Helping 6 Mo Old Begin to Wean

Hi H.-
I remember not wanting to leave the house becasue my baby would not eat from a bottle of breast milk. He'd cry and resist, and I would feel like it wasn't working...so I'd go back in the house, room, from whereever I was listening in from and nurse him. I agree with the "just leave" idea, as long as your husband's willing to patiently wait it out and keep trying to feed your little girl. It took a couple 6 hour days away from mommy to convince my son his dad could feed him from a bottle.

I would also recommend focusing on increasing the number of times per day you feed cereal. Mix it with breast milk so you know she's getting a little extra nutrients and help with digesting (plus it's really tasty for her...I've heard older kids say their mom's milk tastes like ice cream...from a 18 months old, I swear!). If she gets better with the spoon, you may never have to go to formula, she may just start eating more foods and that will give you more freedom to have a little time away. We all need that! It took awhile, but my son is 11 months now, loves to eats 3 meals and 2 snacks daily, nurse 3-4 times for only 10 minutes each time, no bottle needed anymore. Easiest thing in the world now.

Try to be patient...and ask your husband to help you get through this...
Much Luck-J.

Morning H.......YAWN! FIrst off....Im in the same situation as you ae. My 6 month old son is STILL not sleeping through the night either. Going kookoo as my first son was sleeping in his crib at 7 weeks through the night and still sleeps great to this day. Only gets up if he has a bad dream or sick. My 6 month old was born 5.5 weeks early and had some eating issues breathing and eating he had trouble so he was have a hard time since it took him 30 mins to eat 2 oz and he was a big baby for being premature 6.14lbs. My first son was 8.15 2 weeks early and was eating 5oz at 3 months. So I feel like a first time mom with my second son as he is so much work. He also has acid reflex - heart burn we found out at his 4 month check up. Which explained the SCREAMING FITS for hours. Im talking window shattering. SO between meds and now teething he is eating at all different times because he was use to getting up to eat to sooth his pain from the heartburn the first few months so now i have to break the pattern. I hvae tired to put him on a schedule for the past 3 motnhs. NO such luck. My dr told me just like my first that a schedule is key that they know when they are eating and not to let them graze if possible. But of course letting them eat when they want but trying to modify it. Once he started cereal he went from getting up every 2 hours to 4-sometimes 5 which is not all the time. My ped told me to load him up with cereal at the 8 and 11pm feedings mix it up in a bowl and spoon feed him and then give him a bottle. That has helped a lot for us. I try to tell myself during these trying times, enjoy it as this is my last baby and I won't get these moments back with him being little. This too shall pass. As for getting your daughter adjusted to leaving the house. You just have to leave. She will be fine. I know its hard. Believe me. My first could careless since birth if i was in the same room. My second not so much. He is happy Im sure like your 2nd to have me hold him 24/7. I can't get much done with #2. But you have to let her cry it out as long as she is in a safe situation to do so. changed, burp, fed. They have to learn to sooth themselves and its SO HARD I know. my 2nd is SO MUCH WORK. I feel lost.

Hang in there I so feel your pain in many ways. I want to rip my hair out because I thought with my first I had this mommy thing down. LOL!

Im blessed to be a SAHM. I have supper funny active 3yr son and a 6month old son who is full of smiles and bubbles. I love watching the boys play together and love on each other.

First of all, YOU the mother, get to decide when your daughter is weened. She does not get to decide that.

When she is hungry, she will eat or drink whatever you give her. Most of these mothers do not understand the following: Our children learn what we teach them and if you continue to "teach" her that she can only be satisfied with being nursed, then that is what she learns.

You can do it. It will be much harder for you than her. Leave the house, have someone else feed her, whatever. Just do what you know is right. By 6 months, babies have all the antibodies that they need and more is not necessarily better.

God bless and good luck,
B.

Offer her a bottle with a nipple that is more similar to your natural shape.

Have dad feed her. When she gets hungry, she'll eat. Babies are smart that way. They will eat when they get hungry enough.

I'd say stick to just breast milk in the bottle to get some buy in. Wants breast milk, give just breast milk. No tricking by adding other things if you want the little one to switch over.

