Your baby may be eating many kinds of solid foods. But breast milk is
still his main source of nutrition. You need to eat healthy foods to maintain
your energy and milk supply. Your body may be making less milk now because
your baby is nursing less. But if your baby wants to nurse more, your body
will make more milk.
Help your baby learn about drinking from a cup. Many parents like using a
cup with a lid and spout. This helps babies move from sucking to sipping.
You might want to put breast milk in the cup. Offer it at meals. As your baby
learns to drink, put more breast milk in the cup. Or put water in the cup.
Your baby is learning to feed himself. That means mealtimes may be messy
and stressful. Avoid quarrels. Give your baby finger foods. Talk with him so
he will learn that mealtime is a social time. Finish with a relaxed breastfeeding.
Sometimes your baby may want to play instead of nurse. When that
happens, let him sit on your lap. Read a story or sing a song instead. He
may not be hungry. Or he may be bored with the feeding.
Remember, nursing satisfies both physical and emotional needs. Let
your baby nurse whenever he needs a snack. Let him nurse when he
needs to feel your loving arms.
To learn more about breastfeeding, you may want to contact your local
health department, WIC clinic, hospital, La Leche League or doctor. You
can call La Leche League at 1-800-LALECHE or visit their Web site at