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Expert Q&A
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| By Ann Calandro BSN, RNC, IBCLC Lactation Consultant | ||
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I want to begin to wean my 12-month-old because I don't have enough milk to continue feeding her bottles of breastmilk while she is at the baby-sitter. I do however still feed her in the morning, before bed and pump twice daily while I am away. Can I supplement by mixing 4 percent cow's milk with the expressed breastmilk for her bottles?
Congratulations on continuing to breastfeed your little girl. Even if you cannot provide all the milk she needs at this time, the milk you are providing continues to be a source of wonderful nourishment and is packed full of antibodies and protective agents. Nursing her when you are home is also a wonderful way to stay close to her. Some mothers continue to pump when their babies are a year old, and other mothers elect to stop pumping because they notice their milk supply is dwindling. Most year-old babies are now enjoying a variety of other foods, so it is natural that mom's milk supply would not be as plentiful as it was in the early months.
Certainly you can continue to pump and add the milk to a supplement if you choose. Ask your health care provider what he or she recommends to be added as the supplement. In the United States, many HCPs recommend that babies add whole cow's milk to their diet if baby can tolerate dairy products.
If you nurse frequently on days you are not working, you will find you can keep your milk supply for as long as you and your daughter choose to continue nursing.
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