BFing a biggish baby - are top-ups inevitable?

[SneezySnatcher]

I BF DD for 13 months with no problems, but I need some advice now!

DS is almost 7 weeks old. He was fairly big when born (9lb 4oz). He is now 14.5lb, so has gained over 5lb in six weeks. He feeds pretty much hourly during the day, but can go up to four hours at night, feed quickly and go straight back down.

My issue isn't the frequent feeds (totally expected it) but the fact I'm not sure he's ever full. I've just fed him from both sides but I've put him down and he's gnawing his hands as if he's not eaten. He will latch back on but not taking anything.

I'd rather not top-up but I don't want to starve the poor chap! I didn't experience this with DD but she was much smaller, although did gain well.

The other option is he's sucking his hands for comfort. He doesn't seem particularly agitated when he's doing it, and won't take any more milk. It's just ingrained in me that hand-sucking equals a hungry baby!

Ok, my Ds was 9lb8 at birth and DD was 9lb14. I never topped either of them up. DS didn't gain fast at all, DD really packed on the pounds very fast - a similar rate to your DS actually.

I'm guessing that he's not really fancying more milk if he's latching but not going for it. If you're worried though maybe get in touch with your local BF group or La Leche League, just to be sure there's no feeding problem?

Honestly, some babies just like to suck though and I would say that if he's gaining weight well you shouldn't worry that he's not getting enough.

I'm not an expert but I did exclusively bf two big babies.

My understanding is that they will feed frequently to get your supply increased for growth spurts. I was told to feed on demand, always offer a second breast (which you're doing) and sometimes, offer a third, fourth side.

Of course sometimes they just want to suck for comfort and I did find a dummy useful for DD (but DS wouldn't take one).

It's years ago since I bf so hopefully someone will be along soon with proper advice! It's amazing how much I've forgotten about it all.

FWIW I didn't give any top-ups at all. My supply seemed to match their demand and they both gained weight beautifully.

Mothers of big babies get told the baby needs a top-up. Mothers of small babies are told they need a top-up.

Have faith. Six weeks is classic growth spurt timing. Don't forget that sometimes he is suckling to stimulate your supply and not actually to feed. You are almost certainly not empty, even if it feels like it.

Good luck!

Forgot to say - it IS exhausting so well done for exclusively bf. It's one of the most tiring but satisfying things I ever did.

He's gained so much weight in the last few weeks it doesn't sound like he needs top ups.

DS was 9lb 9oz at birth and bf really well without a need for top ups.

Thanks for the responses so far. I honestly wouldn't mind if he was latched on all day every day (it's how I spent the first three months of DD's life). It's just him coming off but still gnawing his hands (and not taking more) that is confusing me!

Ds2 is also 7 weeks old and does this. He's desperate to suck his thumb but hasn't got the coordination to get it in his mouth just yet.

If I'd not had the experience of an extremely sucky baby before (ds1) then I'd have thought he was starving, but both of them have been able to let me know in no uncertain terms when they're hungry rather than just wanting to comfort suck - ie spitting out the finger/dummy in disgust and latching on like a bloody hoover

Sounds like your ds is thriving

Ds2 has actually given himself a couple of wee love bites from sucking on his hands. The day he gets that thumb to stay in his mouth will be a great one for him (and if he's anything like his mother, uncle and all his cousins then that's where it'll stay for the next 10 years )

Oh and I second what Horry said about being advised to top up. The very day DS was born a midwife said 'ooh he's a big lad, he'll need a bottle as well, breastmilk won't be quite enough to sustain him'

Sleepy I do think he would like a dummy if he'd just try it! Maybe he's just trying to get his thumb .

I definitely don't want to faff on with formula if I can help it, although I'm over the moon he'll take expressed BM occasionally. DD never took a bottle and it was a real pain!

No experience of a big baby but I know a sucky one!

Dd is nearly 10 weeks old and happily munches away on her hands sometimes constantly and straight after a feed so i know its not hunger. Like sleepyhead, when she finally figures out that her thumb fits in her mouth perfectly I don't think it will ever come out again!

