Getting anxious re maintaining supply

[abigboydidit]

Hi, my DS is nearly 7 months old and has taken very well to the introduction of solids. Since he was about 3 months old, he has rarely needed night feeds, so for the past few months he has been having about 5 or 6 feeds per day. I intend to return to work (full time) when he is 9/10 months old and hope to continue to BF until he is at least a year old.

This week is the first time he has started refusing BFs and yesterday he only took 4 feeds during the day (though they felt like they were big feeds). I'm getting anxious that 4 feeds wont be enough to maintain a supply and wonder if I should be expressing too? I had hoped that by the time I return to work, I could do the morning feed, teatime feed and bedtime feed and give him some expressed milk for nursery & friends had reassured me that this was realistic but I've just managed to wind myself up that my supply will have dwindled by then if he is already only wanting 4 feeds per day.

I would appreciate any wisdom as I'm getting very anxious. Thanks!

At this stage your supply is settled. It may be that your child is doing something called 'reverse cycling' when they reduce the number of feeds but take more at those feeds. This is perfectly natural and your body will adapt to it. I stopped expressing around 9/10 months at work, and only fed on demand when I was at home. My supply was absolutely fine and I continued to bf to 15 months.

Agree with world, your supply will be well established and will adapt to this new pattern very quickly. Also don't think there is any need to express.

If you are worried that he isn't taking enough milk, you could always offer a bf before solids.

It is realistic to give 3 feeds per day when they are 9 or 10 months and to continue to bf for as long as you and DS are happy to.

Well done on getting to 7 months too .

Thanks for the replies. I do still offer BF before solids but he has taking to swatting/squeezing my nipple like a toy if he doesn't fancy it, which makes for interesting feeds in public places.. Am off to google reverse cycling!

I'm not trained but I always thought that reverse cycling was taking more feeds at night than the day. Never heard of it appled to dropping feeds before.

Yes, reverse cycling is feeding more at night to make up for missed day feeds (eg if mum goes back to work).

bigboy your milk will be fine with 4 feeds a day (term feeders with toddlers and children of 2 or 3 or older) can go a few days between feeds and still have milk for them. But he is quite small to only want 4 feeds a day so you might want to continue to offer - but relax if he doesn't want more. He knows what he needs. Likely he'll pick up again in due course.

If you do want to leave expressed milk when you work it might be worth starting to stockpile now as there comes a point for some mums where expressing gets really tough even if there's plenty of milk for direct feeding. You can freeze it for 6 months (don't forget to date the bags so you can use them in order).

Sorry, closed bracket too early - should have closed after "still have milk for them"!!

Thanks! I think he's just suddenly taken a lease of independence! Crawling and trying to stand up.. Feeding just seems to be getting in the way of all the fun.. But am sure once these new skills become a bit more routine that he'll be more interested again!