6mo feeding more than when a newborn

[Monstermoomin]

She literally doesn't come off. Especially from an evening point of view. My nipples just want to be left alone. She only settles on them.

Up until about 4-5weeks ago, she'd sort of suckle for around 10 minutes after finishing properly feeding and then pop herself off, nicely asleep and I could sometimes get away with then putting her in the crib.

Since she became ill, all of that changed and she is just on there for hours for comfort and it's just too much. I'm sore and touched out. That added with her being sooooo restless whether she is on me or not (but wakes up either in an attempt to transfer her to the crib or when she's layed in it) and then the repeated cycle of trying to feed her to settle begins again. all night.

Anyone having the same fun?

No one? In the past 4.5 hours she's been off me for probably 30 minutes and has just cried and writhes around whilst on me...

Is she actually getting any milk?

She may look like she is, even swallows but isnt get any / enough

Seems to me she doesn't get enough milk.
My breastmilk started to dry out around this time, could that be happening to you?

She's getting milk, as when she pulls herself off I can see it coming out and it come out initially from the side she's not feeding from when she's feeding if you get what I mean. Plus she's weighing between the 75th-91st centile.

She’s comfort feeding. My dd was exactly like this. Or she’s going through a growth spurt.

Not sure what to say except to reassure you that she’ll grow out of it eventually. Especially as you introduce more foods.

I tried giving mine a dummy but she didn’t like it. She also refused bottles. However, I’ve known other people who have had success with dummy or bottles.

If you’re ok with that, do you think she’ll accept a dummy or a bottle?

If she's been ill, she needs the extra for a while. The nutrition you're giving her is vital.

Look after yourself with plenty of fluids and proper meals. Air your nipples between feeds.

Your supply will increase due to extra suckling, so take care that if she suddenly reduces the amount she wants, you don't get uncomfortable and engorged.

I missed that she was ill. How long ago was she unwell?

@ImustLearn2Cook @Redebs
Thank you for the replies, sometimes the solidarity just helps with the exhaustion ha.

I could try a bottle again (well see if she'll take EBM from my husband) she wasn't a fan a few months ago. I've tried a number of dummies and she is not a fan unfortunately.

She had started being ill about 6 weeks ago, then developed a chest infection and then about a week ago we were in A&E due to her breathing and they diagnosed bronchiolitis but felt we were on day 5 at the time. So I know she's likely still getting over everything as she's still wheezy, coughing, sneezing and is snotty again (after a two day break of not being). Just exhausting with all the extra at night, which I know some will be comfort but I can't even put her down.

I've got a breast pump so if my supplies upped and I get engorged I'll take the edge off with that or a little hand expressing. I've had mastitis twice at the beginning with her so don't need it again!

If she's wriggling when feeding, she might be finding it a bit hard to breathe if she's still snotty?
Could try a baby aspirator bulb to clear her nose?

Bronchiolitis can be very serious for little ones and I'm sure being breastfed helped her get better quicker.

@Monstermoomin I’m sorry to hear that she has been so sick poor baby.

Mastitis is incredibly painful. I had it once when my dd bit me while breastfeeding and her little teeth were razor sharp and cut me. And she bit me so hard it bruised me. I ended up having to go to the doctor and was prescribed antibiotics.

I remember that feeling of being sore and touched out. Hang in there you’re doing a great job.

I bought a rocking chair and binge watched t.v. which I found really relaxing while breastfeeding.

I think it’s pretty normal for babies to breastfeed more when they are recovering from illness. And I agree with Redebs that breastfeeding will help her recover quicker. Also those baby aspirator bulbs to suck out the snot works really well.

@Redebs I have one of those nosa frida things, she absolutely hates it, but it is really good to get it all out! She's wasn't snotty for a few days but it's back again. The wriggling/arching/thrashing about happens when she's not feeding too. I don't know if she's just more uncomfortable or something but she's so unsettled of a night time.

My eldest had it too when she was 3 months old and the nurse said the same about the breastfeeding as at the time they had a huge influx of babies needing admitting for treatment so I felt grateful she didn't, and this time round, but this little one has had it worse than her sister did, likely cos she had the chest infection first.

@ImustLearn2Cook

Those pesky teeth! She's not got any popped through yet, but my eldest got one at 5 months (and lots popping up on quick succession) and she unfortunately bit my nipple, nice little hole in it so you have my sympathy there!

We're looking at putting her in her own room over this next week (timings not great but husband took time off work to sort the room), so I'm going to buy myself a comfy chair for feeding of a night time and hope we can get something sorted or we'll have to figure out some sort of floor bed which I'd rather not do as she's taken a habit to rolling on her front.

Thank you both for your replies :)

I know this might sound weird, but could she be bored? Mine used to wiggle and thrash a land not feed properly when she was wide awake but be fine when she was sleepy, so it wasn't discomfort. In the end I just had to stop offering the boob when she was awake and give solids instead, which she loved. She just hated having to stare at nothing but me! Could she be using the boob as something to do but KT finding it very stimulating?

That said, if she's just been ill it's more likely that!

It's very normal and doesn't mean your supply is drying up. They do change the amounts that they feed a lot throughout the first year. After illness is a usual time to feed a lot.

OP how are you doing now? The same thing happened to me when my DD caught a horrible cold about a month ago. Weight is fine as are nappies my but goodness I just want my boobs to get a break!

@TolkienLover hey, not much difference really. Yes I feel very touched out ha, she keeps getting colds so won't sleep in her cot and just feels like she's always feeding and I can never time meal times well as she just gets tired or hungry and doesn't always want to sit in a high chair.

Sorry you're still having a rough time OP, hopefully things get a bit easier soon! Is she ok to nap in the day or is this for both day and night sleep? My eldest was like this- her sleep was horrendous between 4 and 8/9 months and then was up and down depending on teething and illnesses. My 5 month old is the same right now- I'm 90% sure she's teething but I keep telling myself it'll pass. I think I'm going to start going for long walks for her naps now that the weather is picking up otherwise I'll spend my entire day trying to make her sleep!

She only naps in the sling, and I think is having a bit of either a sleep regression or teething/ development spurt type thing cos her naps have got difficult too during the day.

I keep trying to remind myself it'll pass. As I sleep on the sofa bed with her of a night when it gets too tiring to try to put her in her cot and I just hold her on the sofa bed ha.

But they don't stay small forever I guess!