why can't I satisfy my 5 month old? Help, please!

[olivo]

DD2 is 23 wks and excl bf. Until about 3 weeks ago, she fed about 2 1/2 - 3 hourly during the day, with an extra bf before her bath, then one at bedtime at about 6. I express morning and night to give her a dreamfeed at about 10 and she'd sleep till 4 or 5.

For the past 3 weeks, she has started waking at about 7.30 and been on and off the breast, really difficult to settle and then up every couple of hours during the night; i just don't feel i can satisfy her anymore. she is also feeding more frequently during the day. I really want to excl feed until she is 26 weeks at least but don't know how long i can carry on with this, as well as occasional wakings with DD1.

can anyone offer any help please?

bump

I had this at 22 weeks and I'm afraid I caved after a week and a half and started solids. In hindsight it may have been a growth spurt but she had never behaved like that before and she was sitting up unaided, putting things in her mouth, showing an interest in food etc so I just assumed she was ready.

Happy to be corrected on this but I don't think she's likely to be harmed in any way if you wanted to start introducing solids very slowly at this age.

Otherwise it may finish soon if it's a growth spurt. Good luck if you decide to stick it out!

thanks for replying, apple. i did wonder if it was a growth spurt at first but it's gone on so long and my boobs don't seem to have caught up!
i have enough ebm in the freezer to back me up a bit this week but if it goes on much longer, i'll have to do something.

Dont beat youself up that your baby is hungry its only in the last 6 years that u are advised to wean at 6mths .I weaned my child at 3mths with all home cooked food to avoid gluten etc. Your baby is growing and needs more calories.

If your baby needs more calories the best source is more breastmilk; there's not much energy in some puree carrot. It's only 3 more weeks which isn't that long in the whole scheme of things.
You could try taking fenugreek which is a supplement which is supposed to increase supply, but just carry on feeding and have confidence in your body.

thanks,all. YOu're right, I dont have the confidence in my body. it's more about moving her onto some formula than giving her real food for me. I just feel she is sucking and getting nothing and then is waking up sooner as there isnt enough there for her. I'm exhausted.
i also did wonder if the fact that i have had tonsilitis for the past few days has affected my supply?