Breastfeeding Advise

Hi there Navy wife. Welcome and tell your hubby thanks for being a military man.

Things to know:

Breasts that get full, make less milk. Waiting for them to feel full decreases milk supply, doesn't increase it. So, if you feel full, you waited too long to feed the baby. Not your fault, some babies just like to wait, but it would be better for them if they did not.

More often than not, babies eat 10-14 times in 24 hrs in the early weeks. Since yours did not, she is just making up for it now. Haha. Breastmilk is digested in an hour and a half. Going three hours means an empty stomach form more tha an hour...and she didn't mind before, but now she does. Maybe later she won't mind again.

Most importantly..what goes in comes out. That means if you are changing 5-6 very wet diapers and at least one bowel movement every day or two that is a decent size (need to use a couple of wipes, at least) all is likely fine.

If there was an issue with you making milk, likely you would have noticed it much sooner. Your baby would not be gaining weight.

And, for those who wonder, yes, it is possible to not be able to make enough milk for your baby, but it is very rare...think survival of the species...must make milk or the species doesn't survive. Very rarely are their issues with milk supply that are not fixable, but they do exist.

If you are very concerned, you can always see a lactation consultant or call a La Leche League Leader for more help.

Your daughter is having a growth spurt, thus the need for extra milk. Don't worry about her not getting enough, your body is smart, it will increase your supply as her demand increases. This all very normal for her age.

J.-

Like everyone else said...growth spurt! I found a great group that you may want to join...

http://www.breastfeeding.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?Cat=0&a...

There are tons of women on there who are more than happy to help with all kinds of questions like this!

Jen

As with all changes, first ask yourself if you have changed anything in your routine. Ask your doctor just to make sure nothing could be wrong and for advice. I wouldn't worry about your breasts in the way that they will pick up or slow down as the baby's needs do usually. Just to make sure though, I would ask if it is possible that you may be having a problem with your milk production or ducts. This happened to me with my first at around 3 months. I just wasn't producing as much as he wanted and contrary to what the lactation consultant said, my production did not pick up. She may be screaming due to gas or acid reflux. Typically a baby will not awake crying from hunger. A scream indictes something else. Breastmilk is a lot more gassy for babies so be very careful what YOU are eating (which I am sure you know) - no broccoli, milk, garlic, heavy flavors, etc. When in doubt, always call your doctor.

You r baby is probably going through a growth spurt right now. Are you pumping also? You can also take batural supplements to increase your supply (Fenugreek and Blessed Thistle). You can feed on each side then switch again. Hope this helps.

Thanks,
C.

She's probably going through a growth spurt. My lactation nurse said that when a baby needs to increase intake they will feed more frequently to get your body to produce more milk. It takes a good day of "extra" nursing sessions to get the supply up. Is she still putting out a good number of wet diapers? That's how you'll know if she's getting enough.

i breastfed my son for two months and he did the same thing your baby's doing. i didnt think he was getting enough so i started alternating bottle and breast and then he was happy. it took me like a week and he was completely on the bottle and happy as can be.

First of all, there's no such thing as not making enough. The wonderful thing about our bodies is they adjust to the supply & demand. If she seems to be eating more frequently all of a sudden it is probably due to a growth spurt. When they're newborn, there's a growth spurt about every 6 - 8 weeks. Her increase is her way of getting your body to produce more milk. It usually takes 24 hours for your body to catch up with the demand. Everything will probably even out and go back to "normal" in about a week.

K.

My son is now 11 months but in the beginning I was not producing enough milk due to the fact that my son would not latch on. I was still pumping but having to also give him a supplement. By the time I finally broke down I went to a lactation nurse was son was 3 months but I was finally able to just strictly breast feed. Due to my problems I actually rented a scale from the hospital just to put my mind as ease. Just as along as he has enough dirty diapers he is getting plenty. Also remember that when babies go through growth spurts they will start nursing a lot more. I also know that Babies R Us also sells scales, if this is something that might put your mind at ease.

