8 month old self weaning and rejected mama drying up:(

[Shenzhennifer]

If I could pump a lot of milk, I would, but either my pump or my breast yields little. But moreso, it`s the act of breastfeeding that I will miss. I just never expected it to end this early for reasons totally out of my knowledge and control.
I`m so interested to hear that milk production slows down after one gets their period. I got mine about 2 months ago and it has been getting more and more challenging with our breastfeeding. Now that might make sense.
I guess I do just have to accept it. But I hope to keep up my milk supply by feeding my son in the night or when he`s half asleep(the only time he will take it) just in case this is just a phase. One can hope, right?

 

[yuukalim0404]

at least your baby likes to take the bottle, now my milk is less, my 1year old is unhappy, but refused to take EBM via bottle from me or hubby. Lots of struggling and tears.

Really frustrated because I can't possibly put the milk back to my breast for her to suck!

 

[Shenzhennifer]

How about through a sippy cup? That`s actually how mined learned the bottle. Then again, I never tried to give him formula before - it was always EBM and he refused it unless it was from the source. You can always try formula, at least for a while until she can go onto cow`s milk. I know how you are feeling about your breastmilk - I`m really trying to keep some in my own. Time for a dreamfeed~

 

[Koan]

It feels awful. I'm sorry you're going through this. When my son refuses or skips a feed, or I get home from work late, I feel really crappy. My mood gets way off from missing that feed and I feel anxious and bad. :frown:

Here's a great link with some helpful tips to encourage your baby to keep nursing. 8mnths is a typical time for kids to be off exploring and too busy to stop and nurse.

kellymom.com :: Do babies under 12 months self-wean?

Lots of shirtless cuddles could help too, helping him smell the goods!

Re your period returning, some women find that their supply drops temporarily in the days just before the period starts, and some babies may also notice a slight difference in taste, and get fussy. But this is hormonal and temporary.

If you think your supply is affected by the return of your period, you could try a calcium/magnesium supplement (from 500 calcium/250 magnesium up to 1500 calcium/750 magnesium) from the time you ovulate until the second or third day of a period.

Menstruation and Breastfeeding

HTH.

 

[Shenzhennifer]

Hi Koan - thanks for your suggestions and links. I read them with interest, and now have some new ideas to try out. I have actually been taking a calcium supplement (with magnesium and other stuff) since I was about 6 months pregnant, so at least I have been covered for that
My baby slept through the night last night (exhausted after a long day out) and was STARVING this morning so he actually breastfed - I was beaming. I`m finding that it`s really a day by day thing - just always offering with varying degrees of success or not. Looking forward to the end of his nap soon to offer some more goods~