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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

DD (nearly 4mths) exclusively breastfed feeding every 2 hours...

37 replies

glassslipper · 04/04/2007 13:20

...and has been for about 4 days now. To start with I put it down to a growth spurt but now i'm not so sure.

She was sleeping through and is now waking up twice. Goes to bed at about 8.30-9 and is waking at about 3 and then 6 for feeds. whereas she was going to bed at 9 and then waking up at 7.

I'm shattered. Through the day you can sow set the clock by her as she is demanding feeds every 2 hours. Her feeds last between 10 and 25 mins. My DD1 took nearly an hour but DD2 is more efficient at feeding and has been since birth.

I'm not sure what to do as I'm not sure how long i can sustain these feeds. The frequency is proving really hard. We've tried her on formula a few times and she has refused. To be honest I dont want the stress of trying to force formula on her when i dont really want to go down that route and i think she's a bit young for solids.

Anyone got any tips on how to increase my supply? or stretch the intervals out?

OP posts:
hunkermunker · 04/04/2007 13:24

Are you letting her finish on one side then switching her?

Original poster
glassslipper · 04/04/2007 13:25

Yes. She takes about 15-20 mins on the first side and then gets fed up with it so i change her or let her do something else and then offer the 2nd side. She takes that for 5-10 mins.

She is 16 weeks old. Weighed 10lb 15oz last week. Birth weight 6lb 15oz. She had dropped a centile last week but HV wasnt concerned (nice hv)

OP posts:
raspberryberet · 04/04/2007 13:39

My children both fed every two hours until they were about six months old - I think it's pretty normal and doesn't mean that your supply isn't good. They have tiny tummies even at four months (look at the size of her fist ... that's how big her tummy is) and that's why they can't go long between feeds.

You're doing really well and it'll get better soon, really it will.

Original poster
glassslipper · 04/04/2007 13:41

thanks raspberryberet (great name btw). I knwo they have little tummies. Its just that she has got into a routine of about every 2 1/2 hours and sleeping through the night too. I just cant see why it would change...?

OP posts:
BizzyDint · 04/04/2007 13:42

she's feeding more to build up your supply to see her through her next growth spurt. yes it's hard if you've been used to a nice steady routine but you just ride it out. no need to think about solids yet, she's asking for milk, so give her milk...and yes it is tiring!

Original poster
glassslipper · 04/04/2007 14:36

that's what i thought but i was really hoping someone would have magic piece of advice to make it bearable.

OP posts:
Mumpbump · 04/04/2007 14:38

This was my son, except he woke to feed every three hours at night as well! I know it's hard work, but at least your nights don't sound too bad. Only suggestion is to just try and hold out. I could never do it though. I thought it crazy to inflict unnecessary hunger on ds...

hunkermunker · 04/04/2007 14:51

I don't have advice other than perhaps try co-sleeping - but I am more than happy to give you masses of encouragement and moral support - you're doing a brilliant, brilliant thing for your DD and you can be very proud of yourself. She will settle again.

Anna8888 · 04/04/2007 15:01

I would echo hunkermunker and try co-sleeping. At least that way you don't have to get out of bed, so you get a more restful night.

I did this, worked for me.

Incodnito · 04/04/2007 15:08

My ds was 2 hourly around the clock till he was on solids at 6 and a half months. Then it went to 3 hourly

MG72 · 04/04/2007 15:32

If you want to stretch it out a bit eg 10 mins, I always found a bit of boppy music, jigging round with the baby and singing distracted him so that he didn't remember he was hungry for a bit. Got it to 2.5 hly and it stayed at that until solids! Good luck, you are doing everything right - and make sure someone else does the housework and keeps your cups of tea coming - you need your strength!

Original poster
glassslipper · 04/04/2007 16:32

thanks everyone. i think the moral support was what's needed

i am lucky to have a v supportive dh who gets her from her cot so i dont need to get out of bed

i guess your brain makes you forget how it can really wear you down.

OP posts:
grouchyoscar · 04/04/2007 16:51

Sounds like a growth spurt. DS did this, he fed for 20 mins at a time every 90 mins. Poor kid was like a broach! It went on for about 2 weeks. I thought I'd end up with shrivelled boobs but they did keep up with Mr Greedy.

