Expert: ruth kraft - 2/11/2009

Question
QUESTION: I have an 8 month old who I adore, but she still insists on only breastfeeding.  She won't even take breastmilk in a bottle, sippy cup or out of a glass.  She also has 8 teeth - which she sometimes forgets about if she's startled while feeding.  I think you can see my dilemma - she's biting and not purposefully, so I'd really like to get some suggestions that maybe I haven't thought of.  To help I will give you a list of the things I've tried:
different bottles, different nipples, different formulas, sippy cups and regular cups as well as trying the hard line of only offering bottles for 4 days in a row (breastfeeding at night so she doesn't become dehydrated), and still nothing!  She will drink some of the Parent's Choice formula from Walmart out of a cup, but only if it's ice cold (she won't drink enough of this to substitute a feeding though).  Please offer anything that you may feel would help us through this if at all possible.  Thank you, sincerely Laurie and Jordyn.

ANSWER: Please send a reply note and let mw know if you are trying to wean or if you want suggestions on how to get her to stop biting. there are several things you can do for each.  It doesn't sound like she is ready to wean given her behavior, most babies thrive best with a nursing relationship at least until they are a year old, often longer so I want to make sure I give you the advice you are seeking.

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QUESTION: I would like to wean her at least for the daytime feedings for now.  I want her completely weaned by 11 months so that Daddy can deal with her in the night as well.  I work shift work and will be away 2 nights in a row out of every 6.  I feel it will be easier on both of them if she starts getting used to him in the night as well before I'm not there for backup that's why the 11 months.  As for the biting, well, I've been given some advice from the public health nurse here, but if that doesn't work, I'll be sure to let you know.  Thank you for your quick response.

ANSWER: to wean, start with the feeding that she needs the least. the shortest in the day time feeding that she doesn't have to have, and distract her when she wants to nurse then, put it off to the next nursing. you pick one feeding a week to eliminate, ending with night nursings if there are any. first feeding of the day and last one at night tend to be the big ones most children love the most.

after a few weeks you'll be barely nursing :)

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QUESTION: So, do I have to replace the breastfeeding with formula somehow, or can I give her cow's milk at 9 months?

Answer
hello. Yes, you will have to replace the breastmilk with the formula. 9 months is too early for cows milk. Cows milk is made for cow babies, not human babies. and therefore, is not really that good for the developing system.  The academy of pediatrics suggests waiting at least a full year before giving cows milk to them, preferably longer.  in the mean time , you can pump and mix the formula with the breastmilk and see if shell take it that way as formula tastes rather gross compared to breastmilk , which is flavored to the types of food you eat. You will have to continue to try different sippy cups or even open cups to make sure she gets nutrition. I would put some apple juice in a sippy cup, and then place it in front of her while at play. so she has access to it all the time and learns to take little sips etc... don't force her to drink it. she will learn best by playing with it what it does. you can show her by also using one yourself, that it is for drinking. take out the little suction piece that makes the juice slow to come out while you are showing her that its for drinking so that it flows easily. she will likely spill some of it here and there, so do this part supervised to not create a giant mess.   shell learn it will just take a while.

I hope that helped !
Ruth Kraft
www.honoringwomen.com