eating less often?

[tinytoes]

since i stopped giving teddy so much pumped milk and am breast feeding (direct) more he seems to sleep more and eat less often. He's also been sick more.

I give him 50ml in a bottle and then offer him the breast for as long as he likes - usually about 10 minutes before he dozes off.

I think he's drinking lots but I find it very unsettling not knowing how much he's actually drinking..

I'm trying to wait until he wants to be fed rather than waking him..but what if he is lazy and ends up losing weight just because he oversleeps? He was underweight to start you see - he lost a bit much weight after birth but he's great right now. he was 3 kilo at birth. is 3.6 now, having dropped to 2.6 after birth.

So he's now going about 4 hours between feeds during the day...he just sleeps and sleeps!. When I gave him more expressed milk it was 70ml every 2 hours during the day...what should I do?

Does the fact he's been sick (Was hardly ever before) mean he's getting enough?....
Should I wake him more often?

thanks for your thoughts.
..
from an overly worrying first time mmmy xx

 

[clairebear]

i feed on demand when ever jack wants for as long as he wants and he is doin just fine. if ur worried speak to ur HV xx

if not im sure marg will have some advice the bobby queen xx

 

[tinytoes]

i feed on demand when ever jack wants for as long as he wants and he is doin just fine. if ur worried speak to ur HV xx

if not im sure marg will have some advice the bobby queen xx

and how often does he usually feed?

 

[Margerle]

First of all to first time mama... That's a tough job!

As far as not knowing how much he's drinking, bf mommies just learn how to measure that in ways other than oz. If he's satisfied looking, his eyes are clear and bright, he's making a good number of diapers, etc. He's getting enough to eat. A baby that age is getting quite adept at pulling milk off the breast.

I'm not sure how you're timing the bottle and breast feeding, but if you're giving a bottle, then a 'fresh' breast, he's probably only getting the foremilk and not nearly enough of the fatty hindmilk which will allow him to put on the pounds. I'd probably feed him opposite of what you are now, give him an entire breast FIRST, then top him off with a bottle. You know how much you can get from a breast via pumping no? That would give you a bit more control over your measure via ounces. If he takes a whole breast, an wants 10 more mls, then you know he had 80 mls... or whatever. The idea though is, to make sure he's getting the back of the feed as much as possible.

Again, try not to be unsettled, just look for different markers (than ounces) of him being satisfied, and getting enough.

There are only a few thigns that trigger a baby - his HUNGER and THIRST (diaper and sleep and LOVE being the others). So if hes' sleeping a lot, he must need it. Don't deprive him of his sleep to feed him... he'll be up and crying for food when he wants. He may have a bit of a weight loss as he adjusts to the new way of feeding, DON"T WORRY! Give him a week or two and he'll bounce back.

Our babies are built with biological triggers that tell them when they want or need something, then they communicate that with their caregiver... us I wouldn't wake baby if he wasn't ready to be wakened. In fact, I'd nap with him...

I have found with my LO that she has a massive sleep right before and right after she goes through a big growth spurt. Three or four days of good long sleep, 3 or four days of hell raising and three or so more days of rest.

Sharlotte sleeps 3-4 hours between feeds and is taking about 150ml per feed at this point. A month ago, she was sleepign the same and taking 50-80 mls at a feed. I know this because of the one or two times she's fed expressed bm via bottle. So it sounds like you're right on track.

What do you mean he get's sick? Throwing up? Very ill and upset because of trapped gas?

 

[tinytoes]

What do you mean he get's sick? Throwing up? Very ill and upset because of trapped gas?

no, i mean, he has vomited a few times - brought back up milk.

Today I've not had time to pump (and to be honest its beena real treat to not be pumping) so Teddy has been all on the breast. He seems satisified but the breast doesnt seem entirely empty. but then I was pumping up to 100 or 150ml frm that breast ata time - more than i expect he needs at a time.
A couple of times he's slipped off the boob and his mouth has been stuffed full of milk so I guess he's doing ok. Also he makes such loud gulping noises I worry he's choking. Then another time he slipped off and I literally sprayed is cheek! I guess I've enough milk!!

Thanks for your advice. I'm letting him decide when he wants to eat now.
And even in teh ast 24 hours his technique has got sooo much better. And its hurting me less.


What a clever little man!

 

[Margerle]

What do you mean he get's sick? Throwing up? Very ill and upset because of trapped gas?

no, i mean, he has vomited a few times - brought back up milk.

I see. Sharlotte does that too when she's got trapped air. It's kinda easy for new babies to get that especially considering the description below. It sounds like you have overactive or very active letdown. I have that too, and it's just too much sometimes for LO to keep up with. She ends up gulping in a lot of air (she does it when she's very hungry too). So I have to burp her quite a lot during these times, or give her some infant gas meds.

Your LO is learning how to pull milk off the breast and might still be a little inefficient at it, which causes him to get more air in there than he should.

Today I've not had time to pump (and to be honest its beena real treat to not be pumping) so Teddy has been all on the breast. He seems satisified but the breast doesnt seem entirely empty. but then I was pumping up to 100 or 150ml frm that breast ata time - more than i expect he needs at a time.

This is probably true at his age. That's about what my LO takes now and she's a month or so older than yours.

A couple of times he's slipped off the boob and his mouth has been stuffed full of milk so I guess he's doing ok. Also he makes such loud gulping noises I worry he's choking. Then another time he slipped off and I literally sprayed is cheek! I guess I've enough milk!!

I call those breastmilk facials.

Thanks for your advice. I'm letting him decide when he wants to eat now.
And even in teh ast 24 hours his technique has got sooo much better. And its hurting me less.


What a clever little man!

I'm so glad to hear things are going well. Congrats!