Does this sound normal?

[tinylion]

I have my 7 week old second baby. I didn't manage to bf with my first, but I'm managing with my second which I'm quite proud about. I do enjoy it, most of the time.

He needs feeding during the day every 2 hours...and then goes from 6pm to 2am at night, and then from 2am to 5/6am. Not bad. My DH gives him a bottle of formula at 2am, and then I "top him off" with breast milk. This just gives me a chance to not have to listen out for him (I suffer quite a bit from M.E so it's good to get a decent rest) and I want him to take a bottle. He's quite a sleepy baby and can't stay awake longer than about 1 hour at a real push.

By around 5pm in the evening though my breasts feel much emptier, and often when I squeeze them, after he has dropped off them they seem empty. Is this normal?? I'm a bit worried that my supply is dropping off and by the evening he often sucks and sucks and doesn't do any swallowing as if there's nothing there.

I'm not sure what I'm asking really - just does this sound normal to you - is my routine ok?

I often swap breasts only after about 10 mins, as he fusses on as if there is no milk coming out. I think the problem is, is that I can't tell if my breasts are empty.

Excuse the rambling, but I'm a first timer bfeeder, and a bit anxious about the whole thing.

His birth weight was 8 pounds, and now after 7 weeks he weighs around 10 pounds 3...

REading this back - I think what I'm asking is - how do you know when they're getting enough milk? I'm used to formula when you can tell they're taking 4oz or whatever it is. I just find the uncertainty a bit anxiety provoking...

Everything sounds super-normal,tinylion. Forget everything you have heard about 'emptying' the breasts - it's not possible anyway. Forget everything about your breasts 'seeming' empty. Again, not possible when the baby is feeding normally - they may feel empty but that is normal. Evening cluster feeding is normal and the breasts are making milk just fine; they don't have time to overfill, that's all. And the difference between breasts that are full and ones which feel empty is not that great - think of a beachball, which feels soft when you blow it up... and then a couple of extra puffs, it's suddenly overfull. Not a massive difference in the air you have blown into it, is there?!

Your baby feeds to be close and to feel loved. He may not be sucking and swallowing like crazy all the time.

You're doing fine to swap when he 'tells' you by his wriggling he wants to swap.

His weight gain is fine, too.

Hope that helps you stop worrying

it sounds absolutely normal to me

follow his cues and you should be just fine.
your breasts probably feel a bit fuller in the morning as he hasn't fed so much at night, so they then feel a bit "emptier" in the evening this is fine though, your breasts produce milk almost constantly, as he feeds they're already making more so no need to worry about there being none there

WELL DONE,
BUT TRY RESTING EARLIER IN THE DAY AND FEEDING AT NIGHT COS MILK SUPPLY STIMULATION IS BETTER AT NIGHT {LIFE'S A SHIT}
however, WHAT WORKS BEST FOR YOU WORKS BEST FOR YOUR BABY AND YOUR FAMILY

bank - 'scuse me for saying this, but no caps please!

Thank you everyone - that has really put my mind at rest. Tik tok - I didn't realise that breasts can't really "empty" - the beach ball thing makes sense.

Thank you again - one nervous bfeeder here, who feels a lot calmer!!