9 Month Old Not Taking Enough Breastmilk???

Have you tried switching her from the bottle to sippy cups?

I had the same concerns when my daughter was 10 months old and refusing formula in the bottle. My pediatrician told me that as long as she was eating adequate amounts of table food, and taking her vitamins, she was fine....that she only needed enough formula to "wash down her food". I wasn't really satisfied with that answer, so I switched from bottles to sippy cups. Lo and behold my daughter was drinking formula again!!

Good luck! I hope you find a solution.

My son did the same thing. We all get really stressed out about this. Especially pediatricians who aren't always very familiar with breastfeeding. Nurse as much as your child wants when you are together, she is probably getting more than you think. Try offering the milk in a cup instead of a bottle, but don't be surprised if it is refused. If you are concerned about nutrition, you can try formula, but my son refused that too. In fact, he refused pretty much to eat or drink at all at day care. It did mean that he woke up once at night for a while, but if you want to only breastfeed and give her that great breastmilk, that may have to be a trade off. Anyway, it is not unusual for a child to refuse to drink pumped milk at daycare...if she is growing I would just keep doing what feels right to you. FYI my son was small in size and until he was about two, I got pressure from the doctors to supplement breastfeeding. Then they said to me "I guess he is just smaller than average." Thanks for all that stress doc.

You are doing the right thing. Gathering information. Take what you read and are told by your doctors and trust in yourself as a mom. I was lucky to be surrounded by many breastfeeding moms and then by child number three I was giving out the advice. Good Luck.

H. Brown
Mother of four beautiful breastfed babies

Congratulations Mama! It's wonderful that you've made it this far breastfeeding - and pumping too! what makes you think she is getting less at the breast? Pumping is not a good indicator of what she is able to get out of your breasts - she is much more efficent and will get more out.

It's also true that for the first year, the majority of her calories should come from breastmilk. Solids should be more for play or getting used to different tastes and textures than for nutrition at this point.

Do you have a sippy that she likes? Does she get other liquids besides milk in either bottles or sippy cups? Is she losing weight? Having an abnormally low number of wet/dirty diapers? Not meeting developmental milestones or acting abnormal?

It's possible that she's just more interested in the world around her at this point than she is in nursing. She could also be striking from the bottles. Have you tried offering more frequently in the mornings or evenings?

It could come down to taking away the solids to get her to take more milk. It may be that she just misses you and nursing.

It is so inspriational to me to hear from mom's who are farther along in their nursing relationship. We're at 7.5 months here and still going strong. There are ups and downs all the time. Some days, I wonder how I'll make it through the next feeding, but I know that no matter how difficult it may feel at this moment, this is the single best thing I can do for my daughter.

S.

At her age she should get about 24 ounces. Since she is not a year old yet, you cannot supplement her diet with yougurt. Try to take away a bit from the solid food. Maybe if she is hungry she will get more milk. Now, if she does get 20 ounces, that should be fine. I wouldn't worry about it.
As a side note, you were saying that she eats the same food as you. Since she is pretty young, try not to use salt in her food, or at least put just a little bit. Usually the food for adults has too much salt, especially for a baby.
Good luck!

I was worried about the same thing when my 7 month old didn't seem like he ws nursing enough. When I went to my WIC appointment I asked if this was normal. The interviewer told me it was perfectly fine, not to worry he was getting what he needs. The interviewer said that he would only nurse for about 7 minutes (even if it is on one side). I hope this makes you feel better.

My son is 8 months old & I was having a similar issue. I was only breastfeeding about 5 times a day & I thought he wasn't getting enough to eat. Especially when he started waking up multiple times a night to feed. Then I read in the what to expect book that (I think it was at 9 months) babies should only be nursing 3-4 times a day or getting 16-24 oz of formula. The book said anymore than that would interfere with them getting enough solid food. Since reading that 3 days ago, I decreased my nursing times & increased his solid foods. I'm now giving him solids as snacks between lunch & dinner & after dinner before bed. He is nursing 3 times a day now & gets a formula bottle before bed. I saw immediate results. He now wakes after 6 hours of sleep, gets a diaper change & quick feed & back to bed for another 4 - 6 hours. I realize sleep is not your issue, but my main point was that there is nothing wrong with solids at this age. As long as the solids are healthy choices & your daughter is having enough wet diapers (& the liquid is clear, not yellow) & she is gaining an appropriate amount of weight, then your fine.
As for the yogurt comment from someone...my doctor told me we could start my son on yogurt at his six month appointment.

