Hi all. My 9 week old is wanting to eat every 2 hours or less most days, with a 5-7 hour stretch at night sometimes. Is she getting enough day time rest with eating so often? My milk supply goes up and down which makes me worry about everything!! She is a happy girl and weighs about 12 lbs now. I know she gets enough milk but i feel bad because there is either too much milk and shes choking, or not enough and she's mad and hungry and goes from one breast to the other many times and just seems to give up. I want to keep breastfeeding but hate all the uncertainty that comes with my supply issues. I am drinking 3-5 cups of mothers milk tea a day to see if that helps, if not what did you do if you felt like there wasn't enough milk? What kind of feeding schedule did you find works best? I tried to give some formula last nite but she wasn't having it! grrrrrrrr, any advice? TIA
Drink more water- you need more water. Also you need to take magnesium malate or magensium citrate, daily.
Choking on food can signal a magnesium deficiency.
Why do you think you are having supply issues? She's gaining weight, i assume she has wet/dirty diapers right? Then she's getting what she needs! 12lbs is great for a 9 week old!
If she is seeming to choke you might have a fast let down. There are ways to work around that. Check out kellymom.com for some great suggestions. I never had that problem so I don't want to give you bad advice.
Don't look for any kind of feeding schedule!!! Feed her on demand. That is what will keep your milk up and her happy.
Feeding every 2 hours is fine given the amount of time she is sleeping at night. She's got to make up for those lost hours somewhere during the day. And she may not want a full feed at every session. Are you trying to keep her at the breast longer than she wants and is that why she is getting frustrated. Just follow her lead and her cues to nurse when she is hungry.
My boys both nursed frequently and the only time they went that 3 hours quoted by most books was at night. Nothing was wrong with them or me -- That was just how it worked for us. At 9 weeks and 12 lbs and to quote you "happy", it sounds like you are both on the right track. One thought...If you feel like you are over-supplied, do a super quick pump before nursing so it doesn't feel like your daughter is drowning in milk.
Love what Kali M said about your production -- I too had the too much or not enough and that will help both flow situations. When "too much" you could also express a little and then give her the go. My son did uber-nursing as well, every 90 minutes at 8 weeks and at 12 weeks -- I felt like a dairy farm:) But it worked out and I was "stairstepped" to where he needed me to be.
All I can add is water water water and protein. I put a 10 oz glass by my nursing chair to guzzle while he did and filled and replaced each time. During these heavy nursing times, I was drinking 1 1/2 to 2 gallons a day, and eating protein with each meal to help my engine work stronger.
Not sure if you wish to, but I also coslept to help me sleep while both children nursed that first year as I work fulltime and my husband worked construction hours.
Feeding on demand is her "schedule" for the next month or two and then it's SO EASY to keep on nursing. This will get better in a week or so... be proud of yourself b/c you are an awesome, strong Mama!
She is nursing often to increase your supply. It is a perfect system. If you are too full,try hand expressing a little right before she nurses. If you feel like you don't have enough,just let her nurse longer. It will get easier. I have breastfed all 6 of mine and they were all different in their patterns. Please get rid of the formula. Have you read the label? Have you smelled that stuff? Another thing you might try is pumping for when you seem to have an excess. You can refrigerate or freeze the milk for Dad to feed her or offer it to her when you're in the car or out somewhere where nursing would be difficult.
I second what Kaye said.
Just keep nursing on demand! If she is gaining weight, she is getting enough.
You just need to relax and not worry so much about it. She can feel your stress. Our kids nursed every 2 to 4 hours as well. I don't know if our son ever went a 5-7 hour stretch at night till after we weaned at 18 months!
I agree that you need to concentrate on more water as well. That made a difference in my supply with our first!
All she needs right now is you and your milk!
Hi,
I'm a mother of 5 and have breast fed all 5 of my children. I always fed on demand. Your worry will cause the milk supply to go up and down as well. Try to stop worrying. Try to pump the extra milk and store in freezer as a stand-by supply. My milk was full as well. As far as supplementation, that needs to start with you in the nutritional arena. If you aren't supplementing at least the fundamentals to your own body, you might want to start. I know what the necessary supplementations are. Also drink at least 1/2 oz of water for every lb of your body weight, daily. Forget formula unless absolutely necessary. Mothers milk is the absolute best. Just keep your body in shape for it. Please don't worry, and just enjoy feeding time. These are precious moments that I miss dearly. You may call me if you like.
Take Care,
L.
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She is sleeping really long at night for her age. She makes up for that by eating more often during the day. Totally normal!! Everyone's milk supply varies naturally throughout the day- most often highest in the morning and lowest in the evening. Scheduling is not healthy and not really recommended anymore- feeding on demand is recommended. Giving formula as a supplement will cause you to have a milk supply problem so stay away from it if at all possible.
could she be going through a growth spurt right now and just needing to eat more often? My son would do this and just when I was ready to supplement then he would go back to normal.
Good Luck
She's likely in a growth spurt, and her frequent nursing is building your supply. That's why it goes up and down. You make what she needs. :) Skip the formula unless you want to sabotage yourself! If you give formula, you aren't nursing and giving your body a chance to make more. Also, babies will usually drink a bottle whether they want it or not because of the construction of the bottle. It basically forces them to keep drinking.
You probably don't have the supply issue you think you do, since she's causing you to make more. If you are experiencing engorgement and a rapid letdown that sometimes makes her choke, there's no issue.
Check out kellymom.com for the best breastfeeding resource. You'll find explanations of all of this and it'll help put your mind at ease. You're doing a great job!
Another mom in a parent group I use to attend had the choking issue. The LC told her to lean back when nursing to help slow the milk down. It seemed to work for her. The other times when she's going back and forth try massaging your breast to bring the milk down. Maybe you're tensing a little and it isn't coming as easily and she is just use to it flowing. But its normal. you can supplement it you need the break just try to keep it at the same time of day. You could also pump to increase your supply and for a bottle to offer. It will all come together. She's learnign and you are too. Plus with every growth spurt she nurses more. It's a lot in the beginning, but it goes quick. :)
