Hello!

My son is nearly 8 months old and in the last few days has begun refusing the breast during the day, he has been breast fed from birth, and is on solids, could he be weaning himself? If so is it normal he still takes feeds through out the night? Should I give him formula do he is still getting the nutrients or just add more foods?


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  • Probably the more you increase solids foods, the more he will decrease the breast. I wouldn’t replace with formula, but feed on the demand. Do realise that solids in the first year is just about introducing tastes and textures and shouldn’t replace a breastfeed


  • I didn’t realise babies would self wean. Mine didn’t, my older 2 I started on formula before 1 year old as I had low milk supply, but my youngest did not want to wean when I had to and was 17 months when I finally did as I had to have surgery. I drank lots more water so my supply was better. During the night, is he half asleep when you feed? Could it be a pain thing with teething, or is he not getting enough at once?


  • This is exactly what happened to us at exactly the same age. I expressed and bottle fed so that he could still have breast milk but after a while this became too time consuming. We replaced feeds with formula for a couple of months until he was able to have cows milk. Our MHN then advised that solids alone should provide enough nutrition and that milk or formula were no longer necessary.


  • Interesting question. I think the child is weaning. If you are worried about nutrition try checking out what the requirements are from a few different sites (eg http://www.babysleepsite.com/schedules/8-month-old-baby-schedule/). A combination of solids and breastmilk should be fine (unless there is such a small amount of breast being taken that it needs topping up?).


  • Sounds like your little one might be trying to self wean, as during the day he has a belly full of food, my kids were breastfeed for about 12 months but from 9 months they only had it twice a day moring and night. in between they just drank water then later about A year old had cows milk during the day and night. That is unless they were ill and wanted it all the time… It really up to you as long as your little one is getting plenty of food and fluids thats all that matters.


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