10 week old sleeps the whole night but my supply is dropping, is this normal?

[Chocolateporridge]

A few weeks ago, I reached breaking point with breastfeeding and my anxiety issues and, to cut a long story short, the only way I could continue breastfeeding was if I gave ds a formula bottle in the evening, so at around 7pm he guzzles down 7oz.

He loves it, and settles really well, and was waking once between 8pm and 7am for a feed, and then around a week ago he started sleeping the entire 11 hours straight through.

I was surprised, but happy at this, especially as I came down with tonsillitis and the night feeds were tough, but then a couple of days ago I noticed a significant decrease in my milk supply in the afternoon. He feeds and feeds but I just can feel that there's not enough milk. He gets quite frustrated too.

My anxiety is kicking in again, I really need some reassurance/tips.

If he wasn't getting enough food, he'd wake through the night, wouldn't he?

I worry that he's dehydrated but he has plenty wet nappies, wet mouth etc.

Is it possible that the virus and tonsillitis plus antibiotics has affected my supply and it's not the fact that he's sleeping right through?

Bump

How old is he?

Could it be that your supply hasn't dropped, rather he's having a growth spurt and now needs more - so is trying to increase your supply by the afternoon feeds.

Would it help to talk it through with someone on one of the telephone helplines? The NCT phone line is open until midnight tonight if you wanted to talk to someone today.

It could be the introduction of the bottle is effecting supply. Also i thought it was important to feed at night to keep supply going?

minipie he's ten weeks.

Your supply will adjust appropriately to changes in feeding routine.

You won't produce less in the day because he's feeding less at night, you'll only produce less at night.

He'll nurse with more frequency and for longer periods to increase your supply if he needs more milk. Just carry on nursing him and your supply will increase. No problem.

"He feeds and feeds but I just can feel that there's not enough milk"

Hi OP,
The feeding and feeding is his way of making sure your supply is up to scratch for his requirements. It's really hard, but trust your baby and feed him on demand, and the supply will balance out.

Around 10 weeks, they often have a growth spurt - you'll suddenly notice all his babygrows are too short!

If you are feeling anxious (understandably!) see if there is a local breastfeeding support group near you that you could pop along to for a chat.

The supply and demand thing is hard to get your head around, and relies on trusting your baby and your body, but you'll get there.

Also, the "wonderweeks" website is really good at pointing out the stormy times when babies are fussy and hungry (i.e. growing!).

Here is the chart showing approximate ages of growth spurts etc. As you can see, at 10 weeks, he could be just coming out of a stormy patch.

Congratulations on your new baby!

Thank you pookamoo, that's really reassuring, as are the other comments. I love that little chart! I've fed and fed the last few afternoons and it just doesn't seem to be catching up, but I'll keep persevering. It's so tempting to give him an extra formula bottle, I hate him being hungry, but I know that's a slippery slope to losing your supply so I'll just stick to the 7pm bottle!

How are you getting on?

hi
my mom started supplementing me at one month and she had lost milk by three months, I heard this story many times. do not supplement, try to survive bfeeding only. Gina ford book has strategies for boosting milk supply if you think it is low.
don't skip feeding at night, it can lower your milk supply. alternatively pump instead, but keep demand up, to keep up supply.
and don't stress out, at least because intself it can affect your supply. easier said than done...

Hi pookamoo. It's not going great, a week after this started and around five or six pm the screaming starts and no matter how much I sit and feed for he's sucking and sucking and not swallowing so clearly not getting anything. So far I've resisted giving him a ff other than the 7pm one I was already doing, but when he gets that he guzzles down 8oz. He's also woken at around 4

Sorry you're having such a tough time over it. :( It does sound like you could perhaps benefit from having his latch checked out.

What makes you say he's not swallowing? Babies don't always swallow after every suck, they often wait until their mouth is full and then swallow that in one go.

Did you manage to find out if there is a breastfeeding support group near you?

Where we are, the NCT breastfeeding counsellors do a home visiting service (for free). Might be worth a look online to see if they have similar in your area?

PS I know this is contraversial on here, but G F knows nothing about breastfeeding!

pookamoo, you've been so supportive, I really appreciate it, I'm having such a struggle mentally at the moment, you've really encouraged me. Things seem to be picking up today and yesterday but I think I'll call up my local NCT and see what they can do to help.

I agree about Ms F**d by the way, I used her routines with my dd and they worked like a dream but I just skipped over all her bf advice as it was very impractical and outdated.

Thanks again

You're more than welcome!
Hope they were able to help.