I was exhausted, I was being pushed towards FF and I was determined that he would be exclusivley BF, even defrosting exbm for dh to give him the odd feed. I also think he liked the contact and at one point I got a 4 hr break just by holding him and not offering my breast.

I now look at my strapping 3.5 stn, 3ft 5 3 year old DS and think 'all my own work' in my pride moments.

All the best with it. Nice to see you elsewhere BTW

magnolia1 · 04/04/2007 16:55

Went through exactly the same thing at 16 weeks, it went on for about a week before slowly getting better and ds1 is now back to 2-3 hourly rather than 1.5-2 hourly He is a 3 hourly at night still though

hunkermunker · 04/04/2007 17:38

I know, I really, truly empathise and sympathise.

But you will get out the other side and you will feel amazing if you are still bfing exclusively and rightly proud of yourself.

Original poster
glassslipper · 04/04/2007 18:51

fingers crossed it will settle down. i recall with dd1 these times were the worst. i managed 8 1/2 months with her so am trying to do the same this time around...

OP posts:
Elsy · 04/04/2007 19:02

My DD is also 16 weeks and I've been having a similar experience. After sleeping like an angel from 7pm until 4am (finally started feeling human again) from 11 until about 14 weeks, she suddenly started waking 3 hourly at night and feeding more frequently in the day. At the same time, her weight gain also started to slow so am trying to squeeze in as many feeds as possible. Am absolutely knackered especially as she won't take a bottle, so I have to do every single feed . Am hoping night waking will become less frequent when she's on solids, but she's quite tiny so think I'll have to hold off until 6 months.

FrayedKnot · 04/04/2007 19:08

Can you see if you can squeeze another feed in at 11ish? Dream feed type thing?

Tha might see her through.

I tried all sorts with DS and he was still waking twice a night at a year.

Soemtimes nothing works, but you can but try!

Original poster
glassslipper · 04/04/2007 19:12

the trouble with a dream feed for me is that she wakes up good and proper and will be up for about 90 mins, no matter what i do.

it's just so frustrating as i know she can go through the night. she had her 2nd jabs last week and i was wondering if that might have affected her?

OP posts:
accessorizewithbabysick · 04/04/2007 20:29

gs, sounds v.stressful for you [hugs]. Only thing I have to offer is that a friend of mine's dd (who is 15 weeks now) started to do the same thing (every 2 hours day and night). She had been limiting her diet a little, trying to lose the pg weight, so her HV told her to start eating more again, making sure she had a substantial snack mid-morn and mid-arvo as well as decent meals. The HV said that what you ate hit the baby 12 hrs later & my friend had cut out her mid-afternoon snack, I think. Any chance you've not been eating enough? My friend started eating more & her dd is back to normal (waking once a night, feeding every 3 hours) now. You never know!

hunkermunker · 04/04/2007 21:45

Your diet really won't affect her, so don't worry about that. Obviously eat and drink enough for you to be comfortable.

It is hard, I do understand. Please consider trying co-sleeping, for some of the night at least - and go to bed when she does, because even if she wakes twice, you'll still have a substantial chunk of sleep to work with.

Original poster
glassslipper · 04/04/2007 22:20

thanks for the tips. she's been feeding from 8.30- until 10pm and now gone to sleep. Hopefully a really big fill now will do the trick. If not I'll consider kicking DH out and co-sleeping until it gets sorted.

OP posts:
hunkermunker · 05/04/2007 09:53

How was your night, GS?

tiktok · 05/04/2007 10:36

accessorise....your friend's HV could do with some re-training

Original poster
glassslipper · 05/04/2007 11:51

so much for stuffing her with so much milk she'd sleep though. lol.

DD was up at 3.00, 5.30, and then 7.30. I'm grateful she slept from 10-3. but she's since fed at 9.15 and 10.45 and 11.45. She's pulling off my nipples a bit this morning which she hasnt done before. I dont know if it is her mouth being a bit sore (she's definitely teething) or something to do with my supply

OP posts:
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