Breastfeeding problems

[AnnaM84]

Hi,

My DS is 6 months and for the past 3 months has been tricky to feed on and off. He was a dream for the first 3 months, fed well and super quick but was able to sleep up to 11 hours from 5 weeks, just amazing. All too good to be true we knew. Then we all got coughs and colds and that was the end of the sleepful nights! He has had a cough now for 12 weeks which we have been back and forth to docs about and tried everything from acid reflux meds to dairy free. Over this time he has fed for less and less time and gets distracted so easily. For the last couple of months he stays on for the let down and then just gives up. He seems to have been happy to not feed at all in the day but then wakes every. 2-3 hours. We have tried Everything to reverse this! Anyway, now i am convinced milk supply is just diminishing and I have had mastitis symptoms twice in last 2 weeks. I have been able to feed through it to reduce symptoms.

So tonight I tried a bottle of formula...just at my wits end and now DS actually seems annoyed on the breast and thrashes about when the let down ends. He played with the teat for a bit but then drank two thirds. I REALLY want to continue feeding but on the other hand feel I do not know what else to do to encourage bigger and better feeds in the day. I am driving myself nuts WIth it. I was able to feed DD without formula for 11 months and then just topped up at night and she was a nightmare to begin with. How can such a easy to feed baby turn into a living nightmare.

Anyone with advice or experience please?!

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

Really sorry, haven't got time to post but would recommend asking MNHQ to move this to the breast and bottle section

[Nareno]

My 6m Ds very similar. A real struggle to get him to have propper feeds in the day and then wants to feed all night. Ive also started him on some solids and the odd bottle of formular. So long as yours is still thriving and has wet nappies, ok poos etc hes probably getting enough overall... and maybe its just a case of riding it out? I also felt like maybe my milk wasnt enough, and even though everyone says thats not the case, I wonder if something changes at 6 months. I gather developmental leaps can affect night time sleeping too. If you worried, speak to hv or doc. Initially I was really anti introducing formular, but using it and expressed breast milk has let my partner do a few nights which was a god send, and maybe you need a few nights off too, the disturbed sleep really gets too much after a while!