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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

Breastfeeding experts please help!!!

39 replies

lovecloud · 22/09/2006 20:14

Hello my dd is 4.5mths old and weighed almost 9lbs at birth, was on 75th centile, as the weeks went on her weight gain slowed down and she is now under the 25th centile and weighs 13lbs.

She feeds 7am, 10am, 1.30pm, 4.30pm, 7pm, 11ish pm and for the last two weeks started to want two to three feeds in the night. Also she bites anything near her mouth, fists all day and watches any food I eat. I did not want to wean her until the recommended 6 mths but my hv advised I should start now as she is showing all the signs.

So I started two days ago and gave her 1 teaspoon of baby rice with my milk and she loved it, swallowed it no problem and none came back out, the next evening I did the same and she was so eager between mouthfuls she cried. Tonight I gave her 1 and half teaspoons and she cried after as she wanted more. I know at this early stage it is supposed to just be introducing her and not filling her up. I give her my breast beforehand and offer after but she refuses after.

Where shall I go from here, how long should I just give her rice and how fast do I increase the amount and offer a second feed that day?

Why is she so light and why did her weight gain slow down? She was satisifed before so I ignored advice to top her up with formula but she is quite clearly showing signs she needs more.

Is it right what I am doing or should I just of given her formula at night instead of introducing baby rice?

I just thought the rice with my milk is better than formula?

I feel a bit of a failure with my milk this time as my first dd was so chubby on my milk at this stage - I am eating this same diet so dont what where I have gone wrong.

Can I improve my milk at this stage?

OP posts:
3andnomore · 22/09/2006 20:20

Best thing would be to just breastfeed on demand...don't even think of the time or anything....Kids watching you eating at that age is purely interest in general, ratehr then the expression of a need to be weaned!
Breastmilk has loads more calories then Babyrice and solids in general, so, your lil one may loose out on calories, because a Solid meal might fill herup to much...but the calories want to be taken in, at the end of the day!
Btw...I bf'ed all my 3, although es only for 4 month, and es was chubby, ms was at Birth bigger then es but is really petite and ys, who was bf'ed the longest, he weaned at 13 month+...is tyhe chubbiest, lol!
They just all come in different sizes, and BF'ed Baby's don't again the same way that many ff Baby's do!

Original poster
lovecloud · 22/09/2006 20:34

So do you think I should stop now?

Her feeding schedule is now all over the place and because I can see she is hungry I have really been feeding her on demand anyway - because of this she is not having both breasts and just takes one side during the day (not inc last or night feed) so i am worried she is not getting the hind milk.

Also she feeds for about five mins on one breast and less sometimes (last feed is both breasts about 20 mins total)

When she has had enough she arches her back so I cant put her back on.

Also I forgot to mention she brings her milk backup alot even an hour after a feed and sometimes cries just after feeding or before bringing milk up. Hv said this maybe refulx and that weaning sorts it out.

???

OP posts:
Mojomummy · 22/09/2006 20:39

Hi lovecloud, my DD was born around the 50th centile (1 week early) then went to just under the 25th at a similar age as your DD. I weaned her at 25 weeks & she is now a sturdy 33lb & tall. Other babies which were weaned earlier than her are little sticky things with big bellies.

I would drop the rice for another month & just feed her as before & if she wants more, then feed her more. She will be fine.

If it helps, DD2 (9 weeks) is small, well rounded & feeds completely differently to DD1. If I'd had them the other way round I think I may have been worried, but DD1 is in great shape !

Macdog · 22/09/2006 20:40

When dd was 4.5 months or so i started her with a bit of mashed banana with some baby rice midday. I breastfed on demand with milk only in evening (breast or expressed in bottle) That pattern worked for me.
You are not failing. You are still bf at 4.5 months. That is a great achievement. Keep your own nutrition and fluids up. It will sort out.
Keep your chin up,

Original poster
lovecloud · 22/09/2006 20:46

Thank you!

