Worrying again about supply

[PrettyCandles]

4mo ds2 is going totally doo-lally wrt feeding and sleeping. He's got a very strong feed-to-sleep association, and I can't get him to sleep in any way other than by feeding him to sleep. So in the day I'm lucky if I can get him to nap more than 2 or 3 x 30min. At night he's now pretty much feeding through the night, and, as a result, feeds very poorly during the day.

I've really got to get on top of this, and get him back into a decent feeding and sleeping pattern. But my worry now is that, feeding-wise, our days and nights are reversed, so that I probably have most milk at night and little during the day, so what will happen if I do manage to get him sleeping at night? Will I find that he's hungry during the day? Can one's supply make such a big adjustment at this age?

[hairymclary]

try feeding him more during the day. just keep offering and you may well find he takes more. tank him up in the evening and hopefully he'll want less in the night

[PrettyCandles]

It's not a matter of him being hungry at night, it's that every time he comes into lighter sleep he needs to suckle to get himself back to sleep. So by default he fills up at night.

[shonaspurtle]

I'm not really sure but I don't think the supply thing is really that sophisticated? I mean, I don't feed through the night at the moment but if ds did happen to wake a few times for a feed I'm pretty sure the milk would be there.

I think your body just makes more milk to replace that which has been removed so it's not that your body goes oh it's midnight better start stocking up for the nightshift - hope that doesn't sound patronising!

I could be completely wrong though! But in any case, it's unlikely to be an overnight transformation isn't it? And of course babies start sleeping through the night at lots of different ages so supply must be able to adjust to meet this change whether your lo is 6 weeks or 18 months.

[kiskidee]

don't worry about your supply at this stage. it is very rubost and can revert itself back. to encourage him to feed more during the day, feed him in a quiet room where distractions are minimal. they are so nosy around 4 mos.

since you are worried too about a lot of night feeding. if you can anticipate a couple wakings you want him to stop, wait for him to come into a light sleep and pat and shush him a bit to waking up fully. not sure it will work but worth a try. you may want to get a copy of the no cry sleep solution by Elizabeth Pantley as she has lots of techniques to encourage a more 'mummy friendly' feed / sleep pattern and she starts at 4 months.

go to kellymom and read up about distractible baby / nursing.