Good luck,
Stephanie

Hi H.. I mostly wanted to offer sympathy. My son is almost 7 mos old and is pretty much the same way. He goes to "childcare" 3 mornings a week (just one woman and her son) and for four hours he will not take the bottle (he did for awhile, but since has stopped). He just waits until I come to get him to eat and he's gaining weight well so I know he's not starving. He also started rejecting food after eating rice cereal for awhile. Clearly our children are kindred souls. I'm going to hold off on the solid food for another few weeks just to give him a break and then try again. Someone suggested letting him feed himself. Just putting a bowl in front of him, and washing up the whole mess when he's done. I may try that!

good luck

First of all, I would switch pediatrician's if they actually recommend formula over breast milk! The American Academy of Pediatrics, the AMA and the World Health Organization state that breast is best. So your ped. is going against their organization recommending you make a switch to get your baby to sleep through the night they are off base. Formula only fills them up for an hour or so longer. It is not true that it will help them sleep better. Babies sleep patterns are different from adults. You can't expect them to sleep all night long. Some babies do just b/c they do. Not b/c of formula or breast milk. Read "Sweet Dreams" by Dr. Paul Fleiss. And hire an IBCLC certified lactation consultant who can help you transition to soilds better. You shouldn't start with rice- you should start with veggies, like yams or fruits, like avocado and banana.

Sounds like she knows what is best for her. Maybe you can get mommy breaks in other ways. Maybe someone can watch her when you need a nap. Formula is not necessarily good for babies. Babies can survive on it, but it is not what was meant for their bodies, although it is the best alternative when breastmilk is unavailable. There is research that shows benefits of breastmilk to toddlers, and unfortunately many physicians have not read up on it. I have been frustrated by so many physicians who discourage breastfeeding past 6 months or a year. They are doing a huge disservice to moms and babies. If they are refusing formula and holding out for breastmilk they are telling us something important. Listen to your baby.

H.,

I know how hard it is. I hate to break it to you, but you will have to physically leave the house--not just go in another room-they will wait for you if they know you are still there. Start getting some practice in with your husband-leave the house around feeding time for at least 1 hour. See what happens. When your baby is hungry enough, they will eat. Be consistent and do this a few times a week until your baby is comfortable with it.

Take care,

Molly

Have you tried a sippy cup of breast milk? Or different bottles?

Every kid is ready at a different time--and breastfed kids do take longer to sleep through the night than formula fed. Also, there's no written in stone reason to feed her rice cereal. Maybe she just doesn't like it. Try something else--just avoid those foods most likely to cause allergic reactions. My 19-month old started being interested in food about the same time she got her first teeth, which was right about 6 months. She still nurses to go to sleep, but will go to sleep without. She just doesn't like it much! Also, maybe she'd rather have a sippy cup with breastmilk than a bottle? Some people do it that way. I think twice, then think again, about feeding any formula that isn't strictly necessary with the current melamine situation. Last I saw, something like 90% of the American baby formula supply is likely contaminated with melamine...and the FDA's "response" has been to make what it considers safe levels higher than it used to be.

what kind of bottle are you using? perhaps you should go for the bottles which are more breast like if you are using regular bottles.
Honest, each child has different personalities and bond differently. She is looking more for your scent and comfort from mom. Yes this is a very difficult bond to try to moderate especially if it effects her eating habbits.
If she isn't taking the milk regularly slow down on the cereal. Is sounds like you are trying many things at once and the 1st thing they sense is when you are stress or tense. Try to relax as much as you can. Try to take the baby a nice soothing bath every night. I know it is a lot of work but try to relax but I think the bath is great it worked for my son.
good luck

hi H.
Maybe your baby is not ready to wean. I didn't wean my daughter till 12 months and she didn't sleep through the night till she was 14 months. she just needs you..which gets overwhelming when exhausted. u tried pumping your breastmilk and having your husband give her a bottle or ? I gave my daughter breastmilk via a bottle and on the breast. Just warm it up in bottle..I used playtex bottles with liners (target brand) 4oz and slow nipple..if you havent tried this kind then maybe it might be the nipple you used? Or not..put the bottle in a cup of hot water...to warm it...maybe try this for a while and then in a few months try solid foods. Good luck
Bye K.