Need to get DS to take more milk - how?

[juanitad]

DS is 21 weeks, I am not keen on starting weaning until he is 26 weeks, he is just not ready imo. Took him to be weighed yesterday and he hasn't put much on in the last 6 weeks. Is on 91st centile for height, but 25th for weight. I can see he is happy and healthy so it is not worrying me massively. HV said weaning not a good idea yet as he needs fat to put on weight and at this stage I would only be able to give him fruit, veg and baby rice which don't contain fat. So he needs the fat from my milk - she said I should try to get him to take more at each feed, perhaps offer him the second breast once the first is empty. My problem is that after about 10 mins he seems to have had enough and is not interested in going back for more, even though he has not emptied the breast. I feed him approx every 3 hours, he can last that long on just the 10 mins he feeds, but now I'm thinking that if he's not emptying the breast, he's not getting the fatty hindmilk, hence the slow weight gain. Any ideas on how I can encourage him to take more at each feed. Btw, I'd rather not do any formula top-ups, just a personal choice, nothing against formula!!

would he feed every 2.5 hours instead of every 3?
or maybe you could express a bit and try him with a cup, maybe he'd like the novelty of it in between breastfeeds?

Hi,

My DS isn't at this stage and DD was well-weaned by 21 weeks (was a good while ago, don't throw bricks!), so I'm not knowledgeable, but I have heard of block feeding and wondered if it might help. You feed from the same side for several consecutive feeds so that the richer milk eventually comes through. It can make you sore on the other side though, so maybe express and freeze for mixing with purees etc?

Just a thought.

Don't go back to clinic to get him weighed unless you really are worried. You say he's happy and healthy, and presumably hitting his milestones. Would you be worried if you hadn't had him weighed?

Do offer second breast anyway at each feed, though. He may or may not take it, but if he does then it's all good stuff. But unless you've got over supply issues block nursing probably isn't the right first choice as it's used to reduce supply.

The fore/hind milk thing is not two separate things and does not depend on time at the breast - most HV's don't communicate this well at all. At 21 weeks your son will have happily regulated your supply and fore/hind balance all by himself.

To be perfectly honest I don't think there sounds to be anything really wrong in his feeding at all. He's def not loosing weight, and is still gaining but just slowing the rate down? This is v v common for exclusively bf babies between four and six months, it's a different growth pattern to formula fed babies. And additionally many babies are becoming that little bit more active during this period - learning to roll, some sitting, even some crawling.

You may also be heading into classic growth spurt territory in the next few weeks anyway, so he might increase his length and frequency of feeds before you know it!

Thanks all for advice. sparkle, he is a very active baby, never still, arms and legs all over the place all the time, always wants to be up on his feet 'walking' and is no rolling too, so I had wondered if he was using a lot of the calories from his milk. Didn't know that babies sorted out the fore/hind milk, thanks for that info. I'm not at all worried about his development, so I guess his weight needn't be a worry either.

that should be now rolling!

MrsHD - not correct, sorry. One sided or block feeding is not a good thing for a baby whose weight and growth are causing concern. It's a strategy to deal with over supply as it reduces the volume of milk made and the volume* of milk going into the baby.

This is not what we want to happen with juanitad's baby

Juanitad - the chances are your baby is just fine. If he's healthy, his appetite should be your best guide - fine to offer him the second side, and to offer more opportunities to breastfeed, though. But if he doesn't want them, that's his decision

The breasts never empty, BTW.

Thanks tiktok. Feel reassured now!

Babies often start to plateau on the red book charts after about 4 months. This is because the sample of children on which they were based were predominantly formula fed. From mid May (National Breastfeeding Awareness Week), new charts are being introduced across England that are based on breastfed babies. you can access them online here. Sometimes 'slow' growth at this age plotted onto the new charts looks less slow . Even if not, then do remember that charts are just an average of lots of babies, but no one baby is likely to be an average or to exactly follow one line all the time.

Look at the baby not the scales! Are they well, and happy? Are all the other signs showing all is well?

It sounds like you're doing fine .

tiktok, can I ask you another question (or in fact anyone with some good advice to give!) You said to have a go at offering the second breast, see if DS wants it. How do I know when to offer the second breast. HV said when the first breast is empty, but you said the breast never empties (which is what I am finding, I can always squeeze a bit more out!). So should I go by a length of time, or when DS seems like he's had enough, go for the second one for a bit of a change for him?

Ooohh!! So glad I found this, DD is exactly the same and I wasn't worried at all until I had her weighed and then started thinking my milk was drying up [panicky mum]. I did post under a different name cos was in library, felt a bit panicky and had forgotten my password - thanks for the link to this thread juanitad! Hmm...deffo doesn't help that the charts are for FF babies, just when the HV raises an eyebrow at the sharp dip in the curve and says 'it's probably nothing to worry about' in that way they have...aahh!! I worry too much about milk supply I think, she's still got delectable chubby legs

In answer to the question you asked tiktok, not that I'm an expert but I let DD feed for as long as she wants on one (usually about 10 mins) and then offer the other one. Sometimes I pop her off one after about 10 mins if she's dozing/not sucking properly/keeps coming off and going back on again. Sometimes she doesn't want to drink from one but will quite happily have the other...I think the left one's pudding cos she'd rather have that one!

Sorry, ramble over, I'll go and put the kettle on...

Offer the second when he slows down and/or comes off of his own accord, or starts just fussing at the current side. A change is a good as a rest or so to speak! And even if a little sleepy babies will sometimes take a second side as the faster letdown stimulates them to suck and swallow for a bit longer.

Heehee! Just re-read my post...DD has delectable chubby legs, can't comment on the HV's