Growth spurt or no longer enough to satisfy demand?

[katiegolightly]

My 17 week old baby has been EBF from the start, and went from 9th to 50th centile and has always feed well and regularly. She is lovely and chubby! She usually feeds every 3 hours, with one dream feed and some times a nightfeed, although over the last few weeks she has slept through this half the time. She feeds for 15-20 minutes, slows down and comes off, seeming satisfied and full each time.

In the last few days she has fed much more and seems hungrier, gulping down a feed offered after 2 hours several times over the last few days and having an extra feed slotted in each day. When I've given her an expressed bottle of 140 or 150 ml she finishes seemingly wanting more. (I have no idea how much she gets on the breast)

It seems like previous growth spurts but I'm also wondering if it may be that my supply is not quite meeting demand? It's always been good at ramping up when she needs but previously the 'hunger' hasn't seemed to go on for several days like this.

Personally I don't want to rush weaning and would rather wait for 6 months. I also don't really want to add formula but I'm concerned that my supply is just not keeping up at the moment.

This is tricky at a time we are trying hard to establish a better nap / feeding / bedtime pattern and so I'm trying to not be too 'on demand' but it's going that way in recent days. Any thoughts?

She might be hungrier but the more you offer the more you can offer her.
Basically if she is sucking lots she is demanding more milk and your supply will respond to that. She might not be aware that having a routine would be helpful and is trying to get what she wants more milk.

4 month growth spurt is one of the most demanding. often mums wean at this point thinking the increased demand for milk is a sign they need to introduce solids. its not all you need too do is keeping feeding on demand, your milk is perfect for her and by feeding on demand you'll soon catch up with her.

I really appreciate that you are hoping for a bit of routine by this point (DS is 16 weeks and the erratic nature of our life is starting to bug me, even though I am fairly erratic myself!), but think of it this way...

Up until now, you have fed her on demand. By doing so, you have ensured that your supply increases to meet her developing needs. Why would you stop doing that now? By allowing her to demand what is required, your supply should match that, and eventually she should be getting more milk and theoretically not need to feed as often IYSWIM? I know it's not fun when it goes on for several days, but as a PP said, this is a key time for a big developmental leap and babies often seem far more hungry.

Weaning to reduce a baby's hunger is also bit of a red herring - their milk intake has far more calories than the solids they could ingest at this stage.

Hope she settles down soon!

Thanks everyone, all makes sense - we shall persevere! I just wonder if it's at all common that some ladies get to a point where they just can't keep up with demand. I have so far, so hoping in a day or two she seems to be getting what she needs.

I tried to look at when growth spurts typically occurred and it seemed that 3 and 6 months were common but didn't see much around the 4 month mark. Obviously I appreciate that all babies are unique!!

It would be nice if she could get her fill each feed and be satisfied every 3 hours and not more often though!!

Thanks for your help.

Generally if you've made it through the first couple of months without having to supplement. Then you will have a good supply, once feeding is established you make milk at the breast on demand, your breast are never empty and you will make more milk as she needs it.

You have to remember a couple of things, breastmilk is very easily digested and has a transit time of about 90 min through the stomach. Babies are growing at an incredibly fast rate and need a lot of calories in order to do this. The idea that babies go. 3-4 hours between feeds comes from our history odd formula feeding a its harder for our babies to digest. Naturally in hunter gather tribes its been observed that babies are constantly carried and would feed several times an hour. This suggest this is the more natural pattern for breastfed babies (i'm not suggestion you carry her or feed her several times an hour, just showing you what our natural Wilde state would be)

Sounds like you're doing a gear job, just keep feeding on demand and everything will be fine. If there is one thing you can garniture with babies and small children, just when you think you've got them sussed they throw you a curve ball.

4 months is a big developmental spurt - which often translates into sleep "problems" or more feeding or whatever, depending on the baby.

She needs the milk for brain food

your body will catch up, don't worry!

Also if she is often sleeping through the night she needs to fit more milk in during daytime house

It's amazing how quickly your body catches up, take it easy for a few days, drink plenty of fluids and your body do the magic.

or conversely, if she is busy looking at the world during daylight hours and being too fascinated by all the wonders around her to feed, she will tend to start feeding at night to make up for it

The way I look at it is this: my eating patterns change, often daily and its rare that I would go so long without food. For example, I breakfast at around 7am, I have a drink and possibly a piece if fruit around 9am when I get to work, despite my breakfast leaving me full at 7am. I have elevenses, usually a cereal bar and a cuppa, then lunch somewhere between 12 and 1. By 2:30, 3ish I need and afternoon snack, and i always have a little bit of something before I leave work at five, or else I eat on the bus on the way home. By the time I get home DD is having supper, usually fruit, and I finish what she doesn't eat. Then I have my tea with DH around 8pm. Obviously I drink freely between times.

My baby relied on me to provide both food and drink, and if I'd stuck to a rigid schedule, it would hardly have been fair to deny her food and drink awhile I was having at will, purely because I gad better access to the fridge!

The 16ish week growth spurt is notorious! I remember DD going through it, and as mentioned, its the 'reason' babies were often weaned at this stage, the more you allow her yo suckle, the more milk you will produce, and eventually she and you will get sorted. For now, put your feet up, eat flapjack and rest :) xxx

Really appreciate the encouragement, thank you everyone!

katie, always helpful to remember that bf provides more than 'just' food.

It hydrates - useful when temps are high.

It offers closeness, reassurance and an opportunity to 'check in' with mum when life gets too interesting and stimulating, so the familiar 'events' of bf provide a 'refuge' in the storm :)

At times, babies will need all of this more often.

There's normally reason to think bf is not enough nutritionally, with a baby under about 6 mths, and no reason why your supply would somehow not be enough for her 'hunger' - which you rightly put in " " 'cos it's not necessarily or wholly 'food' hunger.

If you just continue responding to her then you are showing her all is well. Maybe now is not the time to expect her to comply with a routine or a pattern - try instead in a few days or a week?

I can highly recommend Wonder Weeks - it kept me sane through every mental bit of development change that happened! And yes. The 4 month spurt was the hardest and longest.

Doh - there's normally no reason to think bf is not enough, sorry for missing out 'no' :) :(