Hi D.,

your daughter is 9 month old now and therefore does not necessarily need breast milk or the bottle. I stopped giving my daughter the bottle when she was 8 month old, because she did not want it anymore either. She has been eating solid food ever since. She alway ate what we ate, just mashed until she had enough teeth.
All you need to worry about is enough fluids, but it doesn't have to be breast milk at all. Try water with a little bit of juice in it. Or tea. It tastes good and your 9 month old will surely like it. It is a myth that it is necessary to breast feed until children are a year old. It was true, when the food available was not enough to feed all mouth or not as nutrious as today. But nowadays it is not needed anymore.
So why don't you listen to what your daughter is telling you. She is a big baby now and wants to be treated like it!
good luck T.

It is very possible she gets 24 oz breast milk directly from the breast in the morning and evening when she's with you. Your breasts adjust to demand and will and probably are producing more milk at the times when you are nursing her. Her diet has advanced beyond her age which is fine, great actually! I would cont to nurse her in the morning and afternoon, feed her the foods she likes, and offer some fluids (water, formula, or breast milk)by cup during the day.

We breastfed until my daughter was 1, and she started solids at 5-1/2 months. By 8 months, she was on yogurt (yogurt is made from milk, but processed in a way that there is no issue of lactose intolerance - you can introduce way before whole milk, like you would any other food, and watch for issues). By 9 months, I could only pump about 1 oz a day and nurse her about 2-3 times a day for about 3 minutes! She just wasn't interested. I fought with the nurses because they insisted on 16-24 oz. of milk a day (no water!) and kept up the mantra as we weaned (I started her on milk at 11 months and weaned completely at 1 year). Then we saw the doctor and she told me that she was less concerned about amounts of specifics and wanted to know what my daughter ate overall, and were there regular wet and soiled diapers. We have given our child a lot of variety (1-2 new foods a week) and she consistently has 2-3 bms a day and 2-3 wet diapers. What happened? She is now perfect in her weight/height ratio (was trending high on weight) and just started walking. Go with your gut and NEVER decrease food or liquids for a child - they will take what they need.

D.,

I'm curious what her weight gain and health has been like? Some babies will naturally shift their consumption of breastmilk to the time they are with their mother. This can be a normal pattern, but usually these babies will nurse A LOT in the evening to make up for what they didn't get during the day.

Another thing to remember is that the amount of milk you are able to pump at work probably doesn't reflect what your daughter is getting at the breast. She is naturally much better at stimulating the hormones responsible for your let down. You love her, I bet you don't love your breast pump. I've know women with over supply issues who couldn't pump more than a few ounces at a time. In fact, I was one of these. 6 ounces from 2 pumping sessions sounds like a happy dream to me, but when I was with them I made enough milk to make both of my newborns miserable. She may be getting more milk in the evenings than you think.

I would add one suggestion to those you have already gotten. Save solids for the times when you are apart and focus your attention on making sure she gets most or all of her nutrition from breastmilk when you are together. Restricting her solids in this way won't hurt her. Many babies are still getting their primary nutrition from the breast at this age, and some very normal and happy babies are still getting all of their nutrition at the breast at nine months. Allow her to nurse as frequently as she wants in the evening. I might even go as far as encouraging her to nurse more at night if I really thought she wasn't getting enough milk.

In response to your question about giving your baby what she needs, I would suggest watching your baby and listening to your heart. Is she healthy and happy? Is her growth and development continuing in a fashion that is normal for her? Watch your baby and follow your instincts. You're her mother and you know her better than anyone else. The breastmilk that she is getting is still providing her with the benefits it did when she was new. In fact as babies slowly transition to solids or wean naturally, many of the good things in breastmilk actually become more concentrated than they were before the baby started eating solids.

HI D., First of all a nurse is not a doctor, they do not know everything. Is your daugher growing and thriving? Is she gaining weight properly? Will she drink from a sippy cup or juice box? Is she drinking whole milk? Is she having any tummy problems or dehydrated? When she nurses is she there for your milk, or comfort and mommy time?
Answer these questions THEN talk to your doctor if your still worried. Maybe now would be a good time to wean her and give her follow-up formula or an enriched milk product (like ensure...but the type made for toddlers). I would never withold food from a child...if it is healthy and they wanted it. When my girls were little and going from baby food to real food they cut down on their bottles on their own too. Personally I just went with it since they were doing well on all the charts.

Relax...every child is different...and what they know today might be wrong tomorrow (as we have seen time and time again). Follow your instincts and common sense when all else fails!! Good luck & best wishes.

Hi,

I also have a nine month old daughter. She only nurses 3 times a day now and is completely on table food too. My ped. said that it was fine. I have 2 other daughters that were the same way. I think she is fine and I wouldn't worry about it.

