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Infant feeding

Supply paranoia!

11 replies

Orenishii · 31/12/2012 10:12

Just need some advice to stop me going crazy :)

After some initial problems, I've been successfully bfing DS for 9 weeks. In the last couple of days he has been fussing at the breast, feeding for no more than 3-5 minutes each side. It started when he kept refusing the right breast - which I eventually manually expressed because it was so engorged. After 10 minutes I had a huge amount. Since then, I started worrying - what if I'm not producing anything, which is why he's fussing? I don't know why I thought this - since my breasts were leaking and engorged!

Anyway, to make myself feel better and to ensure he got some good hind milk, I thought I'd express a lot to give him. Only I could hardly get anything - barely covered the bottom of the bottle! I freaked out a little, got the electric pump out and same thing - 10/15 minutes in and hardly anything.

This morning I was engorged and put him to the breast - same thing, 3-5 minutes each side. So now I am confused and - ridiculously - close to tears.

Logically - I must be producing hence the engorgement, but why can't I express anything and why is he only wanting so little? He must hardly be getting anything. The time between feeds is the same so I'm going crazy worrying about this new "development".

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Loislane78 · 31/12/2012 10:36

The amount you can express bears no real resemblance to how much milk you have; even the deluxe milkers aren't as efficient as your baby so don't sweat it.

Babies get much more efficient at feeding so 3-5 mins per breast sounds fine to me assuming he's well in himself etc. Could be fussing as he's full and you're trying to keep feeding. The other thing could be lots of supply if you're engorged and a fast let down meaning he's having to gulp and may have trouble latching. In this scenario I'd express a little off first to make it easier for little man.

HTH :)

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geekette · 31/12/2012 11:13

nappies never lie! what are they like?

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Svrider · 31/12/2012 11:22

Your doing fine
Ensure you eat plenty of healthy food
Top up with snacks
Drink lots of water
Rest
I'm sure the baby isn't hungry
He wouldn't be fussing, he'd be screaming!
Also I found all 3 of my babies would suddenly want feeding for the majority of the day, every so often
This is what DVD box sets are for!
Remember feed on demand
Your baby and your body know what to do Smile

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Orenishii · 31/12/2012 14:15

Thanks all - he's wetting nappies regularly but has been a bit constipated in the last couple of days. He tends to feed every 2.5-3 hours but sometimes has every hour sessions. I think I'm also unnerved that he's started sleeping through - 7 or 8 hours - so I thought he'd be starving in the morning. Apart from a bit of tummy pain from trapped wind, he's a very happy, sweet tempered little boy.

Thanks so much for the reassurance - does it all honestly sound ok?

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mummysmellsofsick · 31/12/2012 14:35

I don't think an ebf baby can really be constipated. My friend's lo used to only poo every week or so, but gained weight and held her centile perfectly, also when she did poo there was a lot, but it wasn't ever solid. I wouldn't worry about poos, just plenty of wet nappies and weight gain

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mummysmellsofsick · 31/12/2012 14:40

Just keep feeding on demand and monitoring wet nappies and not much can go wrong. Get him weighed or go to a bf clinic if you want further reassurance. It's hard with bf not being able to monitor intake but you will gain confidence if you can see the weight gain

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Loislane78 · 31/12/2012 15:28

Honestly sounds fine :) but as mummy said get weighed or BF clinic.

Once the poop becomes less regular, make sure you have a full clothes change in your bag when out, we call em poonami's when it does arrive!

Sounds a lot like my LO at that age - short feeds, longer sleeps - bliss! All went tits up at 4 months so enjoy :)

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Orenishii · 31/12/2012 16:35

Hahaha thanks Loislane, and for the reassurance too!

I think you're right mummy - about the constipation - it's just that he was writhing in pain, drawing his knees up and his stomach was hard and bloated. He hadn't pooed in a couple of days, which while I know some babies can go days and days, for him it was a long time. Then he did a massive poo which was basically just yellow water and I'd read baby constipation can appear watery like diarrhoea would. I watched some baby massage videos for wind and massaged him specially on his belly for a few nights running, which seemed to help.

He hasn't been weighed since 5 Dec due to the clinic not being open and Christmas, but I just weighed him and he's within the average weekly weight gain. I think it's just - we had a terrible first night home, and it scared me. I assumed he'd let me know if he was hungry...and he didn't, he slept 9 hours without feeding and I was too ignorant/naive to looking after my baby to realise. When the m/w came and was horrified and said "things would be triggered", I've always been a little on edge about his feeding.

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mummysmellsofsick · 31/12/2012 17:46

My DS slept for 7+ hours in his first few days repeatedly and no one told me I should wake him to feed him. He is now a healthy vigorous 1 yo so no harm was done. I know it's not advisable but as long as he's feeding well now I really wouldn't worry, esp as you say his weight gain is fine. I'd talk through your worries with a bf counsellor or gp if I were you, I'm sure no lasting damage will have been done.

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mummysmellsofsick · 31/12/2012 17:48

Oh yes and baby massage helped DS loads when he was little. Good luck and congrats on the new arrival

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Welovecouscous · 31/12/2012 22:56

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