Distractible baby - will it affect supply?

[beancounting]

DD (13 wks) has recently become less and less interested in feeding in the daytime, especially when we're out, and has lost a bit of weight and dropped a centile over the last 3-4 weeks. Both the HV and BF counsellor said it was nothing to worry about (she seems fine, lots of wet nappies etc) and the BF counsellor said it was probably because she's beginning to take an interest in what's going on around her and so is too distracted to feed.

She does seem to feed well in the night but the number of feeds in 24 hrs is less than it was - will this affect my supply? should I be expressing the feeds she isn't taking in case once she is less distractible she tries to go back to every 2-3 hours, or will there still be enough milk? I finally feel like I'm enjoying BF and don't want to jeopardise it! thanks

Not an expert here by any shakes, but my DD is the same at the moment. She's 4 months & getting so distracted during the day that if there is someone in the room, she won't feed. She seems to be compensating by feeding every 2 hours during the night which I'm not thrilled about!

Have you tried the quiet darkened room, lying down approach? I also try to feed as soon as she wakes up from naps as when she's sleepy she's less interested in her surroundings.

The other thing is that she might be more efficient when she does feed now?

thanks Trillian - good to know it's not just me! the quiet darkened room doesn't seem to work during the day (she just pulls off to peer up at me through the gloom and grin, I think she thinks it's a new game) but I'll try when she's sleepy and see if that works. The extra night feeds are a nightmare aren't they?!

Are you expressing during the day or assuming it will all sort itself out?

Same here - bab 14wo - last week or so v distractable during day - bobs on and off, shrieks if I'm too persistant

Worries me as takes little for breakfast when assume would be hungry and some greenish poos which I think mean too little hindmilk??

But is bright, growing, pees plenty, feeds very well evening/night - luckily no increased frequency at night

I can only assume he'll eat if hungry - I just keep plugging away offering boob every 3 hrs during day

I express am anyway and have only had to do so once one other time when he completely refused a feed but I do get worried about supply - I think if there's as much pee/poo as every, then must be taking in plenty of milk?

She just catch up in the middle of night if needs be. All part of the sleep regression fun.

greenish poos can mean too much foremilk, or just the gradually less fatty stuff at the start of a feed from a full breast. green poo happened to my DS when i had stacks of milk - supply was a bit bonkers in the early days - and block feeding solved it. it decreases your supply, more fat in milk, yellow poo. however, the green poo that happens in a breastfed baby is also on the entirely normal spectrum and is absolutely nothing to worry about, as i understand it, if your baby is weeing pooing good weight happy healthy etc the green poo that happens in an oversupply case is accomanied by explosive poos, lots of wind, and is quite obviously uncomfortable for the baby. and you have to have literally pints of milk for this to be the case. as in the baby doesn't even get through half a breasts worth (although breasts are never actually empty and milk production in an 'empty' breast is much faster than in a 'full' breast) of milk which is sugary and watery. the science bit is something to do with an enzyme needed for the processing of lactase, a sugar in the milk... all gets a bit hazy here

basically, if you have been feeding on demand from the start and your baby is healthy, worry not your supply can happily go up and down according to your baby's needs.

fwiw, my ds used to take the majority of his milk at night for a good few months! not much i could do except for encourage feeding in the day as much as possible - pre nap, post nap, mid nap lol...

beancounting - I'm not expressing during the day. I've been lucky with supply being ok so far so presuming all is well. Though now you mention it, it might be a good time to build up a freezer supply!