She is taking what she needs. As long as her growth is not significantly changing, then she is fine!!! She will drink more when she needs it. Believe it or not, she knows what to do when she needs more. She will stimulate you to make more if she needs it. Also, you may not realize it, but she is probably taking MORE from you when she actually nurses than she used to at one time, she is more efficient and an old pro at this now. I nursed my son until he was 20 months and you don't feel as full as you did when they were going through growth spurts etc. So, I would not take away food, she needs that too but trust yourself that you are providing enough otherwise she would be craving more. If she seems satisfied, you are doing great!

I had a child who refused to nurse or take breast milk starting around 9 months, and it turned out I was pregnant! I guess this changed the taste of my milk. I tried everything to get her to take it, but she absolutely would not drink it. After talking with my pediatrician, we ended up starting her on whole milk early. She is now 5 and very healthy and normal. Don't mean to throw you a curve ball here, but thought this is something you might want to consider...

Hello D., after nursing 2 children I would tend to agree with your doctor. A child can simply survive on breastmilk without solids for the first year and babies get TONS more nutrients from your milk than the food. I would try lessening the solids and see if the fluid intake increases. If not, she may just be ready to eat...... but still will need fluids some way to stay well hydrated. Keep drinking that water to make more milk and have her latch on as often as you can to motivate her appetite. Some babies simply refuse milk because they refuse the transition to a bottle. Its a matter of finding out what the real issue is. E.

I would follow your peds advice and cut back on solids a little bit. Your breastmilk should be her main source of nutrients for the first year. There have been cases of babies with severe allergies surviving on breastmilk alone for over a year. You can try to offer her unlimited access to the breast while you are home. Also breastmilk production follows the rules of supply and demand. The more you pump or nurse, the more milk there will be, you might try adding in one or two more pumping sessions during the day to bring your supply up. Or try some "Traditional Medicinals Mother's milk tea".

You know your baby best though and every child is unique. Good luck mama!

I'm just going back to edit this cause I forgot to mention and I see some other moms have brought it up, it's highly possible that she is getting what she needs via the times that you are together,

also about the yogurt, I would defiantly hold off until after a year old. As a breastfeeding counselor and a mother of a child with allergies I would really caution introducing it until later.

As long as your daughter is healthy and happy I'm not sure what the big deal is. By one year they normally push for them to be on milk - and I know the charts they have given to me are definately not near the amount my son drinks a day. My daughter was always a big drinker - so much so that it interfered with her eating - everyone is slightly different - even adults.

D.,
Yes,take away SOME solids. A person could live without food alot longer than without water. However, don't forget to consider the water content of foods. Applesauce, especially, has a high water content. You might also try giving small amounts of salty foods. These will make the baby thirsty.Also try other drinks( a little juice or pedialyte).
The baby may be getting more fluid tan you think. If you are changing diapers almost as much as you had been, you're probably safe.
D.

Goodness...I never knew how many ounces of breastmilk my kids were getting--as the saying goes "the breast doesn't have ounce markings on it." Of course my kids didn't eat much solid food at all prior to turning one, but like your daughter, they were on table foods pretty quickly. My kids didn't take much from the bottle though either--but they did maintain night time nursing sessions--they "reverse cycled."

It is true that in the first year the primary source of nutrition should be breastmilk or formula. But if she is healthy and gaining weight well, I'm not sure that I would really mess with it. It is possible that your body has adapted to the evening/morning nursing thing, and you are actually producing more at those times than when you pump--if she nurses 4 times and gets 5 oz at each session, that would be 20 oz right there, then added with what she takes at daycare...

If you are concerned, I'd encourage you to add a night nursing session by nursing her once right before you go to bed (a "sleep-feed," as the goal is to keep her mostly asleep as she nurses). Also consider trying to get in two nursing sessions in the morning--one as you snuggle in bed when you first wake up, then the second just before you walk out the door. Also, you could make sure to have a sippy cup of milk on her high chair tray whenever she is eating solids, and encourage her to sip on it periodically between bites--just as you would do a glass of milk with a meal.

Good luck!

Yes, your ped is correct. I agree to breastfeed her before every meal. this will help her, as well as your milk supply. I would change to a faster flow nipple(she may drink more). If she refuses bottle, then use cup. The more she feeds on you , the more likly you will start producing more. After breastfeeding her, pump.....Good luck

yes... breastmilk (or formula) should be a large part of their nutrition for he first year. maybe try nursing first before a meal time to get in as much of that as she will take. then offer her a slightly smaller portion of table food. if you don't already try to squeeze in a nursing first thing in the am and before bed.

