If you managed to ebf your (bigger than ave) baby for six months, did you find it hard going/exhausting?

[sedgieloo]

Because I am/have!

I haven't posted in the feeding board because I know what the research says (large baby makes no difference/bm volume is the same between months 1-6) and it wouldn't be encouraging for new first time mums on there already struggling. But I've found it tough to keep going the last two months.

What was your experience please, am I a whimp/whiner or did you find (larger than ave) baby a hungry Horace as they got bigger and more active? Or is it because I have a two year old too? I just need to know from real mums!

It's academic really. He is 25 weeks tomorrow. He today weighs 18lb 9 and I've decided he's having bm mixed with gluten free porridge starting today. I'd be very interested that's all. I'd like to go one more week having come this far, but I just can't.

One of mine was 26lbs at 6 months, one 22lbs at 6 months. Both ebf until then. One was more tiring than the other but that was because she didn't sleep well, whereas the other one slept through from tiny, fed efficiently and I could feed lying down from the beginning.

I did end up anaemic at one point (surgery, heavy periods and other stuff, not just bfing) and I was tired then but bfing in itself I didn't find too draining. It was a good excuse to sit down actually.

And to clarify, they weren't born big. I had a 7lber and a 6lber so their weight gain was from milk alone and from on and under the 50th centile to off the charts in dd's case.

Showofhands - that sounds really similar to my DD who went from 50th to 98th centile in a 6 week feeding frenzy.

I also notice that the new baby adrenaline wears off after about 6 months and people stop making quite such a fuss, yet you are probably more tired than ever! Do exactly what suits you on feeding but I would suggest a few new self-care strategies as well. Most importantly, time out. I am still physically exhausted but at least emotionally refreshed after an hour or two alone in a cafe or library.

Sedgieloo, please don't think you are doing anything wrong, I think some babies are just like this. Most people I know, their second babies are like this, I think it is just wanting the time alone with mummy and getting it at night. If you find a way to reduce the feeds then great, if not, just try to maximise your sleep - feed lying down in bed, sleep in your babies room, co sleep, whatever it takes to make sure you are asleep for the full 1-2 hours between feeds.
Since Christmas I have been absolutely consistent about bedtime with ds and he has learned to go to sleep in the cot not on the boob, it is slowly getting a little better, last night I got a four hour stretch and they are happening a bit more frequently now.

About the nights, I found it helped a lot with my sanity when I realised that I'd be happier not knowing what time it was at night nor how many times I'd woken. This was with dc2 at a few months. We turned the bedroom clock to the wall, and suddenly just going with the flow at nights was easier. Nowadays when people ask what dc3 or dc4 did at night or how many times the baby wakes, I tend to pause and look confused. I just don't count. They wake, they feed, repeat. Eventually it passes. I've come to realise little I do will control the situation, so I've stopped trying and just wait for it to pass. But, we do co-sleep and dh does help if baby won't settle. Without those two things life would be far far harder.

Yes we co-sleep too. It's not always comfortable but it is the only way I can function with two demanding older DC. And I second never looking at the clock at night.

I just wanted to add to the voices saying you should take care of yourself. I ebf a huge hungry baby who didn't believe in sleep, with a two-year old in toe too, and was shattered for about a year and a half! I don't know how much was due to the feeding, how much the lack of sleep or how much the toddler! My advice would be:

• get some rest whenever you can (easier said than done, I know)
• make sure you're eating well and eating enough, and drinking plenty too
• don't do too much and have days when you just slob around the house, if your toddler will permit it!

Well done, you're doing fab!

DS (98th centile) is 11mo and only now starting to decrease feeds (after 5 months on solids), so don't look for an immediate change from giving solids. But what made a real difference to how I felt was starting to take Pregncare Breastfeeding vitamins. It might just have been a placebo effect, but I felt much better within a week and suspect that I'd been deficient in something which was making me feel run down.

It's so encouraging hearing from others in the same boat! My dc2 was 10lb1 at birth and 20lb at 6 months, and apart from a brief dip in weight gain/hunger at 3 months (when he slept through the night for the one and only time), has fed every couple of hours day and night for six months. A bottle of formula at night made no difference, comfort milk made a difference one night only.

However I wanted to be encouraging and say that weaning has helped him sleep better. Fruit/veg and baby rice got him down to two feeds a night, and starting on wheat/meat/dairy has got him down to one feed a night (although he is up for 1.5-3 hrs, instead of two half hour feeds ). The number of daytime feeds has dropped too. So for some hungry babies solids do help!

Thanks for all the kind and interestig comments. Every one of them. I can't see all the names on my phone as i post a reply her now, but there's been some great feedback that have helped no end. I feel much more positive. I am dead impressed by these 26lb 6month old babies. I can't imagine another 7lb of flesh on mine and he's 71cm. Id love to know more from the poster who dr says bm is even more important at 6months (I plan to continue with bf into year two)

Breast feeding 24/7 any baby big or small is tiring. Having a toddler in the middle of the terrible twos and a young baby is tiring. Especially on little sleep. I do need to give myself a break and stop blaming all the fatigue on bf!!

I am out of my prenatal vIts. So I will sort that out. I also do cosleeping a bit if baby isn't quick to settle just to get some rest. But last night I started getting baby back to sleep without bf if it had been less than two hours since the last feed. He only fed four times during the night as a result. And the last feed he didn't take both sides so I don't think he was that hungry.

I know that weaning is not the silver bullet to night waking and takes time. But I've felt strongly for ages now that he needs more. Now I'm not so sure!! But it's that time now anyway although I still am yet to start. Maybe I will see the week out after all :)