When I was breastfeeding my son he was ALWAYS hungry, right from the start. The Doctors just kept telling me the more I fed the more I would make and my body would keep up with him. I ALSO felt like I wasn't filling him. So I supplimented with formula. He grew so quick that in the end the Dr's ended up telling me that I probably wasnt making enough,( he grew 11 inches in his first 9 months). So who knows. The only thing I would suggest is that you're the mommy and you know how your body feels and how your baby is acting. I'd talk to your Dr about it,(even more if you already have). Maybe ask about supplimenting if it continues to be bothersome. They could tell you what kind may be best for you and your child. Just remember the less you feed the less you'll probably produce and may not be able to continue as long as you'd like. I ended up drying up pretty quick after I started back to work only P/T after he was about 6 months old. Everybody is different though.

Hi! I had a lot of problems when nursing my son...call the Lactation Center at Florida hospital. The number is: ###-###-####. They have seasoned Lactation specialista available monday- Friday that can answer any and all questions you have for free!! The ladies are wonderful...I swear i called them at least 4 times a week for months!!!
You will be fine! Good luck!
S. G

Hey J.,
GREAT that you're breastfeeding. I agree with most of the responses you've gotten. Watch your diet, make sure it's not just gas pains, etc. However, I also think you should trust your instincts about her not getting enough. There are some people that will tell you not to supplement you'll mess up the supply/demand of your milk production.
Doing it once or twice shouldn't mess things up. (My mother talked me into giving my first daughter formula because she thought she wasn't getting enough milk. I was terrified that she wouldn't want to nurse anymore. She sucked down 5 oz. of formula quickly. I don't remember anymore for how long I did a little supplementing - probably not more than 4 times. I nursed my daughter for a year - she's happy, healthy, confident child.)
Here's my suggestion: Let Lilly nurse for the normal amount of time that you would on each side. If she wakes up an hour later screaming - make sure it's not gas, let her nurse for 10 min on each side (if she will?) or pump. Give her some formula and see if she seems more satisfied. The next feeding nurse again.
A.

Growth spurt. It would be nice if all of them did it at the same time and you were prepared, but noooo. Is she still hungry after you finish a bottle? I had to make more than average with my daughter. (She's a pick, so no after effects) Also, you have to drink alot to keep the milk flowing, maybe you could get formula as a back up plan, during those bad hours in the night. Good luck! JEn

its ok to alternate formula and breast milk. if your worried your daughter is not getting enough of the stuff she needs stop and pick up a thing of formula and if she still hungry an hour after you feed her give her a bottle of formula! hope this helps!!!!

She is getting enough, but she is growing and needing more food. Your body will most likely accomidate for her needs. Meaning more milk prodution. Every baby is different so don't worry. Maybe you can give her rice cereal now. She might be ready for substance.

Like the others said she's probably just going through a growth spurt and keep track of the wet diapers. Make sure you're drinking a lot of water, especially in this heat. I had to cut out milk from my diet for awhile because it was upsetting my son's stomach, so you might want to try that. If you start adding in formula you'll just produce less and less milk and end up stopping. You should be very proud of yourself, breastfeeding is one of the best things you can do for your child as you probably already know :)

J.,

As you can tell breastfeeding is different from formula feeding. Formula is full of either milk or soy solids, corn syrup, and vitamins/minerals. Formula companies spend millions of dollars each year researching breastmilk because despite advanced science, breastmilk is still the superior infant food. It carries respiratory and gastrointestinal antibodies from YOUR immune system--and you will provide these antibodies until you wean your daughter. Your breastmilk is 90% water, and all the special stuff is in about 10% of the volume. This makes it lighter and easier to digest than formula. Because it is easier to digest, breastfed babies tend to have less stomach and digestion problems than formula fed counterparts. However it means that they need to feed more frequently. Your daughter may also be going through a growth spurt. Growth spurts occur at 3 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months--give or take a week. Don't assume you have no milk and supplement a lot. Then you will continue to reduce your milk supply. If your nipples are sore--something is poor with latch--and you could be nursing more efficiently. Consider looking up a lactation consultant under "breastfeeding information" in the yellow pages or through www.ilca.org. There is also a lot of good information on www.kellymom.com.

