Wean? Top up? Or something else?

[icclemunchy]

DD2 is 19 weeks old (actual she was 5weeks early and spent 3weeks in nicu) and ebf. The thing is I'm not sure if she's hungry. She feeds well and I have plenty of milk but she's always miserable ? she gets herself so worked up that nursing is the only way to calm her and I'm worried that it's actually that she's just hungry.

She's also a very windy baby, constantly farting which smells bad and has episodes where she screams until latched then seems to relax and fart and will settle for a little while so I don't know if something I'm eating is upsetting her? Dairy maybe?

I feel really lost. Should I top her up with formula (really don't want to do this) wean her (again would rather not as I want to blw) try dropping something from my diet? Or just accept she's just an unhappy baby?

Anyone? I should add she's has plenty of wet/dirty nappies. Not been weighed by HV for a while (clinic is Monday) but she's quite tiny

If she's not putting on weight well then there are many things to try before "topping up" with formula, especially if you have lots of milk. Also I can't really see any rational for early weaning either.

How often are you feeding her in 24 hrs? Is she following a centile, roughly? Has anyone checked her for tongue tie, or checked whether reflux could be an issue?

She feeds "properly" every 3-4 hours with the odd 5min nurse when upset. No tongue tie and I don't think she has reflux. She's certainly not a sicky baby and is no diff when kept upright to when laid down

Is the behaviour you're describing (miserable, windy) a recent thing or has it been present since birth?

I don't think she's "hungry" necessarily and if she is, more breastmilk is usually the answer. There might be something else though (intolerance, reflux, tongue tie etc) which is soothed by or necessitates sucking.

Does she use a dummy at all? Does this calm her?

Pretty much since birth but seems to be getting worse, although I guess this could be because she's more awake now.

She does have a dummy and it soothes her if she's tired but not if she's "just" grumpy

I'd carry on breast feeding as much as she wants. I wouldn't change anything right now but I would see your health visitor if you're happy with him/her and perhaps see if you can find out if there's a reason for the wind and the unhappiness.

Does she bring up wind? Have you tried winding her during a feed and winding in lots of different positions afterwards? Do you have a local breastfeeding café or specialist? If she's taking in a lot of air during feeds then this can push you into a cycle of pain, feed to ease pain, more pain.

I do think seeing somebody who can look at your dd, weigh her and talk about your concerns and also look at you feeding might be the place to start.

If she's grumpy but placated by feeding, then I'd feed her whenever she's grumpy :) Many babies need feeding more often than every 3-4 hours - for my DD and DS1 the gap was normally 2 - 2.5 hours, and for DS2 the gaps are really short in the morning bit then space out in the afternoon.

My DS2 also finds it easier to fart/poo if he's feeding. I think the relaxing helps, and there's probably an element of some in/some out too.

I think a lot of us inadvertantly reduce the time we spend feeding at about 4 months old. Our bodies are recovered, the newborn haze has lifted, life seems to be carrying on. So we spend less time in bed/on sofa and more time trying to 'get things done'. Could you try really concentrating in feeding cues, base yourself at home, and be ready to settle for long feeds for a few days? See if more feeding helps?

I am not a healthcare professional, so please do speak to your HV at the clinic. However, if she recommends formula top ups, consider extra breast feeds instead, since you have lots of breastmilk! Many healthcare professionals advice top ups quite readily, and as a concept more milk is a good thing, but there's no reason this extra milk has to be formula I mum is producing lots of breastmilk ....

I'm no expert and only have one little beast. But agree with pp to try feeding more. My dd suddenly got more hungry in the daytime around 4 months. And I was desperate for more night sleep so stuck the boob in at the least whimper. Didn't work but didn't stop me trying!

Also, could she be teething? Makes mine grumptastic and sucking does seem to soothe her a bit.

Thanks guys, I wind her when we swaps sides and she brings that up easily it's just the farting that seems to be the problem.

Thing I'm going to try feeding her every time she starts crying (that isn't obviously caused by anything else!) for a few days and see how we go.

Teething is a possibility as she drools loads but I have tried a dose of calpol just in case and it's made no diff.

I think I'm just finding it harder because DD1 was such a happy baby!