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Infant feeding

Help! Not sure I'm producing enough milk for 6.5 mth DD

4 replies

BettyFriedan · 19/09/2009 22:04

I used to be able to express 5oz for DD for a dream feed but in the past week or so that's gone down to only 3oz and it's worrying me that I'm not producing enough milk for her. She's always fed every 3 hours - never really extended to 4, and at present has a dreamfeed (such as it is) at 11pm and then wakes about 3 for a feed and then at 6. Last few nights have been 2 and 5 though. She's eating a lot - started weaning about 3 weeks ago, and she's taken to it - so much so am worried might be feeding her too much. But know that milk should still be her main food. What do I do? Does it sound like she's not getting enough? Should I be thinking about adding formula?

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chibi · 20/09/2009 13:03

from what i recall from weaning dd...

are you giving her milk before you feed her? if so, she is probably getting enough.

if she has really taken to solids, she will be reducing milk feeds over time.

at this stage my dd was having a bf at breakfast, midmorning, noon, midafternoon, dinner and ast bedtime.

however, the midafternoon/midmorning ones became almost formalities, a way for her to get to sleep, rather than a proper feed.

if you are concerned, you can always scale back on solids in favour of upping milk.

your milk supply at over 6mo is certainly robust enough to cope.

hth

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BettyFriedan · 21/09/2009 09:23

I'm giving her bfs about an hour before solids 9 so my day today will go 6.30 bf, 7.30 solid, 8.30 nap. 9.30 bf etc etc

She is taking less I think

but what worries me is my ability to express has gone right down - which means we could be back to the situation where I can't leave her cos I can't express enough.....

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ILikeToQuickstepItTangoIt · 21/09/2009 09:34

How much you can express isn't always a reflection of your supply. Maybe you'll have to express in 2 sittings to get the amount you would like.

Maybe your dd doesn't need so much volume (of milk) as solids are sustaining her?

You will have a strong supply after 6 1/2 months, so don't worry about that.

Have faith in you and your dd and trust that what she is getting is enough.

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Rhian82 · 21/09/2009 09:54

I'd say your supply should be fully established and she's generally getting enough. You just might not be able to express enough - are there other times when you could slot in some more expressing sessions?

When DS was first born I could express loads - midwife said she'd never seen someone express so much! Through the first six months or so I could still do a lot, but it did start to go down from there. I still managed - I went back to work three days a week and was able to provide expressed milk for him until he was 10 months, but the amount I could get in a session did go down over time.

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