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Infant feeding

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

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Original poster

20 weeks old, hungry after bf..help!

20 replies

jellybeans · 30/03/2009 13:36

Hi, DS 4.5 months is excl bf and I used to have excess milk so I feel maybe he never latched on that well otherwise he'd probably have choked. Now my supply has slowed down abit and he seems to only like the fast flow bit at the beginning for maybe two minutes(he also gets annoyed waiting for my slow let down) and then pulls off. If I try to pump, nothing comes out so maybe there is nothing left. After going on both sides, he still seems hungry. I feed 2-3 hourly about 8 times a day, he sleeps at night 11-6ish. He rarely sleeps right after being fed, never really has that full look. He has always put on weight well but not been weighed for 2 weeks, am going this week to check. Has anyone any words of wisdom/advice? Thanks.

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SlebMner · 30/03/2009 13:37

if he is gaining weight and is happy , settled and sleeping well at night, i would say he is doing just fine

expressing is not a good indication of how much milk you have

why do you think he is still hungry?

theyoungvisiter · 30/03/2009 13:40

If he's gaining I wouldn't worry. It just seems like typical 4 month behaviour to me - they get a lot more alert and fussy at this age, and they feed QUICK. You may have a forceful letdown so he is getting what he needs.

I have v fast letdown and as tiny babies both my babies choked and gasped and gulped and it was a right pain. But as they got older adn could cope with the flow it just meant that daytime feeds were often only 5 minutes.

If he's gaining ok I really wouldn't worry - just feed on demand and put it down to his age.

PS 11 til 6 is brilliant! DS1 didn't manage that until he was, ooo, about a year!

theyoungvisiter · 30/03/2009 13:43

sorry, I've just re-read and I'm not sure I understood you right first time - he's finishing after 2 minutes but you are saying he's still hungry? Why not just put him back on? What makes you think he's still hungry?

Chewing his hands etc is all normal at this age - they put everything in their mouths.

Original poster

jellybeans · 30/03/2009 13:59

Thankyou. I always try put him back on after he pulls off but he just pulls away and won't latch on again but he will go on the other side. I can tell this happens when the flow has stemmed. I can hear him gulping fast for first bit and then he pulls off and won't go back on. It seems like nothing is comiing out at that point when I try to express or pump. I guess when I get him weighed I can be reassured if he is still gaining. I am soooo grateful he sleeps at night as he was up all night long screaming until 2 months! (he has severe reflux) Thanks again for replies Any more advice welcome.

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Original poster

jellybeans · 30/03/2009 14:00

Just to add he still seems hungry as he is rooting etc and not settled at all.

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Habbibu · 30/03/2009 14:03

Can you just keep swapping sides? I had to do that with dd for a while at that age, iirc - was a PITA - swapping sides every 2 mins for an hour or two (!), but it did settle down in the end.

SlebMner · 30/03/2009 14:05

don;t know if it is the right thing to advise, but breast compression?

have a look at the kellymom site

missmama · 30/03/2009 14:13

I second the swapping sides.
Best advice I ever had (Thanks Tiktok) Just keep on swapping hhenever he seems to be too fussy.

Original poster

jellybeans · 30/03/2009 14:26

Thanks, will try swapping sides and will check out kellymom.

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Original poster

jellybeans · 01/04/2009 12:06

Hiya had DS weighed he usually gains 7oz a week but has gained 4 oz in the last 2 weeks and dropped off the growth curve. He was starving this am after a bf so gave him a bottle of formula after trying changing sides again, pumping etc Feel bad/failure but he was starving. HV said he is ready for solids but I think maybe my supply is low. He feeds only about a minute both sides and then screams and when I express/pump nothing else is coming out. My let down has slowed which annoys him too and think he is teething. Do you think I should resign to mixed feeding? Also should I try baby rice as HV advised. Thanks

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mummycarotcake · 01/04/2009 12:40

Jelly beans don't be to disheartened, it is NORMAL for BF babies to drop off the growth curves over the course of the first year (the current growth charts are based on formula fed babies and are out of date with current research on growth) My DD started on the 91st centile and is now just under the 50th centile at 5mnths old. She got really fussy at 4mnths and started teething (has cut first tooth now) also had several growth spurts and feeding every 20mins at times IT DOES PASS. Try not to start solids to soon prior to 6mnths as babies can't actually get any nutrition from solids before this age. (check out the weaning threads)

mummycarotcake · 01/04/2009 12:43

PS you are not a failure, just a caring mommy!

Original poster

jellybeans · 01/04/2009 12:48

Thankyou mcc

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StarlightMcKenzie · 01/04/2009 12:58

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Original poster

jellybeans · 01/04/2009 16:20

Thanks SM am off to read link

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tiktok · 01/04/2009 16:39

Very poor advice and knowledge from your HV

Current charts in use in the UK are fine for the first months - there is very little difference between the current charts (based on a mix of babies) and the 'breastfeeding' charts at the beginning, but the current charts are just not appropriate for babies of older than about 4-5 months.

If there is evidence you need to give your supply - and hence his intake - a boost, then it's not really in the charts, but possibly in his behaviour, and you can address your supply/his intake easily enough (more feeding, more sides, breast compression).

He is too young for solids.

loopylula · 01/04/2009 17:11

Hi Jellybeans,

I have heard that you can buy alfalfa tonics from your pharmacist that are very effective at boosting milk supply. A friend of mine said she tried it but it worked a little too well and she ended up with enormous throbbing norks and way too much milk (or maybe she just didn't need to boost her supply?!)

Incidentally, My DD2 will happily guzzle from both guns all day long but tends to take real offence at my left boob from 6pm onwards, crying with real feeling after a minute on there! God only knows what that is all about?!

Anyhoo, I am going to give the Alfalfa a try coz DD2 is allergic to cows milk and can't have formula, she won't drink Neocate coz it is foul, and we are having a major growth spurt at the moment which is killing me!

Alibabaandthe40bunnies · 01/04/2009 17:29

DS went through a period like this at around 4-5 months too. I used to just keep swapping sides.
There are all kinds of things at this age, a growth spurt, teeth, becoming more efficient at feeding, becoming more nosey etc that all contribute to them getting very distracted during a feed.

The weight gain slow down is also entirely normal, if babies kept gaining a pound a fortnight they would be 6 stone by the time they were 3!

Definitely avoid solids, the research is very conclusive. I am that your HV has given you such bad information.

SlebMner · 01/04/2009 17:32

i would not try baby rice at this stage

unless he is showing any signs of readiness for solids, such as loss of the tongue thrust reflex, ability to sit unaided , good strong head control etc...

expressing is not a reliable way to judge how much milk you have

Original poster

jellybeans · 01/04/2009 18:05

Thanks for all the advice. Felt like giving up bf this am but am encouraged to keep going after reading thread, so thankyou! Will hold off the rice and formula. Have been feeding him every hour and a half today so hopefully will build supply, feeding him asleep works well too (he often screams till letdown when awake) and also will try get some Alfalfa tomorrow (thanks for tip!) Am considering feeding him in the night too. Thanks again for help

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