getting enough??

[NICCI]

im worried!!! ive been exclusively breastfeedin since jack was one week old.
because jack was prem he didnt have the sucking reflex and had to be cup fed formula for the first 5 days as well as taking little bit of EBM! since ive bfed jack has thrived and has put on eleven ounce per week ( at his 8 week check last week he weighed 10lb 5). yet just lately he has been really fussy at the boov and has been wanting to feed loads more he usually goes every 2 - 3 hours but its more like 1-2 at the min!! he has never been good at sleeping at night but the last 2 nights he has been really bad!! so im thinkin of giving him a bottle of formula as one of his night feeds at 11 im aslo worried that my supply may have dropped! (my periods have come bk and i heard somewhere that this can affect your milk supply is this true?) please help i dont know what to do could he be having a growth spurt!! xxxxxxxx

 

[purple13]

hey hon

i'm not sure how old jack is now, but its quite possible that he's having a growth spurt. 11oz a week is an amazing weight gain so there's absolutely no doubt that he's getting enough milk - you're doing a fab job! i've never heard of periods affecting bf-ing and i can't believe that they do. if you do need to boost your supply in light of jack's increased feeding, eat oats and take fenugreek, and/or drink fennel tea & blackthorn juice.

breast fed babies will always feed little and often cos booby milk is perfectly formulated for their guts and is absorbed quickly and easily. whether you feed formula at night is really up to you but if its a growth spurt, it probably won't make much difference to his appetite. personally i found co-sleeping was the way forward, and still is for me (even at 7 months, connor wakes at 3.30 and 5.30am for feeding). remember that every time jack feeds, he's telling your boobs how much milk they need to be making, and dropping a feed in favour of formula could prove counter-productive.

stick with it hon - growth spurts pass. just try and take a nap whenever he's sleeping.

 

[Sherlock]

No idea how old your LO is but it sounds like a growth spurt to me. I'd just stick with the boob (as your supply will increase to meet his demands during the growth spurt) and nap when he naps. Babies go through a few of these in the early months and its not unusual for them to want to feed more often.

If you are worried about your supply drink a bit more water and eat something will oats in for breakfast. I go for porridge or Alpen most days and find it really helps.

I am sure your LO is getting enough and is just doing what is natural to do. I'd not supplement with formula but let him guide your body into producing what it needs.

 

[Valley Girl]

Hi there.

I had exactly the same problem, and after three months I very reluctantly put Toby onto a bottle. My periods started after only eight weeks even though I was fully breastfeeding, and I noticed that for a week before and a week after my period he fussed crazily, wasn't sleeping properly and was generally not happy! My mum came round and watched me feed and said she didn't think I was dropping the milk quick enough. I filled up a bottle (always had some cartons incase of an emergency) and for the first time in ages had a super content baby.

I am a great believer in breastfeeding and fed by first son for six months and my second for a year. It did upset me stopping feeding but I soon got over it when I saw how much happier Toby was, and better nourished.

Every baby is different, and so is every situation. You must do what is best for you and your baby and don't hesitate to try different things.

Good luck!

 

[NICCI]

my LO is 9 weeks old 2day!! my perios have come bk after 8 weeks as well!!! i really dont know what 2 do jack fed at 9 and fussed and fell asleep ive just tried feedin him again and he still wont take much!!! he is sooo grumpy!!!!

 

[purple13]

just keep going honey - at that age they're still pretty much permanently attached to your boobs, connor was feeding every 1.5/2 hours right up until he was on 3 meals a day!

babies fuss, that's just what they do. it'll get worse when he gets older and tries to be a part of everything going on in the room around you, whilst still clamped to your nipple!

formula doesn't contain some magic ingredient to stop fussiness TBH i think that if you're feeling uncertain about things, introducing formula now could be the start of a slippery slope to giving up bf-ing altogether. and if your LO is gaining weight, which he is, then i really don't see the need to change anything - you're doing an amazing job all by yourself!!

you could always call LLL or the NCT helplines if you wanted further advice?

 

[NICCI]

im not bloody giving up!!!!! it took me ages to feel confident bfeeding!! ur right purple13 i think if i give formula then it will be the end of bfeeding!! if he doest get any better then i will phohe nct

thanx 4 the support ladies

 

[purple13]

im not bloody giving up!!!!!

good for you hon. its so hard to keep confident in the early days of bf-ing. i had real problems with connor's weight at the start, and i came under immense pressure to formula feed instead. but, with help from the guys on here, i stuck to my guns and kept on with the bf-ing and i'm sooo proud of myself for it.

i've honestly found fenugreek to be quite amazing re getting my supply up - maybe give it a try?

there is a possibility that your LO has started early teething - is he dribbling more than usual? i find that connor's understandably much fussier about feeding if his mouth is sore. in any case, try not to worry about jack; what he's doing is perfectly normal, you just have to ride it out.

 

[andreag]

Well done you!
Like the others have said, he will be getting enough, or is increasing your supply by frequent nursing, so introducing a bottle would be counter productive.
I have heard (I think, but my pregnancy brain isn't great) that having a period can affect the taste of the milk, so it might be that he prefers it!
My friend is pregnant and also feeding her first, and noticed his feeds were increasing. the MW put it down to him taking a fancy to the colostum!