Expert: ruth kraft - 2/22/2010

Question
Hello..My name is Urmila.I am a business person by profession and i happen to have a 15 months old baby girl. I have been breast- feeding my baby ever since she was born, i tried getting a formula milk introduced to her but she never seemed to like it.She has started taking solid food items comprising of rice, pulse, meat curry, noodles, biscuits etc etc. But i cannot just make her feel comfortable with any other milk,be it formula milk or less concentrated cow's milk,except for breast milk.Sometimes i get a feeling that she is not really hungry, nonetheless still nagging to be breastfed and more noticeably, she refuses to go sleep without being breastfed.However,after all the hardwork associated with my work, i usually tend to get really tired and breast-feeding just weakens me more, and the nagging sometimes just make me lose my temper, since i know she does not really require to be fed then, she usually has her dinner properly and does not stay hungry anymore after that.I have noticed that she has ability to go off to sleep without being breastfed, but she just seem to nag for it.My mother, who happens to stay with us, insists that i carry on with breastfeeding since this will contribute to help her brain function  more properly, more effectively, and that because of an elongated breastfeeding, she will turn out to be more intelligent.I really do not have a clue about what i  should do now!Will i make a mistake if i try to stop breastfeeding now by not valuing my mom's advice , who happens to be really experienced at bringing up babies since she has four of them, and all of them however had always been class toppers.I am utterly confused, please help!And also, if you do suggest to stop  breastfeeding my baby, i would request you to provide me with a few tips to how do to so!

Answer
You don't need to stop feeding her breastmilk. Formula is not really good for her so she is one smart baby!

Your mother is right it does help her brain develop and it helps her grow and thrive better . Babies naturally should be breastfed for 3-5 years. the academy of pediatrics here reccomends 2 years. SO weaning would not be the best choice for your daughters health.

However, the nagging that she does if often because you are tired it makes you more irritable. You can set boundries with her and limit her nursing when you are feeling this way. If you want to wean a certian feeding you can, and she will make up for it at another feeding. I do not reccomend however weaning her completely. She will get so much more value from it the longer she nurses. And so will you. Every year you nurse, decreases your chances of cancers and many female problems later on. As well as it does her.  When you need a break, she will have to have a different kind of snack. as long as it isnt that often.

In the mean time, start making more time for you. Once a week, leave her with your mother for 2 hours while you go to a park and read a book or something so you take care of you. If you do this, and make your boundries needed, your desire to wean will go away. and you will be able to connect with her better.

Good luck! I hope that helped