Kudos to you for keeping up with the pumping & breastfeeding while working- it's not an easy thing to do. It sounds to me like you are doing a great job.
I do know that most 'experts' will tell you your baby should be getting around 24 ounces a day. But as you well know, you can't measure the amount of breastmilk your child is getting unless you were to only pump & bottle feed. You say she is nursing about 3 or 4 times in addition to getting 1 or 2 small bottles at day care. It seems to me that she is probably doing just fine. Remember what they tell you in the beginning- check the diapers. As long as she is peeing (& pooping) you know that she is getting fluids.
If you are really concerned & want to try to get her to drink more, here are some ideas. You don't mention this, but if you are giving her any juice or snacks throughout the day- those would be the first things I would cut out. Children do not need juice- it's just unnecessary sugar (yes, even the 100% fruit ones) & calories. And if you are giving her snacks, you could substitute a bottle of breastmilk- if she is really hungry, she just might take it (not without a little fight though if she is used to snack foods). (If you want to give her something different to drink once in a while, start with water). As for the 3 meals, a babies stomach empties fairly quickly, and typically you might nurse or feed every 3 hours, so if she is only eating 3 meals a day, I don't think you are overdoing it on solid foods. But, I also agree with the nurse, that if you are concerned, there is nothing wrong with cutting back on the solid foods. With all 3 of my children, I didn't even start them on solid foods until they were around 9 months old. (And with my 3rd I never bought a single jar of baby food- she went straight to finger foods- whatever we were eating that seemed soft enough for her to handle). All this to say, if you do want to change her drinking habits, the nurses advice is perfectly reasonable.
But, like I said before, it sounds like you are doing a great job, and unless you are concerned, there is no need to change the way you do things.

We went for a 9-month checkup yesterday, and the ped said my son only needs 18 oz. formula/milk daily. (we are weaning from exclusive breastfeeding--like, not even pumping) IF she's nursing at least 3 times a day, she's fine. They can hold out all day (or night) if they want to.

Hi D.,
My son did the same thing with refusing the bottle at 6 months and wouldn't really drink out of a sippy cup, so on days when I work he would only nurse 3 times. What we did was give him cereal and put breast milk or formula in it (when I wasn't getting enough pumping). Will your daughter eat cereal? My son was picky, but likes oatmeal with bananas. He also started refusing the rice cereal around the same time. It is true that most nutrients come from breast milk, but as long as your daughter is getting enough calories and fat she should be fine. Has she had her 9 month check up? If you are really worried, you could ask to just bring her in to get weighed to make sure she is gaining weight. Our pediatrician had us supplement my son with higher calorie foods like custards to get his calorie count up.

I was very worried when my son refused the bottle, but he is growing fine and will be 1 on Saturday and drinks from his cup now (not much, but he still has wet diapers).
I am sure that everything will work out. Good luck.

Hi D.,

I wouldn't worry too much about it. Many babies do this. They prefer to get milk directly from you instead of from the bottle and they would rather wait until you get home. It is pretty common. I would tell the daycare to offer her the bottle before they offer her the solids, but I wouldn't remove the solids. It is good for her to eat too. Some babies eat more and earlier than other babies. It is true that she should be getting most of her nutrition from breastmilk - but she is still nursing 4 times a day and taking some from the bottle, so she is likely getting enough. As long as she is having plenty of wet diapers and gaining weight - she should be fine. When you are with her, make sure you always nurse her before giving her any solids and she will get plenty. This is an age when babies are very curious about their environments and it is pretty common for the amount they nurse to go down. And also remember - she is much more efficient at getting milk out than your pump is - so even though you are pumping a smaller amount, it is likely that she is getting much more when she nurses.

Also, pediatricians are usually the worst people to ask for breastfeeding advice. I would call a lactation consultant if you are really worried about it.

Here is an article that I wrote on pumping and working - some of the tips may help you to get a better yield when pumping at work too: <http://www.mothersboutique.com/woandbrtifor.html&gt;

You are doing a great job! Keep up the good work.

J.
A Mother's Boutique
Breastfeeding clothing, nursing bras, breastpumps, slings and accessories.
MamaSource members save 10% off their first order (excluding breastpumps) will promo code MAMASOURCE
http://www.mothersboutique.com

I breast fed my son for 4 months and also gave him the Similac Advance formula at the same time. But honestly i think that although she is not taking in the breast milk you should try (if not already) giving her the formula for the next 3 months. Similac Advanced is very good and has many nutrients that are good for babies. I think that at her age eating and trying table food is actually good this way she tries all different food (as long as they are healthy) and doesnt become a picky eater, i have an 8 year old and he is a picky eater because being a first time mom i was afraid to give him certain things, but my 1 year old will try everything and has yet to show any signs of disliking any food. So i think that if she is eating table food maybe if she gets her nutrients through veggies and fruits is good start. I hope i was of some help, i wish you and your family the best.