2 questions - how much milk does a 12 month old actually need,
and how can I get him to stop helping himself?

My DS Ben is just over a year old now, and when he's with me he seems to want milk all the time. Unless he wants food, or to play. He eats and nurses as much or as little as he wants, and we both tend to graze on stuff throughout the day (fruit, bread, toast, etc).

I was just wondering, at 12 months, how much are babies still relying on milk for actual nourishment? I know it differs from baby to baby, but was wondering whether I could start trying to distract him from booby occasionally.

I read Nessa's post with interest, as Ben's not got any teeth yet and I'm wondering if this persistent desire to nurse is coinciding with him finally getting teeth - not that he'll let me into his mouth to have a feel. As I've no experience of teething to go by, I don't know if this is teething or not.

He will also yell and scream if I don't get a boob out for him if that's what he wants, and he will pull at my top and help himself if my top is stretchy enough - I really don't want him to do that and don't really know how to stop him once he's got his mind set on boob! And he's so picky, if the boob I get out isn't the one he wants he will hit it and pull at the other one :( It's starting to get really irritating and I'm wondering if there are any gentle ways of getting him to stop.

I'm hoping that distracting him from wanting milk so often will also help with the helping himself issue, but if it is teething I'd rather he didn't help himself but actually asked (he knows the sign for milk, and I'm sure he knows what it means).

Any advice appreciated!