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Infant feeding

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

FEEDING LESS, DROPPING ON THE SCALE

12 replies

gillythekid · 24/11/2008 17:39

My 18 week old son is exclusively breast fed and has steadily gained weight since birth, waking only once in the night following an 11pm dream feed. He would normally feed for 15 mins or so in the day, then occasionally want the other breast too. In the last 2 weeks he has been feeding less and fussing on the breast and rarely empties it. He now wakes 3 or 4 times in the night, sometimes I'm able to give him a dummy. His night feeds are all expressed, I do this at 8 and 11pm for the following evening, producing around 400ml, using 210ml at 7pm and 180ml at 11. The problem is, now that he seems to be demanding less, I'm not able to produce as much (sometimes only 60ml at 8 and 100ml at 11) and have run out of freezer stock. I think he is teething and may have some pain in his gums. I'm trying to relax and not stress but I'm worried they'll tell me to wean him next week as he's dropped significantly on the scale. I think he's too young but worry that I might be denying him.

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gillythekid · 24/11/2008 21:27

Sorry to bump my own thread but I've only managed to express 100ml (usually it's double that) and I need a further 290 before 7pm tomorrow! Can anyone shed any light on what might be happening here?

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JODIEhadababy · 24/11/2008 21:28

Gilly, just posted this link in the post natal group, read it and see if it rings any bells....

Neenztwinz · 24/11/2008 21:42

Gilly, as long as he is gaining weight, then he is fine. Waking four times in the night tho is awful for you! Can you express at any other times of the day? If you express 1/2oz before each feed in the day, then let him suck as long as he wants, then you should build your supply back up.

Just out of interest, why do you give ebm?

gillythekid · 24/11/2008 21:54

So that his dad can feed him and I can get a bit of rest, we've done this from very early on as he doesn't settle well at night on the breast. Funnily enough, all this started when I reverted last week to breast feeding in the middle of the night instead of getting up and expressing while DH gave him 80ml from a bottle, which seemed like a faff. He is now getting far more from me at night yet is waking more. I'm confused.

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Neenztwinz · 24/11/2008 22:02

I used to give my twins ebm at 7 and 10pm too, because I wanted to be sure they'd had a good feed (doubted my supply).

Could it be that he is filling up at night so isn't so hungry in the day? Have you tried offering cooled boiled water in the night instead?

Could you try feeding him in a very quiet room during the day so he is not distracted?

Don't worry if he is dropping down the chart - those charts are nonsense. As long as he is not losing weight then there is nothing to worry about. And only wean when you want to, not cos anyone else says he needs it. YOU know him best.

FWIW, my DS put on only 6oz between 17 and 22 weeks. I weaned him at 22 weeks, he put on 37oz in the following five weeks!

gillythekid · 24/11/2008 22:27

I always feed in a very quiet manner in the day, no telly, phone etc. This only started happening when I stopped giving the 80ml at the night waking because DH thought it would be more convenient to breast feed but it's backfired spectacularly! He always slep soundly from 7 till we woke him at 11 but now he's waking twice in that time! I just tried to breastfeed him when he woke at 10 but he's not taking it and crying. We're now all really upset!

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Neenztwinz · 24/11/2008 22:47

Could it be a coincidence that this happened when you stopped giving ebm in the night? It seems odd for it to be related.

To boost your supply, feed him after expressing. He can get more out than the pump so your body will have to produce more to keep up.

I weaned my twins when they started cluster feeding and being very unsettled in the evenings. They were 22 weeks. Not saying that's what you should do, in fact I advise you do not do that, but it did make them more settled.

Try Calpol if you think he is teething. He is probably just in pain.

Neenztwinz · 24/11/2008 22:48

If he is not taking the feed, it is probably cos he is not hungry. Calpol!

gillythekid · 24/11/2008 22:55

I think he may now be feeding for longer at night than he is in the day! I'd tried so hard and managed to cut his night feed down to 80ml and increase his 7 and 11pm to see him through and he was sleeping till 6am some mornings. It was all working so well but I was having to get up and express between 4 and 6am, whenever he woke so DH suggested the breast feed! I wish I'd stuck to the tried and tested, now it seems impossible to get back!

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gillythekid · 24/11/2008 22:56

Oh and I tried Calpol, he still woke up 2 hours later! Do they do anything stronger to chill him out...baby heroin? Sorry, sick joke.

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Neenztwinz · 24/11/2008 23:03

Are you giving him the full 5ml? Yes they do do something 'stronger' but it has been reclassified as only for over 2s. Medised and Calpol Night. They have antihistamine in to help them sleep. It is not dangerous for under 2s unless given with other paracetemol products. But your chemist won't sell it to you if you say it is for your baby. It is good stuff tho .

At 18 weeks this could be a growth spurt. I am a big fan of expressing and giving ebm as it really helped my with my twins, but perhaps at the moment you just need to feed feed feed to build up your supply. Forget the expressing for a bit. Can you co-sleep?

Neenztwinz · 25/11/2008 20:51

How you doing tonight Gilly?

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