I just wish someone would say "This is what you do and this is the best for your baby"... having to decide myself makes it more difficult!

I would prefer to bf ex until she nearer 6mths but the hv is worried about her weight and dd is showing she is hungry.

She showed such enthusiasm for the rice, got so excited, could not get enough of it and swallowed it so well I feel bad to stop now.

Is that mean to halt the weaning for a few weeks?

The hv asked me to come back next week to weigh her and see how she is getting on with it?

OP posts:
sorrell · 22/09/2006 20:49

All babies are different and four month olds are notorious for waking in teh night for reasons unconnected with food (just more alert/developmental stage etc) However, if she is really hungry then giving her as much milk as she would take then some simple solids (baby rice/bit of banana) won't hurt her at this age.

MeAndMyBoy · 22/09/2006 20:51

If she does have reflux you can other things to help other than weaning - Ds had reflux and we had infant gaviscon prescribed, although others have got on better with the alternative. Keep her more upright after meals so that the milk stays in her tummy rather than running up and out of her tummy. Do you still need to wind her (sorry can't remember what I was doing at 4.5mths) just rub her left side which is where her tummy is rather than patting her back - stops the milk splashing back out of her tummy.

Might help?

H x

Macdog · 22/09/2006 20:54

I stopped weaning during the heatwave and bf exclusively again for about a month. I worried that dd would be full of food and not take on enough fluids
Didn't do her any harm, she didn't seem to miss it. She has not followed centile curves, but is following a virtually straight line.
Hope things work out {hug}

FrannyandZooey · 22/09/2006 20:55

Lovecloud, there's nothing that your dd could have at the moment that has more calories than breastmilk. The more often you feed her the more high fat and high calorie your milk will become. In between feeds the fat is absorbed back into your body so leaving long spaces between feeds means the milk is lower in calories. I would feed her on demand and stop watching the clock. 3 hours between feeds is too long for some babies - my own son fed more frequently at this age and also in the night. Weaning doesn't necessarily stop night waking either. There's nothing wrong with your milk! Just feed often and enjoy the time with her.

Mojomummy · 22/09/2006 20:58

I was advised at that age to try to keep the feeds 3 hrs apart, then when I managed that, to feed 4 hourly. DD1 did gain some weight, not a great deal, but enough. I remember the nights being tough, but it's not for long, which isn't very constructive, but you sound like you've done/doing a great job

Might be worth asking the HV how weaning will help. I asked my HV how filling my DD1 up with rice would make her gain weight...she just stared at me blankly !

LIZS · 22/09/2006 21:01

Weaning did not help dd''s reflux - she was too mobile and active by then. I wonder if your dd could be teething rather than hungry ? Whatever I'd say little and often of b'milk and forget rice for now.

chipmonkey · 22/09/2006 21:09

lovecloud, when you talk about her weight gain, is your HV using charts based on breastfed babies? Or the ones which are based largely but not entirely on formula fed babies? BF babies don't gain at the same rate as formula fed and can gain and plateau at different times. Personally I gave up on centiles after my first baby! Have no clue as to what centile ds3 is on

CantSleepWontSleep · 22/09/2006 21:18

Firstly well done for breastfeeding this long - it's the best start your baby could have, and it's very unlikely that there's anything wrong with your milk.

It does sound like your DD is suffering from reflux. I would definitely ask your GP to prescribe infant gaviscon and see if that helps, and as some of the others have suggested try feeding a little more frequently during the day (although not too often if she does have reflux).

My DD has silent reflux, and weaning has helped her with this, but it isn't a magic cure that works for everyone.

If you want to carry on with the rice or some basic veg then do - it certainly won't do any harm, but it does contain less calories than milk so isn't likely to help her sleep better for quite some while until she is eating much much larger quantities.

Original poster
lovecloud · 22/09/2006 21:28

Thank you everyone - made me feel much better.

