How do yall top off feed?

[FPT23]

I was curious! ...at moments when baby short naps and isn't quite hungry for another feed, but by the next PD (nap) it is almost time to eat...

If I do a top off feed, how do I keep it from interfering with a full feed upon next waking? We've been short napping galore around here and so I do not want to create short feeds or snack feeds round the clock.

Do you offer only one breast at the top off feed? Or do they even take a top off feed? I feel I'm throwing the routine off. As he continues to short nap then the pattern continues and he basically won't EAS.... He's would be doing, AES.

I feel I would need to do a top off feed in hopes that he won't wake from hunger and short nap (even though he already does but in hopes that he doesn't )

Xo

[*Ali*]

Can you post the routine you're doing now and we can see how you might tweak the feeds?

How old is LO now?

[FPT23]

Our EASY has been super off as he's been ill :-/

He's 11 weeks ..almost 3 months.

[FPT23]

Monday 4/25

WU: 5:45am, feed, wouldn't settle... Slept in bed with me on and off until 7:40am

E 7:40am (barely took any- happy baby)
A fussy around 8:30 mark- took brother to school
S (little top off feed at home.Took 10 mins to settle; held to sleep as usual since 9:25am) 9:45am-10:04am

E
A
S PD 10:30am (resettled)

E 11:10
A (tired signs around 11:30/40 but generally happy)
S CNs in the car from 12-1ish (in & out)

E 1:45 (fell asleep a few mins)
A
S (2:50pm took 5 mins to settle; held to sleep) PD 3:05pm

E 3:45 pm
A
S 5:10-5:45 pm (on me)

E 5:55 pm
A
S ...would not settle to sleep anymore for anymore naps but went down at 8pm after 1 wake... Had to wake at 9 to feed and move back to our room

BT: PD at 9:40pm

Tuesday 4/26

WU: 5:45 (fed resettled in swing)

E 7:15
A fussy by 8am
S (wind down 8:15) PD 8:40am - 9:15am
...almost resettled but woke. After 20 mins stopped. Had toddler downstairs to get ready for school.

E 10:00am
A left for small errands and drop off. Did not sleep much if at all. Crying
S (wind down 11:45pm) PD 12:00pm but woke 10 mins later. Resettled and left at 12:25 (paci insert, head rub)

E 1:10 pm
A
S (wouldn't sleep)

E 3:00
A
S (car ride 3:30-3:50)

E
A
S CNs at Drs office on me

E
A
S (car ride dozed off in and out)

E 5:30
A
S 6:30 or so

E 8:10
A
S 9:30 BT

Wed 4/27

WU: 7:00am

E 7:00 am
A (1.5) wind down 8:20
S 8:30-9:30 am (pooped)

E 10:00
A (1) wind down 10:20
S 10:35 - 11:30

E 12:15
A (1hr 20)
S 12:55 - 2:00

E 2:00
A
S 3:30 (Drs appt in car)

E 4:30 pm
A
S 5ish- 6:45

E 7:00
A
BT 8:30

4/28

WU 7:45?

E 8
A
S 9:00-9:55

E 10:15 (top off)
A
S 11 (woke PD 11:25) - 11:50am

E 12
A
S 1:10 (PD 1:30) woke 2pm resettled (PD 2:15)

5/1 (Sunday)

WU: 7:40 (I woke him up)

E 7:40am
A
S 8:45-9:15am (could not resettle)

A 9:30-10:00am (miserable)
E 10:00am (top off feed)
S 10:30-11:00am (no resettle)

E 12:30
A
S (car ride- out) 2hrs

E 3:30
A
S 4:30-5

E 5
A
S 6-6:30 (resettled) 7:00

E
A
S BT 8:30

5/2 Monday (sick w/ a cold)

E 7:00
A
S 8-8:45 (resettled) 10am

E 10:15
A
S car ride dropped off brother 11:30 (in n out of sleep)

E 12:30
S 12:50 -1:15 (resettled)
...1:45

E 2:00
A
S Drs appt slept in car 2:30-3:00

E 4:00
A
S car ride home stayed asleep in car seat

E 6:15
A
S wouldn't settle...

BT 8:30




Hope this makes sense as it's been what I've tracked.

