Think my supply is drying up <sob>

[mumofmonstersOBE]

The last few days i have found feeding DS3 (7 months) very hard going. He STILL wakes in the night 3 times, he is feeding around every 2 hours but only from one side despite me offering both. I am getting in a muddle with which side to offer and i am so so so tired.

This last week feels nothing like previous growth spurts where he feeds and feeds and feeds. It feels like he is actually not getting what he needs from me.

It feels like the beginning of the end. He will take a bottle now (he has only ever had the occasional bottle of formula and has only accepted it since i bought follow on instead of normal)

I am not sure how i feel about it at mo, i do like bf but i am getting to the stage where i want my body back for me a little bit.

Just read thru the post...what a ramble!! I don't know what i wanted to achieve by posting lol

sorry!

It's really emotional. I think you just wanted to write down your feelings, I found 7 months quite a difficult time as ds was teething but it settled down and I stopped bf at 13 months, but by then I was so ready to stop and I wanted my body back.

You have done a fantastic job feeding ds3! until now, if you want to stop don't feel guilty, but if you want to continue carry on.

Sorry I haven't helped much.
X

How is he getting on with solids? Maybe you could up his calorie intake with more food? Is he unwell? Has he been doing more? DD fed like a maniac for the 2 weeks before she started crawling.

Giving formula doesn't mean the end of BFing, you could just decide on the feeds you are happy to give, and if the others are getting too much then give the bottle for those. Have you spoken to HV about night feeding? sometimes they can give you strategies to get them out of the habit of feeding.

Other than that, if you need to up your milk, you need rest and relaxation. I've tried fenugreek capsules in the past and I think they worked, don't know if its psychological tho, but who cares if it works

Agree, it is a very emotional time when you think the end of bfeeding is nigh.

Was just about to recommend fenugreek capsules but see that smallone has - they worked for me, i took 2, 3 times a day for a couple of weeks on and off.
Definately felt 'fuller'. I thought I smelt of curry but DP said he couldnt smell anything!
It was around the 6 or 7 month mark too when DD2 started on solids but i didnt want to stop feeding her. Went on to feed her to 20mo.
If you want to continue then you can, if you dont then you can still feel satisfied that you have done really well and given him a great start.
P.S. If you have 3 DCs you must know that you dont ever really get your body back...

If he's feeding that much then your supply isn't drying up. Why do you feel that he isn't getting anything from you?

It's probably either a growth spurt or teething, either way it should pass within a week or so.

chin up - ds was just like this a couple of months ago and has really picked up again and down to about 5 feeds a day (although teething is throwing spanner in works atm). Dont give formula as he is sucking to stimulate supply. You are doing great, is hard and tiring but youll be ok x

just to clarify, i haven't been giving him formula. Every so often he has a bottle.\ he has probably had about 6 formula feeds since he was born.

He is teething and has just started sitting properly and rolling to get where he wants. Solids are going ok. SOmetimes he doesn't want solids but is happy to sit in his highchair at the table with us. I am not forcing food down him, he has finger foods(doing a combination of mashed food and finger food as this seems to work for us)

It feels like he is getting nothing because he is still feeding every 2ish hours 7 months after he was born! I have never bf this long before so i don't know if this happens normally!

I just want some sleep lol!

I don't go to the HV. firstly because i get much better and balanced advice here. Secondly we just didn't "click" IYSWIM. i feel judged by her and although i probably imagined it in my PND fog, i didn't like how she made me feel.

sorry but PMSL @ get more rest!! I have a 5 YO and a 3 YO, i walk to and from school(and nursery in same building) 6 times a day and need to do all the housework and entertain them all!

The amount of feeding he's doing would probably suggest he is getting milk rather than not getting it. The first year should be all about milk and the solids are fun and experience, so it's fine that he's getting milk so often. I'm sure it will start to slow down soon as he starts to rely on solids more.

mumofmontsers.. it will slow down (honest) i felt very similar in terms of frequent feeds and it has slowed down now. THink they shoudl get at least 75% of nutritional needs met by milk till 1 year of age.

Is hard having older kids as constantly feel guilty as doing stuff for baby but baby is only little for a small amount of time. You are doing great xx