distracted bf baby 7 mo - shall i give a bottle?

[LISAMJS]

Hi I currently breastfeed DS who is 7 months old. I feed him 4 hourly during the day and he wakes at night still. At night he feeds well but in the day he is a nightmare and gets so distracted and feeds for about 2 mins if that sometimes!!!

I am wondering if anyone else had this problem. I am thinking of trying him on a bottle today. Anyone have any advice please?
oh he is on loads of solids in the day.

 

[keelie_b]

could you have a light sheet or something that just covers his head and your breast, that way theres not really a whole lot for him to look at??

x

 

[charlie84]

In theory he could go throught the night without a feed at his age but this is easier said than done as i know as Calleigh wakes up at least once still in the night for a feed.

Maybe try and drop the night feeds by offering water and he may not be so interested to wake if it only water he is getting.

It is so important to keep milk as a big part of their diet until they are at least one and maybe by dropping the night feeds he may be more interested in he day ones.

Unfortunately he is also at the age where he is so into other things than feeding during the day that it can be tricky to keep them on the breast for long feeds. But bear in mind they become such efficient feeders that they dont need to feed for too long to get what they need. Have you tried offering him milk in a quiet room in the day just so he isnt so distracted and he may take more.

Also when do you try and feed him milk in the day. Is he too full from solids maybe? If that is the case maybe try offering the breast an hour say before his meals.

Not sure if i have been any help there

 

[LISAMJS]

thanks for your tips I have tried them all - i give breastfeed before any solids so I know he must be hungry. Babies hey??

 

[Strangeness]

Tamzin did this a lot from the age of about 4 months old! In the end a few weeks ago she just gave up feeding in the day and I cannot get her to feed at all no matter how much I try! So I gave up too and she quite happily has 2 huge booby feeds a day and her solids. I just put as much milk as possible into all her food and she has yogurts etc to keep up her milk needs. Some babies just choose when the time is right.

 

[charlotte_]

zach's like this now! he sucks about 3 times then starts looking for the telly/his dad/his panda toy. he's so nosey & easily distracted!
it's so annoying having to reposition the nipples shield & everything then put him back on.

 

[keli]

Cooper is now just over 8 mths and is on 3 meals a day. He won't really entertain boob in the day that much anymore, only snacks, maybe has a feed just before a nap. I feed on demand and i also co sleep with him, he's still feeding about 3/4 times a night. I don't mind as i know he needs his milk. I don't think offering a bottle will help. Maybe feeding in a dim bedroom with no noise interuption. I also make sure Cooper has lots of cheese, milk in his porrigde and yoghurts. I don't worry if Cooper gets enough food/milk as i'm sure he'd tell me if he wasn't!

 

[beanie]

Cally does this - I tend to feed her when she is sleepy as she is more likely to feed for longer. She does still wake in the night but it is only once or twice at the moment (unless those blooming teeth are coming). Night feeding is great for your milk supply