I myself did not want to give her rice but felt pressured to start on it because hv made me feel bad dd is not gaining enough weight. I thought maybe they were right as i remember dd1 was totally satisfied and chubby at this age and dd2 does not seem to be.

Some of you suggest feeding her more

7am, 10am, 1.30pm, 4.30pm, 7pm, 11ish pm which is roughly three hourly so should I try every two hours?

I am worried that she may get use to this and I will feel like i am feeding a newborn in months to come plus she may get into the routine of waking in the night.

but i will do whatever she needs...

also whats in this infant gaviscon?

OP posts:
littlepiggie · 22/09/2006 21:29

Tell your hv to shove the charts us her arse (sorry)
They got me in a tis when ds was about 14 weeks, started a thread early weaning as ds stoppede putting weight on and cried none stop, he is now on gaviscon, 22 weeks old and not started solids yet.

littlepiggie · 22/09/2006 21:31

Also ds will not often go 3 hours in the day, every 1-2 hours and 2 feeds evey night.

CantSleepWontSleep · 22/09/2006 21:40

Infant gaviscon contains sodium alginate and magnesium alginate. It comes in powder form and for a breastfed baby you mix it with a little water and give it after a feed (with syringe/spoon/dropper). Once weaned you can mix it with their solids instead.

I wouldn't go straight for every 2 hours for feeding. Suggest something like 7, 9:30, 12, 2:30, 5, 7:30 (or 7 if that's bedtime) then 11ish. This will mean 1 extra feed per day, and hopefully one less at night for you!

Original poster
lovecloud · 22/09/2006 21:40

wow - that is alot of feeding!!!

he must be permantly attached (wink)

i do not have as much milk as I had with dd1 so I hate expressing.

i also work part time but have baby with me so i feed her there, would not get much work done if i fed her as reg as you though.

Well I have definitly decided to pause the weaning and see how we go, lots more feeding i guess.

I really feel the impact of feeding her more, I am soooooooooo tired and I look slimmer. I am making sure I am eating a good diet. I want to make sure my milk is full fat and not semi skimmes

any tips other than plenty of water and good food?

dont say rest, not possible with my three year old, daont have car so have to walk everywhere to meet her friends.

OP posts:
Original poster
lovecloud · 22/09/2006 21:42

thank you cantsleepwont sleep - will try that tomorrow and let you know.

x

OP posts:
CantSleepWontSleep · 22/09/2006 21:42

Someone on here suggested fennel tea for increasing milk supply too. No idea if there's any truth in it, but it does taste rather nice!

littlepiggie · 22/09/2006 21:46

He is a big boy, must love boobys!
Was 8.5 at birth, is now about 17lb at 5 months.
Not as bad as it sounds, feeds dont take very long. He will go 3 hours if there is lots going on, but then feeds more in the night.

Original poster
lovecloud · 22/09/2006 21:46

Just to make sure she has got reflux

she brings her milk back up sometimes an hour after a feed, bits here and there, sometimes lots over my shoulder but most of the time big bubbly blobs of it on her bib.

She may cry too just beforehand... this sound like reflux?

OP posts:
Original poster
lovecloud · 22/09/2006 21:47

littlepiggie - how long are his feeds?

my dd feeds for five mins on just one boob most of the time, sometimes for less!!!

I am worried she is not getting to the hind milk

OP posts:
littlepiggie · 22/09/2006 21:52

ds had cottage cheese on his chin none stop, smels sicky, could go through did and t-shirt in an hour. fussed during feeds, woke up screaming in the night if cot was flat (got head raised as he was more settled like this even at 2 weeks old) and very very bad tempered.
Been on gaviscon for 2 weeks ond mach better, the days he is unsettled he is also sick alot.

littlepiggie · 22/09/2006 21:54

Have you tried sitting her up for a few min, bring up any wind, then putting her back on the same boob?
Ds will keep going at both till flow slows, then wants to play.