Is it a growth spurt?

[Lisa_85]

I have just started expressing a week ago and Issac is mainly bottle fed and occasionally put on the boob, normally when ive finished expressing and he is showing signs of hunger, he stays on for a min or so but obviously ive took the best and quickest milk out already and he has always been lazy so i give him a bottle...... anyway back to the point!

For the last week Issac has been drinking between 5-6oz and happily leaves a little dreg of the bottle so i know he is full he has been content after a feed which is great as it was a rare moment after being on the breast that he was happy after.

Today he has been draining 6oz breast milk and then 3oz Formula?? Is this a growth spurt? ive only been expressing a week so there is no way i can magically make an extra 3oz per feed and i dont mind using formula as i can see i have my own milk and how much he is having now, but he has suddenly gone from 5-6oz max to 9oz per feed.... He is almost 4months but no where near intersted in food he isnt even looking at me eating yet and if i put something next his nose the smell doesnt phase him at all so im not ready for weaning either

Sorry for long post and bit of a ramble and well done if you got to the end lol xx

 

[Hemera]

I'm not sure. It might be that he's ready, for 7 ounces breastmgjj but is just being a greedy guts with the formula on offer, or it could be a growth sput. They are meant to have one at about 4 months so would be about right.

 

[pinkyprincess]

You need to put the baby on your boob to encourage the milk production. The baby can get more milk out than a pump AND their saliva helps to signal to your boobs to create the more milk the baby needs. If you top up with formula and not let the baby send these signs to your boobs your milk may dry up.

 

[Smithy1980]

Babies have a HUGE growth spurt at 4 months hun! My LO went from sleeping through to waking every two hours! Only lasted a few weeks but she grew loads HTH xx


Sent from my sparkly new iPhone

 

[Lisa_85]

Pinky - i wish i could put him on the boob but he just doesnt get enough out, when he was on the breast he was getting upto 6oz formula top ups (depending how long he could go between feeds) He doesnt latch properly and refuses to learn how to latch to get more milk out, he is just a nipple end boy thats why im expressing so he can keep having my milk but i tend to put him on after i have expressed in hope that he will send some signals saying there isnt enough... If you have any more advice on how to keep him on i will try but he just seems to scream

Im really hoping that because im expressing alot my milk wont dry up xx

 

[pinkyprincess]

I think some of the girls swear by nipple shields to help with the latch. I'm not sure of the science if it but even going for a little while should help.

This website has loads of advice on exclusive pumping http://www.mother-2-mother.com/ExclusivePumping.htm

 

[Lisa_85]

thanks pinky that link is great!

i think i may have to use formula aswel as i dont think my supply will increase dramatically but its should be fine as in theory he will drop any extra feeds after and go back to just breastmilk.

Em another question for anyone else... when you LO went through the 4month growth spurt did they drop the amount and frequency of feeds after or just one or the other? xx