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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

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Original poster

Problem with breastmilk supply!

14 replies

Charlotte4 · 28/12/2011 14:30

Hi all, please help me! My baby girl is now 11 weeks old, I am breastfeeding her, haven't introduced formula or expressing-just solely me. But for the last 2 weeks Emily has been stressing towards the end of the feed, coming off then back on for 2 secs then off, waving head around. What concerns me is that my first newborn I lasted 2 weeks breastfeeding as he did the same and it stressed me out thinking I wasn't having enough milk, second newborn I lasted 3 weeks-again same thing, he started stressing and was always still hungry after feed. I'm so proud I've made it to 11 weeks and really want to continue but for some reason my milk supply seems to have dropped! My breast don't feel as full as usual. I'm not starting to express after each feed from both breasts to try and build it up but the breast I just fed from has no milk coming out when expressing! What can I do?? I really don't want to stop! Should I feed then when she stresses top up on other boob and when she's off, express from both to try and build up! She sleeps through the night 8-8 so i'm confused!!! Please help-any tips would be most welcome!!!

OP posts:

organiccarrotcake · 28/12/2011 14:35

How is your baby's growth? Any concerns at all?

This sounds like perfectly normal behaviour to me and I don't think at all that it's a milk supply problem. I would expect your breasts to feel less full as your body will be making just the right amount for her.

Would it be worth trying to just go with it, not try to get her back on but if she's not wanting to go back, just let her stop? She will be getting more efficient at feeding and will probably just be getting what she wants more quickly.

How often are you feeding her during the day? Are you getting plenty of wet nappies?

nannyl · 28/12/2011 15:59

my baby has started doing this

she doesnt seem hungry and lasts until next feed, soi assume she is telling me she is full / had enough

a few weeks ago feeds were 30mins +++, now 5-7 mins is normal and 10mins is ages!!!

organiccarrotcake · 28/12/2011 16:05

I would say so :)

Probably worth trying to go with it for a few days and see what happens :)

mercibucket · 28/12/2011 16:20

As they get older they start to get interested in the world around them so they have a nosey - maybe that is happening
They also become faster at feeding so don't need to feed as long or as often
Your body is also more efficient at milk making so you lose that 'tingly full' feeling and stop leaking milk if you did before
ALl sounds normal to me
So long as she's gaining weight, got wet nappies, alert and happy, all sounds well

mercibucket · 28/12/2011 16:20

BertieBotts · 28/12/2011 16:29

Please don't worry, this all sounds like the natural course of breastfeeding. Somewhere around 3 months your boobs will stop being hard and engorged before feeds and feel soft and floppy most of the time. This is normal and means your supply has adjusted to your baby's needs, not that it is dropping. Actually 11 weeks is slightly early for this, your boobs must be super-efficient

If she is coming off a lot try winding her, or just giving her a minute to get her breath and look around, then try her on the other side to see if she's interested. It's normal for them to go to taking both sides (or more than two!) at this age.

It's normal not to express much after a feed, this is because the baby is more efficient at getting the milk out than a pump, personally I found it easier to express just before a feed as letdown (getting the milk flowing) was easier to achieve when I felt "full". Remember that milk is produced constantly and cannot run out because if your baby is suckling then more milk will be being produced at that moment. The reason they sometimes feel full is because milk can pool in the milk ducts between feeds, though this reduces a lot as the baby grows because it isn't very efficient.

I wouldn't express at the moment unless you need milk to feed her for example if you are going out, there is really no need. The best signs that she is getting enough as others have said is that she should be doing 6-7 wet and/or dirty nappies a day (it's fine if she goes a few days without doing a poo) and that she is alert when she is awake.

BertieBotts · 28/12/2011 16:30

And I'd like to add I wish they would tell new mums about the 3 month bf thing because it causes no end of worry and stress!

Original poster

Charlotte4 · 28/12/2011 17:23

Thank you so much for the help! I did wonder if perhaps Emily was having a growth spurt!
I currently live in Italy-my husband is in Forces, midwife only visits our area once every 2 weeks-altho she seems to have changed numbers without informing me, the med centre seems to be shut and there is a visiting breastfeeding nurse who's on holiday until 5th Jan!
Think i'm just panicking because it seems so similar to when I gave up with the boys!
Just fed Emily-spent nearly an hour doing it as she fed then came off, got winded then put back on and that was it for 40 mins-she stressed inbetween so kept giving her a break where she was sat on my lap looking around, she's a hand sucker so I also have her trying to put hand in when i'm trying to breastfeed.
Getting lots of full nappies, she seems to poop every few days so not concerned! Plus she's awake A LOT MORE at the mo so she could be stressing because she's tired!
I was just so proud of myself doing it this far on my own with no introduction of bottles and thinking I could do it till 6 months!!!

OP posts:

organiccarrotcake · 28/12/2011 17:43

You can. :) You are! You're doing it - it's all working as it should :)

Betya won't want to stop at 6 months when you get there :)

Sounds like she's just starting to get interested in the world around her and that there's more to life than boobs.

Hope all continues well. :)

BertieBotts · 28/12/2011 17:54

Oh yes I remember DS trying to get his hand in the way all the time! I found that pinning one arm between me and him worked and just holding the other hand seemed to help.

Forgot to mention that their feeds get shorter as they get better and more efficient at feeding too. It all sounds like it's going really well, which is excellent!

Original poster

Charlotte4 · 29/12/2011 12:21

Thank you everyone!
Today Emily seems to be feeding really well! I did wonder whether the amount of drink could have affected it also-with christmas just gone I wasn't drinking as much as was so busy so am really concious about drinking more now!
Thank you! X

OP posts:

BertieBotts · 29/12/2011 13:35

No need to drink masses - just drink to thirst. Humans don't seem to need extra water to breastfeed, not as much as other mammals (e.g. farm animals) although it does make you thirsty.

fififrog · 29/12/2011 13:52

Hiya, just to say I had a baby who was a bit of a nightmare to Fred between 3 and 5 months (when w started solids) constant whingeing, pulling off etc. A midwife watched her feed and after 5 mins said "I reckon she's had enough anyway" - turned out she'd suddenly gone from 20min feeds to 5 min feeds so I stopped trying to shove her back on. The whingeing continued ad she is an impatient wee thing and was frustrated that she had to wait for let-down, but at least I stopped worrying! I should add that I was a bit worried because her weight gain slowed hugely but she was enormous when born and they said this was quite common - she was clearly happy and alert so all was fine. Once she hit 75th centile after 2 months of very little growth she started up again and has since followed the curve.

Best of luck!

bigmommamom · 29/12/2011 20:58

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