Expert: Sally Wendkos Olds - 2/16/2007

Question
Actually, I have requested a few books (including yours ;) ) and am waiting for the library to call me.  I only work 2 days a week and I go home on those days to feed at lunch (living 5 minutes away).  So she usually gets a bottle mid-morning and one mid-afternoon. She is a terrible napper and she would go most days without napping at all during from 1 month until 3 months.  Now she naps for about 2 and a half hours total between 5 am, her wake-up time, and 7:30 pm bedtime.   

I tried to space her and she'll go about 2 hours and 15 to 2 hrs 30, before making a whiney sound and putting her hands in her mouth.  The problem is, then she is not patient for my let down and fusses, makes a "Nah,Nah, Nah" grunt and pushes at my breast and the experience isn't enjoyable for either of us.  I did neglect to tell you that she pops herself off after about 6-15 mintues.  In fact, I usually would say it's about 10 minutes of active feeding and then just snuggling and pacifying.  She almost always becomes lathargic (just really relaxed and super sleepy) during feedings. (this is a dream b/c it's the only way she'll relax to nap or sleep at night).  I rarely have more than one let down b/c she pops off before I could have a second.  

Can you suggest the titles to any books...even if it's just your personal preference?
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The text above is a follow-up to ...

-----Question-----
I am full of questions :) I have a 5 month old (20 weeks) who was 5 weeks premature.  She weighed 5lbs, 13 oz at birth and jumped to 15 pounds, 12 oz at her 4 month checkup so undoubtedly, she feeds well and I have no concerns about that.  I feed on demand and here lies my question.  My little girl still likes 2 hour feeds.  Sadly, I have no family or close friends that breastfed so I have had to learn through the websites, books, and just my experience.  I met a coworker who has a daughter the same age who says her daughter feeds every 3-4 hours and sleeps for almost 8 hours straight each night!  (BTW-my daughter now will sleep for 5 hours straight at night and I am excited about that!)  Will my daughter start to space out or do some babies stay at 2 hour feeds?  Also, what should I expect when I start to introduce foods next month?  Do you start dropping feeds or still offer the breast and she'll eat less?  Can you give me an idea what to expect within the year?  For instance, at i year will I be only BF 2-3 times a day since she'll be eating solids at mealtime?) Is there a website or book that helps moms understand what to expect as we transition our babies to solids over the first year?  Sorry for so many questions, but all the info. I see out in cyberland is for 'how to get started.' I see nothing on 'where do we go beyond the first 3 months.'  THANK YOU!!!!!
-----Answer-----
Dear Pam,

First, congratulations for giving your daughter the best start in life by breastfeeding her! It's hard for me to answer all your questions in this forum -- I wrote an entire book dealing with them! (see below) I would suggest going to your local library and picking up a book about a baby's first year, which will give you lots of answers and be a handy reference for more of your questions.

Briefly, every baby is different, so don't expect your baby to follow the same schedule as your coworker's baby. At this age it is unusual to still be nursing every two hours -- and if you're working, I don't see how you can be doing this. You can start to space her feedings a little farther apart during the day. Five hours sleep at night is pretty good. By one year three feeds a day is common, but some babies still do want a little more -- not only because of the nutrition, but because they love nursing!

And no, don't necessarily drop feeds when your baby starts eating solid food. Still offer the breast and see what she wants. I am including an excerpt from my book about  offering solids. In the book I also have a chapter about weaning.

Good luck!

Sally

Sally Wendkos Olds
Author, THE COMPLETE BOOK OF BREASTFEEDING: Eiger & Olds, 3rd edition 1999, published by Workman Publishing & Bantam Books, and available in most public libraries, bookstores & La Leche League chapters.
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  * Nurse your baby first before you offer her food by spoon. She'll be more open to trying a new experience if she isn't wildly hungry.
  * Pick a time when there are few distractions, and both you and your baby are relaxed.
  * Sit her on your lap, where she will feel secure.
  * Introduce a single-ingredient food first. If your baby develops a rash or any other symptom, you'll be able to identify a possible cause.
  * The first serving should be between one-half teaspoon to a teaspoon of food.
  * Use a spoon -- the kind with a small bowl and a long handle works best. Do not feed solids from a bottle, since that can release too much food at once, causing a baby to choke.
  * Start spoon-feeding by putting a little food into the bowl of the spoon, turning the spoon upside down, and scraping the food on top of the baby's tongue. He will easily propel the food to the back of his mouth where he will swallow it. He'll like it and will want more.
  * Introduce new foods one at a time, over a fairly long period of time: no need to rush in with a cornucopia of new foods.
  * A good first food is iron-fortified rice cereal, mixed with expressed breast milk, water, or formula; after your baby is a year old you can use homogenized milk. Rice is a good starter, since babies are least likely to be allergic to it.
  * A good progression after iron-fortified rice cereal includes other cereals, fruits, vegetables, and meats. Among babies' most enjoyed flavors are those of applesauce, bananas, pears, peas, carrots, and squash.
  * Do not feed your baby directly from a jar of baby food. Take out the amount you plan to feed, and throw away any leftover food. The saliva that goes back into the food can foster the growth of bacteria.
  * Do not heat food in a microwave; it may heat unevenly and make food too hot.
  * Consider these first few feedings of solid foods "practice feeds," just like those first few nursings so many months ago. Your baby now has to learn how to master a completely new set of muscle movements to take the food from a spoon and to swallow it. At first she'll get more food on her face, her bib, and you than she will in her mouth. You'll be surprised, though, at how quickly she'll catch on, and how soon she'll be ready to start eating foods she can pick up with her fingers.
  * Ask your pediatrician which finger foods are safe for your baby. Some, like raw carrot or even zwieback -- can cause choking if they're given to a baby who cannot properly chew and swallow small enough amounts.
  * Avoid, as much as possible, foods that contain added sugar, salt, and starch. You can make your own baby foods (which can be as easy as using a fork to mash a ripe banana or cooked peas). Or you can buy organic baby foods. Jarred foods may be more convenient when you are traveling, or when your table food is not appropriate for your baby.
  * In any case, read the labels, and graduate your child to table food as soon as she is ready. Commercial "stage 3," "junior," or "toddler" foods are unnecesssary, and very costly.  

Answer
Dear Pam,

We may have an answer to why your baby rejects the breast. Some babies get so used to the ease of sucking from a bottle that they don't want to exert the greater energy required for suckling from the breast. This isn't to say that you should give up on nursing, though. Keep offering her the breast -- and maybe try cutting out some of the bottle feedings.

As far as other books, in addition to mine: you might take a look at the La Leche League book, "The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding."

Good luck!

Sally

Sally Wendkos Olds
Author, THE COMPLETE BOOK OF BREASTFEEDING: Eiger & Olds, 3rd edition 1999, published by Workman Publishing & Bantam Books, and available in most public libraries, bookstores & La Leche League chapters.