J.,
I agree with the others :o) Babe is just going through a growth spurt. I am currently nursing son #2 (he is almost 5 months) and he (like #1) has gone through all kinds of crazy feeding patterns. If you are worried that your little one might not be getting enough to eat, you can always make an appointment with her Dr. just for a weight check. I was always worried with #1 that he was not getting enough as well; it's hard when you can't "see" what is going in ;). Taking her in for a weight check might ease your mind; it did for me.
It sounds like you are doing a great job! Just follow your babies lead. Babies tend to get as much milk as they need when you nurse them when they want. The more your baby nurses the more milk you will produce. Your supply will keep up witht he demand. Don't forget to drink tons of water! Also remember that breast milk is digested easier / quicker than formula, so breastfed babies will eat more often. Enjoy your new little one, and please feel free to contact me with any other questions you might have :) keep up the good work! Breastfeeding gets easier as the first few weeks go by, and you'll be feeling like a pro before you know it!
S.

I had to start giving my son formula some times too. He was an every three hour baby and I couldn't keep up with him. I nursed him as much as I could and then the bottle helped. Sometimes I would give him a bottle every few feedings just so I could fill up. I hope this helps. I did this up until he was 5 months when I started to dry up.

J.,

Book: The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding by La Leche League International. To me this was my salvation and I call it the breastfeeding bible. I nursed 2 babies and i taught nursing classes about 7 years ago. I highly recommend u read it. It's a great source.

It's probably just a little growining spurt.I know it's alot on you, but think of it this way: It won't last long and before you know it she will be crawling,running, and going to kindergarten. Enjoy it while u can.

She's probably having a growth spurt. When that happens, they nurse more, demand increases, so supply increases. It takes a few days to work it out. If you go to formula sometimes, your body won't have the chance to ramp up production.

BTW, with my first, he was crying alot, and we couldn't tell how much he was getting when he nursed, so we figured he was still hungry. My mom was giving him a bottle after he nursed, and he was still screaming. I called the lactation consultant at Sarasota Memorial, and she said "stop the bottles right now! You're overfeeding him, and that'll make his stomach hurt." When their stomach hurts, they're too little to know what's wrong, so they eat. We got rid of the bottles, and he was much, much better.

Also, my son had GERD, and he nursed every hour to hour and a half at first, and sometimes during growth spurts. Other than that, it was about every two hours, with feedings getting further apart as he got older.

Your daughter is probably just going through a growth spurt. This irregular feeding pattern (frequent to infrequent) is normal for breastfed babies. You also shouldn't worry about not producing enough milk for her. The more you nurse her the more milk your body will produce. You will only pump 1/3 of what your body is actually producing and what your baby is actually getting. Don't be discouraged. Your baby girl may just need eat more often than your son did. Less than 1% of women cannot make enough milk for their babies nutritional needs. The odds are that you are fine. (As long as you have no other health issues, and are eating fine and taking vitamins) You will not fall into that category.

It sounds like she might be having gas issues, and might need to be burped real good before being put down to nap. It might help to keep her on an incline position for a while after she nurses and then lay her down. If she wakes up screaming, try burping her first and see if that helps. Nursing her while she's gassy might comfort her for a while, but that's just adding milk to the gas she may already have in her system.
Hope you're able to figure out something that works for you guys soon.
M.

Hi J.. Ditto everyone else's response. I say good for you for trying the breastfeeding route this time around. Hang in there! Definitely get her weighed at the doctor's office more often if you're concerned. It's too early for her to be on a schedule just yet. The more you breast feed the more milk your body will produce. My daughter did the same thing about that time. I learned at a breastfeeding support group that it's called "cluster feeding", where they feed 1/2-1 hour apart. I would encourage going to a weekly breastfeeding support group if you like to get out of the house, plus you may meet other moms there. Sounds like our kids are about the same age! My first daughter is 3 in Feb and my second just turned 4 months.

