Am I bf my baby enough? Messing around and crying!

[Newmummytobe79]

My baby is now 9 weeks old and has started messing around whilst feeding! DC pulls on and off and cries a bit - especially when changing boob! I'm worried I'm not feeding for long enough and that DC is going too long between feeds - please help!

Timing is:

1.30am ... now moved to 3am wake up and feed - both sides. Feeds for a total of 20 - 30 minutes. I feel full and DC has lots of milk in mouth so this feed goes ok.

7/7.30am-ish - still feel full and baby feeds well for 20-30 minutes (both sides) - kicks around and pulls on and off as per usual!

11.30/12ish - I try to make DC feed but baby kicks around a bit more and pulls on and off - feed for 20-30 minutes and I worry not fed enough.

4/4.30pm - baby cries more at this feed and kicks around. Give gripe water which baby laps up! (feeding from a spoon seems to be DC's favourite bit!) - feel I've not fed enough.

7/7.30pm - baby has 8oz of formula and gulps pretty much the whole bottle! Sleeps from around 8pm - 12ish when DC needs settling with dummy. Nappy change but no feed as not hungry.

DC has lots and lots of wet and dirty nappies throughout the day and is slowly gaining weight - on the 25th line.

Am I stressing for no reason and this is ok or should I worry about the 11.30 and 4pm feeds where baby doesn't really seem that hungry/bothered?

Thanks!

could it be anything to do with my diet? I'm trying to eat healthily but breakfast and lunch are rush jobs - eating cereal and sandwich at break neck speed!

Well to me it seems like very long gaps between feedings, but then my baby feeds exceedingly frequently!

I remember though that she got VERY fussy at about 9 weeks - it seemed she had a little growth spurt then...

Thanks LittleWaveyLines - now I'm quite worried. Do I try to make DC feed more often? Or should I add in another bottle of formula? I feel empty by the 4.30pm feed but there does seem to be milk flowing.

HV said it's ok as long as the gaps don't exceed 4/5 hours but I don't want her to be missing out on vital feeds at such a young age

I'm not knowledgable enough to comment on that sorry - I just know that my DD feeds at least every 2 hours - but that is a greater frequency of normal - you might be the other end of the normal spectrum... hopefully someone more experienced will come along soon!

Sorry - didnt mean to worry you, and if he's gaining weight ok then it's probably fine.

Thanks LittleWaveyLines - I just worry about everything anyway! I'm sure DC is fine as lots of smiles etc - just don't want to under feed. Hopefully it's just a phase!

Ha! I'm a gold-medal olympic winner worrier! Great isn't it ?

Tell me about it! We need to give ourselves a break - or a large vino!

Looking at your feed times you don't breastfeed between 4.30pm and 3am, you only breastfeed 4 times a day and baby is 9 weeks, I have I got that right?

I'd be concerned that you aren't feeding often enough to build and maintain a good supply especially as baby is having 8oz of formula (bfing babies generally take an average of 25oz between 1m-6m (range of 19-30oz a day)) that's about a 3rd of her requirements in one go.

You would expect a bf baby to take between 8-12 feeds a day up until they were on solids (and then possibly for some time after as they got better at eating) with perhaps one long gap (this may have been what your HV meant by the gap not exceeding 4-5 hours) but the rest of the feeds around 2 hours apart (an average not exactly could be 30 between feeds or 3 hours depending on time of day/weather/illness/teething/comfort/etc).

Would you feel able to offer more feeds as the fussing might be down to lower than preferred supply? If baby fusses on one side you can try 'switch nursing' were you swap sides as soon as baby starts fussing or you can try 'breast compressions' (a bit like hand expressing but with baby feeding at the time) to help stimulate the milk flow.

i agree with hv about exceeding 4/5 hours.if you add formula feeds you arent encouraging your own supply to keep up with baby demands.if gaining weight ok and going through plenty nappies id say things are fine[being a worrywart goes with the job description of mum]

I would say if he is gaining weight and has lots of dirty and wet nappies not to worry. Keep feeding as and when baby wants and he will get enough, perhaps he isnt comftable, too hot, too cold, perhaps your breasts are too full and hard and he can't attach properly. He could be getting a viral infection/teeth. There are lots of reasons why babies mess about but if you stick with it it normally sorts itself out.

You could however, have a look at your diet I had to stop eating cough mixture sweets as my DD wouldn't feed I guess the taste went through to the milk.

My DD is now 2 and just like you I paniced over everylittle thing what I've learnt is that in most cases things are just a phase but you have to stay adaptable. As soon as sleep/feeding and sort of routine is made and you get it sorted then they end of getting a cold or teething and it all goes up in the air. Just relax and enjoy your baby and take your cues from him.