Breastfeeding!

[Srrme]

I am breastfeeding Elias, but how do I know if he's getting enough? Do I need to offer him a bottle afterward? Should I still be pumping? He eats frequently for 10 to 15 minutes, and has 6 to 8 yet diapers a day.

 

[Wantabean]

i was a bit stressed by this 2 but the baby doctor said as long as he was having wet nappies and was settled afterwards then he was getting enough. she said that he will scream if he is still hungry. hope that helps a bit

xxx

 

[toothfairyx]

He will let you know if he is still hungry!

 

[katy1310]

I was stressed about that too, but they told me as long as she seemed settled and was having plenty wet and dirty nappies then she was getting enough and would let me know when she needed to feed. I used to worry like crazy in case she wasn't even getting any!

They had a really good leaflet thing in our unit that told you how many wet and dirty nappies she should be having per day and also showed a picture of red crystal thingies to look out for in the nappy which meant that she wasn't getting enough but I don't know where I've put the leaflet now. If I find it I will let you know what it said. xxxx

 

[Foogirl]

As others have said, your LO will show signs of not getting enough, whether it be with the number of nappies, or never seeming satisfied. I would avoid offering a bottle as it will affect milk production. the more they take, the more you make.

When you see a steady pattern of weight gain, you'll soon relax in to it. You can trust your LO and your boobs to do what they need to!

ps, it never goes away, Abby's on 3 solids plus snacks a day and I still worry if she's eaten enough!

 

[Srrme]

How long were your LO's feeding at a time? Sometimes Elias will only feed for 5 minutes at a time. There's no way he's getting enough milk in that short of time?

He lost an ounce. The Nurse said he will lose 10 % of his body weight before gaining again now that he's breastfeeding.

Should I pump after I feed him? I've done it a few times, but not much. I seem to be making LESS milk than before when I was expressing every 3 hours.

 

[Foogirl]

Abby was a sloooooow eater and could easily take 30 minutes for a feed. 5 minutes doesn't seem very long at all.

I would keep pumping, but also have a chat with a BFing specialist to make sure you've got a good latch going.

I wouldn't worry too much about making less milk, it might seem that way, but after the first 6 or 7 weeks, it does settle down. Gauging how much you are making by how much you express isn't that accurate, as long as you are making enough for him.

If you are worried about supply, ask your HV, or GP for a supplement to help increase it.

 

[25weeker]

Why do you think you are producing less milk?

How long your lo feeds depends on your letdown and how fast your milk comes. I have always had a quick letdown so at the beginning my lo only fed for about 10mins. Around 2 weeks corrected she started cluster feeding in the evenings for hours which lasted for about 4 weeks.

After I had my lo home about 8 weeks I stopped expressing. 7 months later I am trying to get a supply in my freezer as I start back to work in a few weeks and I am only getting about 60ml a day now and even when a pump is getting nothing out my lo can still feed of the same breast and get milk.

 

[Srrme]

He's eating more today. He ate almost every hour last night and this morning.

I thought I was producing less milk because my breast weren't as "full" feeing as they normally were. I ended up pumping once yesterday to give him a bottle and managed to get more than 100ml in that sitting though.

I think I do have a fast letdown. My LO has to swallow A LOT when he eats, and I can also hear the milk squirting in his mouth...

 

[25weeker]

You will probably now start losing that feeling full stage. I was still pumping full-time when it happened to me so I knew I was still producing the same milk. Had I been feeding my lo I would have thought the same as you. I also stopped leaking around the same time and it was great I could get rid of the stupid breast pads

 

[aob1013]

Sounds fine to me!

You don' need to supplement him, or express .. you are doing just fine!


As long as baby is putting on weight, is content and having plenty of wet and dirty nappies .. all is just fine!

 

[Srrme]

Thanks, girls! He's eating a lot more now.

 

[deobi]

How long were your LO's feeding at a time? Sometimes Elias will only feed for 5 minutes at a time. There's no way he's getting enough milk in that short of time?

He lost an ounce. The Nurse said he will lose 10 % of his body weight before gaining again now that he's breastfeeding.

Should I pump after I feed him? I've done it a few times, but not much. I seem to be making LESS milk than before when I was expressing every 3 hours.

You are doing great - trust the process!

One note however, I would still pump after feeds. Dean was in hospital for 2months before coming home and I pumped and fed him (BF all feeds except middle of the night when I had to go home by 34wks!) until he came home. Once home I didn't think I needed to pump against the advice of the lactation consulant and my milk almost dried up!

You see I was feeding dean 2 or 3ozs every couple hours but while in hospital I had built up a huge supply and would still pump another 6-8ozs after a feed every 2-3hrs. Once home I was only feeding Dean which is comparison wasn't enough and my supply dropped too much too quickly. I started pumping again built the supply back but then started slowly dropping pumping sessions one every couple days- the whole process took 3-4weeks before I was finished with the pump.

Another therory was that my little 4lb baby wasn't stimlulating me enough to continue to produce compared to the hospital mega-suction pump - i don't know about that one but it was a thought.

The lactation consultant told me to pump until his due date which is where I ended up but she didn't help in figuring out a plan to ease off the pumping becasue like everyone I hated it and it was hard. Even if you don't do it after every feed you should still do it a couple time a day so the drop is supply isn't so steep.

Best of luck - I hit the 1 year mark and was the best thing I ever did!

 

[Cazzyg]

Some babies feed quickly - especially if you have a fast let down. My daughter never fed for more than 10-15 minutes, except when she had a growth spurt. I remember having all the same worries about her not getting enough and scouring the internet for information.

I found it took a while for me to get used to the fact that she new what she was doing and so did my body. But the clue is lots of nappies and weight gain. Some people say a contented baby is also a sign.....but I didn't have one of those babies ;-).

She's still a snacker at 2. Doesn't eat big meals but likes to graze away during the day.