https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Wed, 06 May 2026 23:36:50 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-still-nurse-many-times-a-day-after-1-year#post-1560791 Thu, 10 Apr 2014 17:46:56 +0000 JerricaBenton 1560791@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Twine: that's encouraging! Yes LO is on the small side and people will mention it (or express shock at how much she nurses) and I worry even though I know she's very strong and healthy! It's funny how one minute you're confident you're doing the best thing for your kid and the next minute you're sure you've got it all wrong :-/ </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-still-nurse-many-times-a-day-after-1-year#post-1560754 Thu, 10 Apr 2014 17:40:26 +0000 Mrs. Twine 1560754@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@JerricaBenton: That sounds really consistent with my experience with both girls. Some kids just aren't huge eaters, too. Ellie isn't a very big eater and never has been, but is really healthy (though she is pretty slim for her height). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-still-nurse-many-times-a-day-after-1-year#post-1560712 Thu, 10 Apr 2014 17:33:56 +0000 JerricaBenton 1560712@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Twine: Yeah I definitely feel like a lot of it is emotional for LO. It's our cuddling and relaxing time. She always wants to nurse when we come home from an activity to 'reconnect.' I don't even think she necessarily prefers milk to food, she just likes the nursing experience! Even in the morning it doesn't seem like she's starving to nurse like when she was little. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-still-nurse-many-times-a-day-after-1-year#post-1560647 Thu, 10 Apr 2014 17:23:36 +0000 Mrs. Twine 1560647@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@JerricaBenton: It's not really the same, but at least related: I never thought Ellie would wean. Like, ever. I was pretty sure that she was on-track to be the first nursing college student. But she did decide all on her own to stop. 14 months is still pretty early days for food for some kids, so maybe her body just isn't ready to switch over more where she's getting her calories from. It does sound like she's getting what she needs. </p> <p>As far as the doctor being shocked at the frequency of nursing, for both of my girls it was becoming less about food at that point and more about connection and other needs. Yes, they got milk when they nursed, but lots of times it was because they were tired, or grumpy, or trying to self-regulate, or a host of other non-nutritional reasons. Do you feel like all her nursing right now is for food? Or like there's a mix? And no worries-- I don't think it's likely concerning either way. Just wondering what you were noticing. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-still-nurse-many-times-a-day-after-1-year#post-1560585 Thu, 10 Apr 2014 17:10:38 +0000 JerricaBenton 1560585@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Twine: thanks! Yes LO is small but normal size and gaining and growing at a steady rate and meeting all her milestones. Her bloodwork was all normal. She does eat a great variety of foods, just not a ton at a time. It seems like she eats way less volume than other kids we know - but we're the only ones still breastfeeding at all so I guess I just can't compare. You're probably right that it's one of those things that will resolve itself as she grows. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-still-nurse-many-times-a-day-after-1-year#post-1560563 Thu, 10 Apr 2014 17:03:25 +0000 JerricaBenton 1560563@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Kemma: thanks for the reply! Those figures make me feel better. Im definitely ok with nursing LO pretty much as long as she wants, but I just didn't want to be inhibiting her from eating more food! I really don't want to force food or give her any negative feelings toward food either. I guess you're right that there isn't as much direction out there for those of us who bf past one. My pediatrician is 'pro breastfeeding' but every visit they express shock at the amount of nursing sessions a day so I start to doubt myself! I try to offer a big variety of foods and higher calorie things - I guess I just have to trust LO! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-still-nurse-many-times-a-day-after-1-year#post-1560557 Thu, 10 Apr 2014 16:58:25 +0000 Mrs. Twine 1560557@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>In my experience things usually resolve themselves. Ellie still preferred milk to food at age 1.5, but by age two she was eating pretty well. Lorelei nurses all the time (it feels like sometimes, anyway) and still eats well, so I never gave it too much thought with her. I'd maybe give it a little while and then re-assess. Assuming she seems healthy and is staying at a healthy weight what you are doing is likely just fine. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-still-nurse-many-times-a-day-after-1-year#post-1560544 Thu, 10 Apr 2014 16:51:55 +0000 Kemma 1560544@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Alexis is still a booby monster and is nursing at least four times a day and once or twice during the night at almost eighteen months. She will eat a huge variety of foods just not in any great quantities although she has been eating like a bottomless pit over the last couple of days!</p> <p>If you're ok with bf'ing past one then Kellymom recommends a ratio of 75% breastmilk to 25% solids at twelve months, 50/50 at eighteen months and 25% breastmilk to 75% solids at two years. </p> <p>My impression is that the majority of "mainstream" advice regarding solids is based on weaning off breastmilk or formula at one so if you're continuing with nursing then it doesn't really apply as much.</p> <p>I should mention that I do actively encourage Alexis to eat solids at regular mealtimes but I don't push her and I try not to engage in any food battles with her. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-still-nurse-many-times-a-day-after-1-year#post-1560449 Thu, 10 Apr 2014 16:12:47 +0000 JerricaBenton 1560449@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>...did you feel like you needed to cut down the amount of feedings per day to get LO to eat more solids? </p> <p>LO is 14 months and great eater as far as what she'll eat. I do worry that she's just not hungry enough to eat a ton of real food though and I don't know how to make her eat more unless we drop a nursing session. She nurses 6 or 7 times a day and STTN about 11.5 hours. We feed on demand and I don't want to deny her if she wants to nurse but I worry we'll never wean if she doesn't start eating more food! Is this just something that will resolve itself as she grows or should I try to push more snacks, hoping she'll drop a session on her own? </p>