the day too to go with his snack time like around 9.30/10 am and 3.30 or so (when his brother and sister have one too after their school day,he gets snack like fruit cup,apple sauce,apples slices,clementines ,yogurt,graham crackers, cut grapes ,ritz crakers and cheese ,cheerios and milk (the bottle will be smaller if the snack itself contains dairy though )... plus a bottle along with them.The older kids have the same snack as him just bigger quantities plus a cup of milk usually.Hope this help.
N.

First of all, good for you for still nursing your baby. (I breastfed both of mine until 2 years old.)

It really does not matter if you breastfeed first or offer food. What does your baby want? Follow the little one's needs. One of mine wanted to nurse first and the other wanted to eat food, then nurse. As long as you are offering nutritious foods, baby will get what they need and the order does not matter.

I would not offer her cow's milk in a bottle however. I'd give her milk in a glass or sippy cup.

I just nursed my kids on demand, still. Even at that age.
I never had a 'schedule.'
I nursed until my kids self-weaned... even if they were on solids and whole milk.

I always, nursed BEFORE solids. If nursing after solids, a baby will wean... because they get too full to nurse. And yes, your body will produce milk per your child's nursing frequency.
Again, I ALWAYS nursed, before solids or any 'meal.' Then later, it was solids.

And yes, as a baby gets older... they naturally lessen the frequency of nursings... but your body will still produce milk and adjust to that.

I breastfed my daughter until she self-weaned at about 2.5 years old.
My son self-weaned at about 1 year old.

I always nursed my kids upon waking, on-demand at other times, BEFORE solids, before naps, before bed time, anytime they woke during the nights per growth-spurts, and just on-demand and per their cues.

I suggest, you nurse your baby BEFORE any solids.... otherwise, a baby will wean and be too full to nurse after solids.

And by the way, our Pediatrician said I was doing GREAT!

all the best,
Susan