Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Infant feeding

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

Original poster

Reduced supply or just hungry?

16 replies

littlemachine · 08/02/2012 11:03

DS is 7 weeks old. In the last week or so he hasn't seemed satisfied after a feed, even though he brings himself off the breast. He will very soon after start indicating that he's hungry and will be screaming before I even get my bra unclipped! He has also started to wake for an extra night feed. However, if I give him expressed bm in a bottle, he's fine.

Has anyone got any ideas? I was worried my supply is low, although he is definitely swallowing for the duration of the feed. He fusses and bobs around at the start of every feed. What an I do? I hate the thought of leaving him hungry, I'm starting to think bf isn't for us. Sad

OP posts:
TittyBojangles · 08/02/2012 11:07

Sounds like a growth spurt. Just keep offering the next boob if he comes off and still seems hungry, then back to the first and so on. He is upping your supply with all this behaviour so it should settle down soon if you go with it. Top ups will interfere with this process.

JiltedJohnsJulie · 08/02/2012 11:11

little when he comes off the breast do you offer the other one? How often is he feeding during the day?

Sorry to hear that you are beginning to think that bfing isn't working out for you. Have you talked through your feelings with a Bfing Counsellor? Have you got the telephone numbers?

Do you go to a Bfing Support Group too? Sometimes its good to go along, have a cuppa and talk to the other Mums and pick up some tips, there is usually someone trained as well who can help you.

Whatever you decide, please, please don't leave your baby hungry. He won't understand what you are doing and is far to little to be left without food if he is hungry.

Just one more thing, will other things settle him like being in a sling or . Obviously only try to distract him if you are happy that he's not hungry.

JiltedJohnsJulie · 08/02/2012 11:14

Cross posted with titty, agree it could well be a growth spurt, have a read of this and see if you think it could be what you are experiencing Smile.

If you are concerned that your supply is low, have a read of this to help you decide if your supply really is low.

Original poster
littlemachine · 08/02/2012 11:14

Thanks TBj, it seems like he's only just had a growth spurt, so I wasn't sure! I'll try not to top-up, although it's tempting when he's crying. Yes, should have said, no other worries, he's put 4lb on since birth, he's very alert etc. I guess we'll be missing playgroup today, I can't move!

OP posts:
JiltedJohnsJulie · 08/02/2012 11:19

Its a shame you are missing Playgroup, won't he come off for long enough to get you there and then have another feed when he gets there?

Original poster
littlemachine · 08/02/2012 11:24

Thanks JiltedJohnsJulie, I'll take a look at the links. I didn't mean I would leave him hungry as a coping strategy or anything! I meant I hate the thought of him being hungry, even though he's feeding all the time. I would never leave him hungry on purpose, that's why I've been topping up.

I haven't tried a bf counsellor, or the bf groups, maybe they should be my next step. The bf group I wanted to go to was in another local authority and they wouldn't let me go, I wasn't keen on the group leaders from the local one, who I met at hospital. They were all about promotion and benefits of feeding and didn't really help me with the issues I had with latch etc.

OP posts:
Original poster
littlemachine · 08/02/2012 11:33

Sorry, didn't answer your questions then - I offer both breasts and then the first one again. It's hard to say how many separate feeds he's having, as it's constant, but going by him coming off the breast, about 12-15 between 6am and 9pm.

OP posts:
JiltedJohnsJulie · 08/02/2012 11:37

Sorry I didn't understand what you meant Blush.

What's his weight gain like and how often is he feeding?

Can't believe either that they won't let you in their group, am a bit Shock at that one. Can understand too why you don't want to try your local group.

Have a look here and see if there are any near to you. LLL might have a group near to you too.

I went along the our local NCT one, its open to everyone, however they feed their baby but there isn't anyone there who is trained to help. As its a good mix you get to pick up tips on all aspects of feeding your baby and hear the pros and cons so it might be worth looking to see if you have a local NCT group as well.

Original poster
littlemachine · 08/02/2012 11:44

That's a great link thankyou JJJ, there's a few of those groups local to me - I hadn't really thought about groups outside of the ones at the Children's Centres. That's why I wasn't able to go the the one in another local authority - you have to have an address in their borough to use their CC, which is a shame, because their support groups are recommended.

I was looking for a group a couple of weeks ago as I wanted to wean him off nipple shields, but couldn't find any, so have been doing this myself. He now has most feeds without them.

Weight gain is fine, he was 7lb13 at birth and is now 11lb11 at 7 weeks.

OP posts:
JiltedJohnsJulie · 08/02/2012 11:51

Well if you can't find support locally, don't forget there is always Kellymom, the Bfing Helplines and MN of course Smile.

Kellymom has got some info on weaning off Nipple Shields here.

I'm not trained so can't really answer your questions fully, do you think it might be worth speaking to a BFC about the weaning from the nipple shields and if this is causing his current behaviour? Like I say though, I'm not trained so don't know if there could be a link.

Original poster
littlemachine · 08/02/2012 12:36

Thanks for the support Smile I feel better even for you not saying 'You're starving him. Put him on formula pronto.'

OP posts:
JiltedJohnsJulie · 08/02/2012 14:49

Even if he was starving, which would be odd considering the weight gain, I wouldn't advise that straightaway little. There are so many thing you can do before topping up with formule, like feeding more often, topping up with ebm and seeing a Breastfeeding Counsellor.

Hope someone with more experience or some training comes along soon to help Smile.

theboobmeister · 09/02/2012 11:58

I second the idea of offering the second boob after he's finished the first one. And believe it or not, if he's still hungry after a second boob, you can give him the first one all over again ... As long as you keep feeding, you'll keep making milk.

Think of this like you're trying to run a bath. If it's not full yet, then don't turn the taps off Smile

JiltedJohnsJulie · 09/02/2012 12:28

How are you today little?

Thought you might like to read this too. Hopefully it will put your mind at rest about DS being hungry Smile.

Original poster
littlemachine · 09/02/2012 17:11

Thanks for asking - strangely enough, after a week of this feeding behaviour he's been fine today and feeding at intervals, rather than constantly. Still frequent but he hasn't seemed hungry and has been happy to play on his mat between feeds and sleep. We managed to go to playgroup today as well. Hopefully my supply has caught up with his needs again. I feel much less stressed, thanks again for the support.

OP posts:
JiltedJohnsJulie · 09/02/2012 17:18

little sounds like you could have been experiencing the 6 week growth spurt. If thats the case he won't have been hungry, he would just have been increasing your supply. Sounds like you've done exactly the right thing by feeding, feeding and feeding some more. Hopefully he will be more settled now Smile.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page