Hi hun!!

I wanted to tell you my son did the same thing, babies will nurse more frequently when they hit growth spurts and are more hungry, don't worry how much they nurse or for how long, the most important thing to remember is the MORE YOU NURSE THE MORE YOU MAKE. ALso the last bit of milk that they get each time has the most fat in it. Your breat DOEs have milk even if you dont think so and I like I said you will make more if she nurses more!!

Good Luck!!

N.

Hi J.! I also have a 2 month old son, Jack, and we have been going through the same change in schedule where he is wanting to breastfeed much more often. Last week he was even waking 3/4 times a night wanting to eat, whereas he typically would only wake once during the night. As I had expected, our pediatrician is very sure that this is simply a growth spurt. Over the past few days I have noticed the nonstop urge to eat has slowed a bit and he is waking now only 2 times during the night. I hope this makes you feel a little better, in that it is not just you having this "fun" change!

Best of luck!

BREASTFEEDING IS THE BEST BONDING EXPERIENCE YOU AND YOUR BABY CAN HAVE. BUT THEY CAN SCENSE STRESS. YOU MUST ALSO BE RELAXED AND WORRY FREE. YOUR BREAST ADJUST TO YOUR BABY'S FEEDINGS AND PUMPINGS. A BABY'S EATING HABITS CAN AND WILL CHANGE WITH AGE, AND THEREFORE, SO WILL YOUR BREASTMILK. I BREASTFED FOR 9 MONTHS. THE FEEDING SCHEDULE IS UP TO YOU. IF YOU WANT SHORT FEEDINGS WITH SMALL AMOUNTS OF TIME INBETWEEN, ALLOW HER TO DRINK ONLY ENOUGH IN FIRST BREAST TO RELEASE PRESSURE AND THEN MOVE TO NEXT. IF YOU WANT LONGER TIME INBETWEEN FEEDINGS, ALLOW HER TO DRINK OFF ONE SIDE UNTILL NOTHING AT ALL IS COMING OUT. (YOUR OTHER MAY FEEL LIKE IT IS GOING TO EXPLODE-PUT A NURSING PAD OVER IT) THEN WHEN COMPLETELY DRY, SWITCH SIDES AND ALLOW HER TO DRAIN THE OTHER SIDE. AT NEXT FEEDING, START WITH LAST SIDE FIRST TO MAKE SURE COMEPLETELY DRAINED, OTHERWISE FIRST BREAST WILL MAKE MORE MILK. YOU MUST TRAIN YOUR BREAST. THIS IS THE NATURAL WAY OF FEEDING YOUR CHILD AND TO BE HONEST, IF YOU GET INTO THE GROOVE, IT IS ALOT EASIER AND MORE CONVENIENT!

Your daughter is probably going through a groth spurt this is very normal for breastfed babies. By feeding her when she tells you she needs it, your breats know exactly how much milk to make. Not only does the amount of milk change according to her needs but the nutritional makeup changes according her needs. Just as your body provided for her when you were pregnant, it continues to now that you are nursing. Congratulations to you for feeding on demand.

I would agree wholeheartedly with the other responses. My son always wanted to nurse every hour and a half for the first 3 months. As long as her weight gain is normal, try not to worry too much; soon you'll be wishing she were still breastfeeding!

I went through the exact same worries around that age with my daughter. What I learned is exactly what the other posts have been saying: It is very common for babies to nurse constantly like that when there is a growth spurt. It is their way of increasing your breastmilk supply. Because breastmilk production works on supply and demand, the more a baby nurses, your supply will increase to meet her needs. Just let her nurse on demand. Try not to give in to supplementing with formula as this will decrease your supply of breastmilk. As long as she is making plenty of wet diapers and gaining weight, she is eating plenty. If in doubt, call a lactation consultant or check out the online resources from La Leche League.
Best of luck, and congrats for successfully breastfeeding!