# 7 Month Old ONLY Nursing when Tired - Is this normal?



## Taryn237 (Aug 20, 2006)

For the last couple of days DS has pretty much been rejecting the breast unless he is tired or upset. He's even bitten me a few times. All he wants to do is play. I know that part of it is because we have to supplement due to a low-milk supply (yes I've tried everything) so he gets 3 bottles a day and he's eating a good amount of solids now too. Do all babies get to the point when they only nurse for comfort? Should I be worried?


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## climbermom (Jan 25, 2007)

DD is 10 months and pretty much only nurses before naps or during the night. It's been this way for a while, and DS was the same way. So IME this is a very normal thing. I do try to nurse her when she wakes up in the morning, and she'll usually nurse a little at that time, but the only other times she nurses are when she's tired.


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## Hey Mama! (Dec 27, 2003)

I don't want to worry you further but this is what my dd did when she started to wean at 9 months. She was also supplemented due to low milk supply (feel like I need to add a disclaimer as well) and she was down to only nursing to sleep then she eventually refused the breast altogether.


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## Catherine12 (May 15, 2006)

dd was like this starting at around 9 months (whereas ds is still nursing all the time at 11 months), I think it is just something some babies (the less suck-centered ones?) do.

At only 7 months, I would be a little concerned that he may not be getting enough milk - maybe you should try to replace a solids feed with a nursing? Sometimes babies are distractable - if you did it in a quiet, dark room with no one else present it might help your ds relax and focus on nursing.

He probably won't wean entirely as long as you keep offering nursing to him when he is tired, but if his sleep habits change - if he starts falling asleep on his own or sleeping through the night - he might wean then unless you specifically act to prevent it. This is how my dd weaned, at just over a year. If you were planning on nursing past a year, and feel strongly about that, you should be careful.


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## hunterofkyle (Jul 12, 2005)

I was also going to suggest the dark, quiet room. My DS is 8 months and he will NOT nurse if there is anything distracting in the room.

If I ever have a day where I need to run several errands, he will go 4-5 hours without nursing and not seem to have any problem with it.

Is your DC still waking at night to eat? Maybe DC is getting a lot of nutrition during the night hours and it isn't hurting to go longer stretches during the day. (this is what I suspect w/ my son as he nurses basically all night long.)


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## Momma Aimee (Jul 8, 2003)

my DS -- without supplements -- did this too

about that age -- 7 or 8 -- around vacation time

Boob was great if we were tired, or hurt, or mad....otherwise -- out of my way i have things to do ad look at.

but it was ok -- he was "tired" enough .... even jsut for a 5 minute boob and rock break --









I worried about dehydration over the hot summer -- esp on vacation -- but he did ok ... i think when he was out and about and hot .. he got more tired, and thus was willing to nurse -- even just a small rest......

he did start nurseing a LOT more at "bed" times -- laying down to nap, getting up from nap, going to bed, over night and first thing in the morning.

I started seeking quet places to nurse -- now looking aroudn the store was more fun than nurseing contently in the sling...... but over all EVEN that didn't work too well -- a dark quiet mom's room was STILL A NEW PLACE!!!!

I realized he was goona be ok -- he'd eat, or at least get a few sips, when he needed to ............

I think it is NORMAL and as long as he doesn't stop weight gain, or get weird on you -- he is jsut growing up.









A


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## Acugirl (Jan 1, 2003)

my 7 month old is the same way...he is also starting to bite and pinch me when nursing.
he basically nurses all night though.

I can't go and nurse him in a dark quiet room because i have a 4 yr old to care for too. He gets no solids at all, so it's not like he wouldn't be hungry!

I think it is the age-there are just more fun things for them to do...


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