I have a small baby not a big one, she was a few weeks early, but she is growing fast and sucking her fist between feeds.

I am sure she is just finding her hands as she does let me know if she wants feeding quite loudly! She won't take a dummy so I think she will be happy when she gets her thumb in.

It sounds like your DS is doing really well.

I breast fed Dc4 who was 11lbs at birth, with no top ups of breast milk or formula. He didn't have any solids until 7/8 months. I continued BF until he was 16 months.

I was also told dc2 9lb 7, was a big girl and would need topping up- and I listened. I was far less confident and assumed midwife knew best. Bf only lasted a week after I started topping up with formula.

Dc5 who is just 10 days old only weighs 7lbs. She feeds and then gnaws her hands...turns out that for her it means she has wind! It can take an hour to wind her, but then she settles.

I had a very big third baby. Wished I'd gone with instinct more. Not suggesting you start solids early but after struggling through the third and him needing more I compared notes from all three of my babies. Basically I ended up weaning at the same weight (not on purpose). Dc1 was 5.5 months (should have started at 5 mnths rather than killed myself trying to reach 6mnths, dc2 was 6.5 months (delayed by 2 weeks due to clearing up a breast infection, would go 5.5hrs between feeds) dc 3 was nearly 5 months but should have started a couple/few weeks sooner.

I'm now talking after having three babies and not in the throws of doing the right thing and "babies should be weaned after 6months". Another fact is that my third was the same weight at 12 weeks as my middle was at 6months.

It's sad that I remember my big /last bubba for how much he drained me in those early weeks. Proud that I bf him though but should have followed my instincts more.

Good luck

If he's not agitated and won't take any more milk, then I don't think it's hungry sucking. Dd did this and later she did hungry hand sucking and it was very different, very obvious hungry hand sucking rather than just comfort/habit sucking. Ds was a 9lb-er. Never did the hand-sucking thing, but never needed any top-ups so not inevitable. You're doing fab. xx

'Nother huge baby (DS1, 9lbs 7 at birth, tracked that percentile) who didn't need top ups here.

Does he seem unsettled at all? Just wondering.

My ds was the same weight and fed a lot. He also had reflux though so a lot of feeding was for comfort.

Both of mine were born on the 91st centile (DD 8lbs 15, DS 9lbs 14) and were above the 98th centile by 4 weeks old and stayed there, last weighed at 20 weeks DS was 22lbs.

Exclusively bf'ed DD until 6 months and DS is still going at 5 months and neither had top ups.

I have started DS on solids slightly early but that down to combination of DD being determined to feed him something because 'it's not fair he's missing out' and him showing all the signs of being ready for solids. However a little bit of fruit puree isn't making any difference to his milk consumption!

creature not unsettled, no. In fact, at one point I worried he slept too much as he's the complete opposite to DD .

Oh and DS is a serious hand chewer (and any other bloody thing he can get near his mouth!) but has never taken a dummy.

Horry is spot on.
I've had one big baby, one small one and one medium sized one!

Small one 6.7lbs at birth - told to top up, she's not gaining enough (25th centile roughly). I stuck with BFing and she's a strong, fit 4 year old.

Medium one 6.13lbs at birth - told to top up because, wait for it, he had skinny legs (roughly on 50th centile) Oh yes! He's now an eat everything 2 year old. Again, I didn't top up.

Big one 7.11lbs - told to top up as he was obviously needing more milk because he's a big boy.
He is now on the 98th centile and at his last weigh in at just 16 weeks he weighed just over 18lbs so he's obviously getting his nourishment from somewhere!

I also weaned/will wean all mine at 6 months because I'm too lazy to start any earlier

So, from my experiences, trust your own instinct. If BFing is working for you then keep at it. I'm sure your DC will let you know if anything's wrong!

Oh and my big boy is another hand chewer. He drools like crazy and has just discovered his thumb so sucks that on occasion. He's definitely not hungry though as he gets cross if I offer him milk!