How to make my son have breastmilk again after several months of weaning?

Question

My wife stopped giving my first child breastmilk when he was around 13 months old, because she was having a second pregnancy. At that time, when my wife kept giving breastmilk to the first child, her physical condition became weaker. The indication could be seen by easily having an influenza everyday.

Now my second child was born already one month ago. We are now starting to learn to give breastmilk again to our first child. But it is very difficult. Everytime my wife gives him her breast, my son just kisses the breast and gets away after that. I still don't find a good way to make my son eager to be fed breastmilk again. Do you any good idea?

For your information, after weaning, my son doesn't drink any milk, he only drinks mineral water and his appetite for food is bigger rather than when he was still having breastmilk.

I hope that anyone here can share his/her ideas who has same experiences with this condition.

Answer 1

You are probably fighting against his natural social development by expecting him to go back to the breast after having grown beyond it. Natural weaning can start as early as 6 months (when solids are introduced) and often occurs by age one (with increases in appetite and activity). Your son has developed his first level of independence with some control over his own feeding, so it is natural that he would resist a return to dependence.

Perhaps the focus should be on making sure he gets adequate nutrition rather than where he gets it from (breast or other source).

• You could try giving him expressed breast milk in a bottle or cup (whatever he normally drinks from now) if he will take it.
• You could try mixing milk with something to make it more palatable. There have been a number of studies done on children who resist drinking milk. They have found that if you mix milk with something the child will drink (and this may take some experimenting), then over time you can reduce the proportion of "other drink" to milk so that eventually the child is drinking straight milk. Possibilities include chocolate flavoring, a spoonful of ice cream, or a little sugar and vanilla.
• You can make milkshakes in the blender with milk, fruit and ice (or milk and pieces of frozen fruit) and a tiny bit of sugar if necessary (honey is not recommended before age 1). This can be an "event" where the child gets to drop the fruit into the blender or help push the blender button.
• New milk-based drinks might be presented with flair - special cup, introduction of the straw, or presented as Mummy or Daddy's drink which the child initially is only allowed to have a sip of.
• You also might try milk with different levels of fat content. Some kids don't like the texture of whole milk (4% milkfat), preferring a more "watery" 2% or 1%. At his age, you want plenty of fat to sustain his growth, so if you get him to drink skim or 1%, you might gradually mix in a "heavier" milk until you bring him up to 2%.
• You mention that he eats well, and this is very good. If you do not have success with milk, there are other dairy products that work as well for supplying the nutrients we expect from milk, like yogurt, cheese, or cottage cheese. Fats and proteins can be obtained through other foods, like meats and nuts (there is no agreement on the best age to introduce nuts, but they should be introduced under doctor's supervision if there is a family history of nut allergy). Calcium can be obtained through calcium-fortified foods (soy milk, orange juice, cereals, and breads).

Sources:

Mayo Clinic - Weaning: Tips for Breastfeeding Mothers

National Institute of Health (Melanie Bachmeyer) - Treatment of Selective and Inadequate Food Intake in Children: A Review and Practical Guide

Karen Sokal-Gutierrez M.D., M.P.H. Pediatrician - Why does my toddler refuse milk?

US FDA - Once Baby Arrives: Food Safety : "Honey isn't safe for children less than a year old. It can contain the Clostridium botulinum organism that could cause serious illness or death."

When Can Baby Eat Nuts? - Wholesome Baby Food