will dd lose weight if we wean?

[kandylee8]

Dd just turned ONE today and what a milestone for both of us! I've been BFing her since she was born, & i have to thank DH for his wholehearted support.

Since Dd was a month old, she has been in the 97th percentile for both height & weight, & she's very, very healthy. Just got the sniffles once in her whole life. Right now she's getting most of her nutrition from me, since she only "eats" solids once a day (1-2 ounces at lunch). She rarely has appetite for solids at dinnertime, but we let her sit with us at the table. I am just concerned that if we decide to wean her, would she lose weight? I don't think she wants to substitute breastmilk with other food... at least not yet, anyway.

[kohlby]

Possibly.
My DS lost 2 lbs right away when I cut down on his nursing. He hit 35lbs at 18 months. I cut him down and he went to 33lbs. He got back up to 35lbs at 2. So, he did gain back the weight he lost. Since it really was excess weight, I wasn't concerned! If my skinny DD lost weight, then I would be concerned. That's part of the joy of having a big kid - you don't have to stress as much when they lose weight!

[kandylee8]

I get what you mean... Do you know that 7months ago when DD was 25lbs, I was actually scared that she'll gain even MORE weight? It has plateaued since, so now she weighs around 26lbs (which is STILL on the heavy side).

I am really not planning on weaning her in the next few months. I am just worried that she won't take more solids to compensate for less nursing sessions. Right now she still nurses 6-7 times in a 24-hour period. I read somewhere that reducing the number of feedings gradually is how to wean.

[kohlby]

She'll find a way to get enough to eat. My son had solid issues - I actually had to teach him to eat solids. And at 18 months, he ate 0-100 calories of nonbreastmilk a day. So he didn't just increase solids because he still didn't really like to eat them. But I made sure to wait to cut him down once I knew he was capable of eating solids. If she loses a little, she'll gain back what she's supposed to. My DS has always been on the big side and I really think it was breastmilk that made him technically overweight at the time - since breastmilk is high in fat and calories and he wasn't eating solids like other kids his age.

My DD eats like a bird. She was born over the 99% for weight and length. At 2, she was 75% for length and just below 25% for weight. But she's small boned, unlike DS. That's just where she belongs. I figure that as long as I offer enough food and drink, that I'm doing my part. DD knows better what she needs to eat than I do. I didn't reduce DD's nursings, she did it on her own. So, she's naturally started the weaning process herself. I did cut DS down, otherwise he would have existed on breastmilk alone well past 4 likely!

[Jacksmommy]

If I had tried to wean my son at a year, he would have lost weight. At that age he still nursed very frequently and ate very little solids - one jar of stage 2 baby food a day and a few cheerios was it until between 18 months and 2 years. Gradually he got more interested in solids. Little by little he cut back on nursing. He slimmed down as toddlers will, but he never lost any weight.

[kandylee8]

thanks mommies! i'm really so thankful for these forums... just gives me added insight on breastfeeding. I'm pretty confident that i'm doing the best for my dd, but of course sometimes i just need some reassurance :)

DD doesn't seem like she's interested in weaning yet. Neither am I.