Made it to 1 year, he drinks like a newborn again!

[@llli*katniss]

So we made it to 1 year!
I am so very proud of myself to have achieved that. It has always been my goal and now that we've reached it, I am very happy.
However, my DS suddenly lost interest in solids. We did a combination of baby led weaning and purees (he only just got his first teeth!). He was self fed for the majority of the last two months and my little guy could eat! He had 5 meals per day, with breastfeeding. We did not introduce water till just recently and even that he drinks only a couple of sips. And now all of a sudden he takes two bites and is done. Of course he asks for a boobie 5 minutes afterward. I keep offering him different kinds of foods throughout the day, from bread, to veggies to cooked foods etc.
This sudden interest in solids really baffles me and constant nursing is quite exhausting for me. It's like a have a newborn again, except this newborn is very active during nursings.

Either way, is this a normal behaviour? Did I miss something?

I am also anxious to get my period back since we would want to try for a nr.2.

Thank you

[@llli*mommal]

Totally frustrating! And totally normal. A lot of babies are more interested in solids at <1 year than right after the first birthday. It makes sense when you think about growth- an 8 or even a 10 month-old baby is growing a lot faster than a 12+ month-old baby. And it also makes sense when you think about development, and what a baby can do. At 6-12 months the baby is much less mobile and capable than a toddler, who is suddenly into all sorts of distracting activities. So not only is it hard for solids to hold his attention, but he feels the need to reconnect with mom as he becomes significantly more independent.

Just be patient, offer lots of healthy choices, don't succumb to offering only the foods you know your child loves and will eat because that's how you create a picky eater, and keep nursing. Your LO will get more interested in solids and less interested in your milk as time goes on.

I totally understand being impatient for your period to return, but it's still early to expect it. The average time until return of fertility in a nursing mom is something like 15 months, so you have some time to go. If you are really, really impatient for your period to return, reducing nursing sessions will probably get you there faster- but it comes at the price of limiting the use of your best mothering tool!

[@llli*pianosinger]

It's also possible that he could be coming down with something icky and solids aren't attractive right now and he wants to nurse more for comfort, though I hope that is not the case...

[@llli*eve9]

Congratulations! Just keep on trying to offer other food. He might not like them but eventually he will.

[@llli*maddieb]

normal. baby eating less totally typical at one year. You can offer food, but I doubt the reason your baby is nursing so much has much to do with hunger. Babies and toddlers love to nurse for many reasons. It may feel less frustrating if you embrace this as normal. Look at it this way, your baby is not asking for cookies and candy, but rather something that is 100% healthy. This is no small gift! It would be like a 10 year old asking to eat vegetables several times a day.

[@llli*katniss]

Thank you ladies for the encouragement!

We just got back from a visit to my family (they live 600miles away) and we stayed there for a week. Little man ate like a big man! No idea what was different but my mom convinced him to eat a lot... but then again she ignores my wishes that he feeds himself. Either way, he did not lose interest in nursing and we are still going strong. (Quite a lot of people were surprised but no negative comments...)
We do make sure he gets a big variety of foods everyday, I know my mom made sure he ate something new and exciting everyday, now I just need to keep up. He is definitely still showing interest in feeding himself (also with a spoon)...
Now to get back to normal rhythm again!

(and my period returned with vengeance.. why oh why did I ask for it to be back?)