I need help! I am offically done nursing (not by choice, because my body suddenly decided it was done). I'm having a REALLY hard time getting Kate to drink formula or milk! She will take a sip of either and just spit it back out. This has been going on all week. I'm really starting to get worried....the girl needs to drink something other than juice! I know it is a little early to start her on whole milk, but I decided it was worth a try if she would drink it, but alas...no luck. I have found that she will drink a little bit more if i put the milk in a bottle....but I'm trying to avoid getting her hooked on a bottle since soon she should be just using sippy cups. So what I'm wondering, am I being too ambitious trying to switch her food and her cup at the same time? She has only had like 3 bottles in her life anyway...so even switching to a bottle is an adjustment for her. I feel like such a crappy mom.... she cries and tries to get me to nurse her but she can't understand that I physically can't do it anymore. I would LOVE to still be able to just feed her and we would both be happier....but mother nature had other ideas. So....does anyone have ANY pointers or tips that worked for them? my next thing I will try is putting chocolate in her milk when she wakes up. (if she is really related to me that might do the trick!) All day she has only had like 2oz of formula/milk. Man this is stressing me out! So please please please give me any tips you can think of! I'll try just about anything at this point!
If only kids were like dogs....they won't starve themselves! (not to mention that my dog will literally eat anything you throw at him!)
9 comments:
My sister had the same problem, except she had to stop nursing because her little boy wasnt gaining any weight. The idea that her pediatrician gave her was to leave for a few days and to leave the baby at home with the dad. At first they will continue to refuse drinking from the cup/bottle but will eventually give in. He hated formula so she had to give him pedisure (except walmarts brand). It took him 17 hours to give in, but now they do not have too much trouble with the sippy cup. Hope that helps!
I am sorry! I have no advice as I am just learning how to nurse in the first place. But keep us posted on how it goes! I am sure if she gets hungry enough she will eat!
Almost 11 months isn't too early for whole milk, really. Do you have any BM left? If you can, she might like a bottle of BM better than formula or milk, and then you could slowly switch over to the formula or milk. Like 1/2 BM 1/2 formula, then a little more formula (or milk)... ect.
I do think, though at one they don't need to be drinking as much because she should be getting more of her nutrients from what she's eating. Maybe? I don't remember.
Good luck!
There are some herbal pills you can take to help with breastmilk production. If you don't want to go through that trouble and you don't have any breastmilk saved up, I have some frozen breastmilk. Well, if you don't mind her drinking milk from someone else's body. If that doesn't work I would try the pediasure. I wouldn't be too worried about it though. As long as she is eating other nutritious foods.
I remember it being really hard to get Benji to drink cow's milk, because breast milk is so much sweeter. Please don't put chocolate in her milk, though! You could try vanilla stevia (http://www.google.com/products/catalog?hl=en&q=vanilla+cream+stevia&um=1&ie=UTF-8&cid=10737145989690907329&ei=rvbSTK34EMSblgeBoajcDg&sa=X&oi=product_catalog_result&ct=result&resnum=3&sqi=2&ved=0CDYQ8wIwAg#) Stevia is a healthy sweetener, and the vanilla flavored stuff is particularly good in milk! Then, eventually, put less and less in until she drinks straight cow's milk. Also, make sure she's getting lots of other mashed up foods. If you aren't going to switch to formula, you need to make sure she is still getting all the nutrients she needs. Of course, the first choice is to keep nursing. Figure out exactly what your problem with nursing is, and study and work to find a way to fix it. Nursing is hard. Sometimes really really really hard. But it's worth it to keep trying. (But, definitely don't beat yourself up about it if you do give it up. I, obviously, don't know all the details, so I can't say much on the subject for you!) Good luck!
Oh Miss Sarah -- that sucks! I had some issues with feeding Miss Bets, I just never made enough to keep her happy. I found that having my hubs give her the bottle worked wonders, I stayed out of eyesight -- I think the sippy cup is the way to go, it has to be easier as she gets bigger. I have a NUBY brand one with handles that Bets likes better than any bottle. Hang in there, and know you aren't alone!
Love you!
I finished nursing Miriam when she was 11 mo.s, but she'd been gradually introduced to the bottle and formula since she was 8 months old, so she didn't notice...
Charles is still nursing and much more amenable to others feeding him other things when I'm out of his sight and hearing.
My sis-in-law stopped nursing cold turkey. Her baby boy Alex is just huge, and she was getting literally all bent out of shape just to hold and nurse him, plus when she started him on solids he started nursing every 2 hours at night, so she called it quits. And Alex went on a hunger strike-not even able to look at bottles, crying and vomiting at the sight of his dad preparing them, but on the 5th day he started eating again, and is a great eater now.
It's important to make sure she's getting enough liquids, but mostly water, as too much juice can lead to constipation. I strongly agree with the no chocolate comment. Though putting it with cereal is a good way to dress it up.
The main thing is that she's getting enough calcium, and milk is the easiest source, but not the only one: yogurt, cheese sticks, cream cheese, broccoli, calcium enriched OJ, even adding powdered milk or formula to eggs/omeletes etc.
Miriam is allergic to cow's milk, but there are lots of soy products out there, enriched with calcium, too.
Btw, I stopped nursing voluntarily, cuz it was the right time, but one reason you might've dried up could be... a little bun in the oven...?
Sarah, Solomon isn't nursing but maybe once or twice a day because I'm pregnant and my supply is pretty much gone. I didn't want to use commercial formula so I found a goats milk formula recipe. Goats milk is expensive but still cheaper than formula. I do 1/2 goats milk, 1/2 water, and a little bit of agave nectar or rice syrup. Solomon has had no trouble taking it. Goats milk is good because its make up is the closest to human milk. I hope that makes sense and doesn't sound crazy! Its working for us! I hope this helps!
I wouldn't stress yourself out too much. Try to help her eat healthy foods, but don't worry so much if she doesn't like milk. Luke didn't like milk when he stopped breastfeeding either, but eventually, he started eating it with cereal and then a little bit at a time. He still doesn't drink a lot of milk, but I try to make sure he gets calcium in other ways. Your a great mom, so don't worry so much. Every baby is different, and I'm sure Kate will be fine.
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