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Breastfeeding/Dropping breast feeds with a 8 month old

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Expert: - 7/30/2007


Question
I have a healthy happy 8 month old boy. Last week he dropped another breast feed. He now has 3 breastfeeds a day, after breakfast after lunch and then before he goes to bed he also have 3 main solid meals a day. Eg: Breakfast - Cereal and fruit, Lunch - Banana or soup and yoghurt and then some cut up fruit and for tea vegies with meat and stewed fruit and custard. I want to know am I weaning to quickly, should he be having more breast feeds at this stage? I am going back to work when he is 10 months old and wandering would 2 breastfeeds be enough then. I want to wean him fully once he turns 12 months old.  Hope this makes sense thank you.

Answer
Hello Paula - you have quite a balanced diet for your son which is great and that in addition to breastmilk is ideal. In terms of if you are weaning too quickly, the answer is that nature will drive that and in prepartion to return to work, you can keep the "out of work day" nursing sessions in place if you choose. When you return to work, you can use something like the LaMa Bra (www.lamabra.com) to help with engorgement and to help slow your milk production as needed.  With two months until you go to work, and then if you plan to stop nursing at 12 months for him, you are given yourself adequate time to naturally let your body slow your breast milk production to meet your needs.  Between nature and your mother's instinct you will see everything will come together just as you plan.  All in all, you are not weaning too quickly at all given the four months you are planning on weaning to a stop.  Good Luck!

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Sue Ennis

Expertise

I am looking to support the segment of mothers that encounter engorgement issues that prevent them from continuing to breastfeeding, those that do not breastfeed or are ready to start weaning. As an aside, I wish to add that questions asked in terms of those not breastfeeding will not be given guilt for their choice. In many forums, including this one, there is currently no category developed for this "not breastfeeding" audience. I do believe that breastfeeding is best for both mother and child, however, I believe more strongly that there is a lack of support for the woman that for either personal or medical reasons cannot breastfeed. My strengths would be in answering questions related to stopping breast milk production comfortably either right after delivery or after nursing their children for some time, reducing breast engorgement pain and dealing with overactive lactation. Questions I would not try to answer are those tied to emotional feelings as I feel many times women that don't/can't breastfeed struggle with it...and that should be directed to the appropriate counseling channel.

Experience

I am the inventor and founder of LaMa Bra and for years have researched the human body functions, both in process and emotions/hormones to develop a bra to help mother slow or stop their breast milk.

Education/Credentials
I hold a BS in General Biology, a MS in Human Nutrition and an MBA in Marketing.
Also, am the the founder of LaMa Bra found at http://www.lamabra.com that has helped many women with engorgement while breastfeeding and through stages of weaning when ready to stop breastfeeding.

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