Worried my 4.5 month old son isn't feeding enough

[ndavy]

Hello,

I just wanted to get some opinions and advice. My son is pretty much exclusively breast fed (we give him the odd bottle of formula - say 1 every couple of weeks when I go out alone). For about the last 6 weeks he's been really distracted when feeding and I now have to feed him in his nursery with the curtains closed and no noise whatsoever. I can no longer feed him when out as he's always on/off and I am constantly exposed!
Added to this, he only seems to feed for 5 minutes, 10 maximum. He also wakes up several times a night although I now only feed him once, maybe twice, between 7pm and 7am.
He seems to be ok and is putting on weight. He is a big baby (9lbs born and now at 20 weeks he's around 18 lbs) and people keep telling me he needs to be weaned. I don't agree.
I just want some reassurance really. Is it possible that he is getting the milk he needs from the breast in 5 minutes? Also, when we do give him a bottle he only takes about 5oz. Surely he should take more at this age?
I was wondering if he only takes a small amount but perhaps my milk is rich enough to keep him full?

Sorry this post is a bit long and rambling. I don't have anyone else to ask as most of my friends gave up breastfeeding long ago.

If you've made it this far, thanks for reading.

Mine's doing this distractible thing too - annoying, isn't it?

I bet he's fine. They take loads quite efficiently by this age. If he's doing lots of nappies and gaining weight...etc etc.

Don't wean him - people are always saying this and it's rarely the answer. Check with HV if you're in real doubt.

Lots of babies take less from bottles than from boobs too, so I wouldn't worry too much there either.

But am not an expert and would prob be worrying too in your place !

he could easily be getting enough milk in 5 mins, both my dds were very quick feeders, and dd2 was 9lb10 born and piled the weight on to begin with.

she was also very easily distracted, so i always fed her upstairs away from the interesting big sister. it took me ages to work out that this was necessary, so had a very distressed and hungry baby quite often when she was little...

he does not need to be weaned, even if you start with solids it does not need to be his main source of nutrition till he is 12 mths, indeed the afore-mentioned giant dd2 was not at all interested in food till about 9 months, but then jumped in with both feet and completely missed the pureed stuff phase.

as long as he is not crying with hunger all the time (which you would presumably have mentioned...) then he is fine.

If he's gaining weight well, then you have nothing to worry about.

Weaning will not help in any way, as the little bit of solids he'll eat will have less calories than breastmilk.

As they grow, babies become much more efficient feeders. 5-10 minutes on each breasts sounds about right.

It is normal for him to start becoming distracted- he's entering age where he's becoming more aware of his surroundings.

From what you have written in your OP I think there's no reason for you to stress.

Thank you all very much. He's my first to I tend to worry about lots of things! He is putting on weight, does LOTS of poos and wees, and is generally a happy boy so I guess it's all ok. I don't plan on weaning him until he's 6 months as my husband's family have lots of allergies. Just wish people (including HV) would stop telling me he needs to be weaning just because he's big!

Thanks again. I'll stop worring now (and also stop trying to feed him when he clearly doesn't want to be fed!).

Think it all sounds very normal. Both my BF boys were big (10lb & 8lb at birth) and hit the 17lb mark around 18wks. The first I weaned at 21 wks, partly because people kept saying he would need something more because of his size, partly because I was returning to FT work at 26wks. The second I weaned at 24wks as I was not going back to work and was more confident in my ability to produce enough milk. Other people I know with big boy babies FB exclusively to 26wks without a problem.

By that age, most babies can clear a breast in 5-10mns, if you are concerned about him getting enough, offer the "third side" (i.e. go back to the first breast at the end of the feed) - a good way to stimulate your production.

The distraction thing is a stage he'll pass through - he's more aware of the world about him and it's hard to concentrate on dinner when there's so much to keep up with! Finding a quiet spot will help, or perhaps try draping a muslin over your shoulder to block out the view for him.

FWIW both mine were having at least one night feed (sometimes two) till 9mths + 22 mths , so all babies are different but from my limited experience BF ones do tend to need a nightfeed for a bit longer than FF ones. Try to go with the flow and enjoy it - he'll be starting school before you know where you are!