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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

13 weeks... Ebf.... Boobs broken?!

17 replies

IBelieveInPink · 30/09/2015 06:43

My Ds is 13 weeks old today, and after some struggles, he is still ebf.

He's a big lad, and since 8 weeks has been regularly sleeping through 8 hours. However for the last week he has been up at best once a night (for over an hour) and at worst every 2 hours. More than he goes in the day between feeds.

What's going on? I'm getting to the point now of thinking I need to introduce a big fat bottle of formula just to get some sleep. I'm exhausted. I have a Dd who is almost 2 and I just can't keep going for both of them.

Are my boobs broken? Have they run out of milk? Or is this all just comfort feeding?! I thought it was a growth spurt, but over a week?

Any advice/reassurance/gin gratefully received.

OP posts:
SmileAndNod · 30/09/2015 06:57

Does sound like the growth spurt to me. It doesn't last forever, I promise!

SmileAndNod · 30/09/2015 06:59

But sympathies for feeling shattered. Only you can decide whether you want to introduce a bottle though....

familysizepack · 30/09/2015 07:01

Yes, sounds like a growth spurt.

We're having a 16 week one here and although this is DC3 I'm still quite amazed at how hungry she is!

captainproton · 30/09/2015 07:04

Yes I think this is a classic sign of a growth spurt! I am not sure it's that easy to introduce a bottle now, a lot of babies who have never had one are likely to refuse them.

Original poster
IBelieveInPink · 30/09/2015 07:18

So, any ideas how long this may go on for?

I had loads of problems feeding dd so she was on formula at this point, and we never had this. I know he may not take a bottle now, but if he did... Would it make a difference or is it just one of those 'every baby is different' things? Don't want to do it if I'll just be getting up to make bottles instead!

OP posts:
SmileAndNod · 30/09/2015 07:23

All my babies have had this growth spurt. You do just have to ride it out and wait for the next one. Can't help with bottles, always seemed like a faff to me when I could just whip out a boob.

HelenF35 · 30/09/2015 07:27

I am having exactly the same issue with my ds who is 13 weeks today. I've tried a bottle of ebm at night and it made no difference. Hope the wee menace sleeps soon as I'm knackered!

Tarzanlovesgaby · 30/09/2015 07:27

congrats you baby is doing the textbook 4 months sleep regression. :)

nothing wrong with you, baby or boobs.
apart from feeding on demand there is nothing you can do.

it's a phase many parents and babies go through.

captainproton · 30/09/2015 07:29

How long is a piece of string? I would say it lasts at most a week. Then they calm down a bit, might even sleep more for a few days. Making bottles properly is time consuming btw, unless you buy ready made milk.

But tbh when I had to put mine on formula I had to spend about a fortnight of part mixing breast milk and formula in a bottle, starting off with 3/4 express milk and 1/4 formula and slowly changing the quantities. I had to get DH to feed them, as they could smell me and my milk in the house and would just point blank refuse. And from what DH told me there was an awful lot of screaming, and refusing to feed until they were desperate for milk.

I had no choice though as I was too ill to feed them and it had to be done but it was a very emotional time.

I can't say you will experience the same.

I think you are better off trying to find a solution to getting more rest in the day, or trying to co-sleep and feed whilst lying side-by-side? You can almost feed in your sleep that way, and it's not as bad. I used to put mine in a bigger nappy and hope no dirty nappies at night meaning I didn't need to get up and change them unless necessary.

captainproton · 30/09/2015 07:30

The next growth spurt is due around 4 months

Diggum · 30/09/2015 07:36

I had this with DD too. The growth spurt lasted maybe 2 weeks but sadly was followed by a spell of uncomfortably hot weather that mucked with her sleep further.

She then seemlessly transitioned into the 4 month sleep regression. Sigh. I wish you better luck.

By around 5 months though she was self settling like a dream (though the elusive "sleeping through the night" only occurred after her first birthday).

Sympathies OP Thanks but it really is true that this too shall pass!

Original poster
IBelieveInPink · 30/09/2015 09:22

Ah man. I suspected this may be the answer. Thank you all for the input.

BrewCake to all those suffering the same!

OP posts:
HelenF35 · 30/09/2015 20:22

My ds seems to be getting worse. He's being really fast at the breast because he's not happy that there is no milk left but he's feeding every half hour! DP has taken him out with some ebm but I feel awful.

Original poster
IBelieveInPink · 30/09/2015 21:32

Oh I feel your pain. Ds has decided now that he only likes feeding from one side, so really fusses and struggles on the other. It's driving me nuts, not helped by being so tired!

Hope these babies get on with their growing and give us a break!

OP posts:
HelenF35 · 01/10/2015 11:06

Now the wee menace refuses to take a bottle of ebm from anyone except me! He's been drinking ebm from others since 2 weeks. I'm worried as DP and I are out for a meal on Saturday and I am out the following Saturday. Any ideas how to solve this?

Racheyg · 01/10/2015 14:20

Hi op,
My heart goes out to you ds2 is 18 weeks and we have been having a growth spurt/sleep regression for 5 weeks Shock

In my experience formula hasn't made my ds2 sleep any better but every baby is different so it might work for yours.

Can you express and get oh/dh to do later feed then you have a few hours before baby wakes up? We do bottle of bm/fm at 23.00 while I go to sleep then ds2 wakes at about 1.30 for a bf x

Original poster
IBelieveInPink · 01/10/2015 17:09

We are going to try his first bottle of expressed milk tonight. Not sure if it will help but we'll give it a go anyway.

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