Pediatrician wants me to wean....

[@llli*mallory3kids]

Hello ladies, I have been MIA for some time now due to no internet coverage.

Anywho....My son had his 9 month check up this morning. Up until today my sons doc has been very breastfeeding supportive. My sons weight has hit a plateau and is currently 20lbs 9oz and is 29inch tall. His doctor feels as if he should be putting on more weight and she feels as if his 8+ nursing sessions a day is too many. He currently only has baby food at dinner and munches on things like graham crackers and puffs here and there through out the day. She said that she wants me to bring it down to only 3 nursing sessions a day and no night nursing's!! I was in such shock I said nothing. I am upset and confused. He isn't under weight and he is meeting all his milestones perfectly. She made another appointment in 6 weeks for him to come in for a weight check.

Should I wean him down to three? Should I add more food?(I am afraid that more food will force him to wean which I don't want) Should I just keep on doing what I am doing and deal with the doctor differently?

TIA

[@llli*joe.s.mom]

I would not wean my child or reduce breastmilk under these circumstances.

First of all, 20 lbs is a GREAT weight for a 9 month old baby! It's common for breastfed babies to plateau a bit when they get mobile. Joe fell from the 99th percentile at six months down into the 70th percentile by the time he was a year old, but he was big, healthy, and clearly thriving, and my doctor never breathed a word about him needing to eat more solids. But I notice that when a similar drop in percentiles happens with a smaller baby, people tend to freak out, even though it's REALLY NORMAL.

A lot of 9 month olds don't eat many solids anyway, and cutting out breastmilk won't change that.

Basically, I would probably try to increase the fattier and more calorie dense solids, but at the same time, breastmilk has more calories per ounce than most solids or formula, so I'd also be nursing my baby as much as he asked.

I disagree with your doctor's advice. I think she's panicking about nothing - your boy is a good size! - and I think she's clearly uninformed about growth patterns in breastfeeding children and the value of breastmilk as opposed to solids. If it were me, I'd definitely blow off her advice, and maybe look for a new doctor.

[@llli*duckpond]

If it were me, I'd definitely blow off her advice, and maybe look for a new doctor.

I'd also blow off the 6 week weight check. If he's healthy and meeting milestones, he's fine! He really sounds like he's a good weight, and if there are no other concerns with his health, then what's the problem? I think in your shoes, I wouldn't even do anything different in terms of his feeding. Really.

[@llli*oakdryad5]

I agree with the pps. if anything i'd be nursing round the clock and putting olive oil in everything if weight was an issue but 20 lbs sounds like a lot to me at 9 months (my girl was little and just getting over 20lbs at a year of age).

i looked at these charts online and he looks like he's right in the middle (http://kellymom.com/health/growth/growthcharts/) aka average. i would be getting a new doctor. a weight check for an average baby that's meeting milestones sounds pretty ridiculous to me.

[@llli*mommy2lilah]

Good grief!! Trixie is 20.2 pounds right NOW at 14.5 months and is just fine! I would get a new doctor!!!!

[@llli*momtodom09]

Tell the doctor people in hell want ice water. Doesn't mean it's gonna happen. :-) But seriously, your mama intuition is probably telling you not to go along with her reccomendations. Listen to it.

[@llli*toddlerandtwins]

I agree-keep doing what you are doing and listen to your intuition. My girls were not close to 20lbs at 9 months (more like 18) and my son wasn't over 20lb until probably 1 year (or later).

[@llli*auderey]

Sounds like parenting advice, not medical advice. And sounds like dropping nursings would exacerbate the slow weight gain, so it doesn't even make sense from a medical standpoint! If you are happy nursing this much, keep it up! (I am.)

[@llli*mallory3kids]

Thanks everyone. I have not one complaint about how often my lo nurses. I love it and I don't see an end in sight and when HE is ready HE will wean.

When I go back in 6 weeks I am sure I am going to get an ear full. I want to be armed with stuff to say back to her. Does breast milk lose its nutritional value after the first year?

[@llli*krystine]

Breastmilk does not lose nutritional value after one year, or two years or three years or ever! I agree your child weighs plenty, I think mine was around 20 lbs at a year. But anyway, you might consider adding some higher-fat solids, like avocados, or adding olive oil to some of the foods you give if you want to help him gain a bit more.