[*Ali*]

So sorry I haven't replied. I've been a bit patchy on here and kept saying I would reply when I could sit down on the laptop but that hasn't happened. 

I think your routine is ok really. You're doing EAS mostly it's just that the cycles are shorter due to short A times and short naps. I think if you can work on extending those gradually then it won't be like topping up really.

Top ups to me are more when you're feeding a couple of times in each A time, in which case you just need to do so before they get too tired if you want to avoid a feed to sleep prop.

Most of this will change with age. And may even have done so already as I've taken so long to reply!

[FPT23]

Haha hello Ally! No worries! Any reply I can get!

In that case I wasn't topping off then, and I guess haven't needed to. But yes, sometimes EAS is not like that due to A times and short naps.. Which I'm battling with! Can't go beyond the 45 mark no matter the A time! I have one occasional long nap which "sometimes" is the second nap of the day/lunch but prb out of really bad OT as I can't normally resettle in the mornings due to school runs w the little one etc, and then by the time I'm back, I will nap him. Bc of this he tends to be very moody the rest of his day.

But, feeding continues to confuse me... I don't want to stop but may consider it if he's still super low percentile at his 4 mth check up. He still continues to cry after every single feed. And it's getting very exhausting seeing him so unhappy after each meal. I'm not sure if he just wants to stay and suck all day, but his stools are fine, he's gassy from time to time but nothing out of this world and I'm pretty certain he doesn't have reflux. I sit with him sometimes up to an hour or more still.... And he shouldn't be anymore I feel? Ugh, it's overwhelming to say the least. I've already known it's not my supply either- when I pump I make A LOT... I eat very healthy... Often! So let's just cross our fingers... He might just physically not be able to transfer what he needs.

Once I distract however he's fine and happy... If he was hungry he would cry more to tell me I'm sure and he still can do about 2.5-3 hrs between a feed? It's all so confusing w him and I've seen all the lactation consultants and visited all the offices I can at this point

:-/

Thanks for responding! any help is valuable

[weaver]

Hey hun, just want to offer a hug, and sorry you're feeling confused about bfing.

I know a lot of women struggle with the idea that their milk is somehow not enough/baby is not getting enough. This can be particularly the case if you FF before and are used to measuring amounts and knowing what's gone in there.  As you say yourself, he'd let you know if he was hungry.

I'm curious about him crying after feeds - does he have wind then? Do you offer both sides? I would routinely offer both sides if you can.  I'm sure LCs have said that to you.  If they didn't find anything wrong, then maybe there isn't anything to find    But if you are concerned that he's not latching properly, then get a recommendation and see someone else.

Bear in mind that it is possible that he's just a small person he will grow when he's ready, I wouldn't get too hung up on centiles as long as he is healthy, making wet and dirty nappies, and doing everything else he needs to.   Weight gain patterns are different in BF babies too, have a look here, but again bear in mind that these are statistics and you need to look at your own baby to see how he really is doing.  I'm small, so my babies were small too
http://kellymom.com/health/growth/growthcharts/

[FPT23]

Thank you for the support and hugs Weaver 

I breastfed my first son too but we never had problems. He was a natural but yes I gave formula before the year. It's a lot easier knowing as you said.

Recently, he got a tummy bug and was pooping 10+ times a day. He was betting dehydrated and being so tiny and at the time just 8 weeks old, his dr didn't/couldn't put him on meds. He said had it been 6 months they do have meds that "plug them up" ...our goal was to stop the excessive runny stools. Or "plug him up" as the dr said, so he wouldn't continue to dehydrate and then it could get worse; especially so little it's very dangerous. He told me to do formula for 24 hours (and pump to keep up supply) b/c formula they strain more and it would thicken his stools, where as breast milk it's normally more stools/softer. I'll be completely honest, giving him formula those 24 hour.... I have never seen him so content and calmer for that matter. (Until the next day when the affects of the formula hit him. Colic symptoms and pain cries all day and then subsided by that evening/next day since I had resumed breast) ......

So as you can see why I suspect it's me. But when I was pumping that day I was pumping a total (both breasts from dial electric pump) of 4+ oz and we know the pump never gets everything nor does it signify how much milk supply I have. I thought that was decent?! I do offer both always. As far as wind, he doesn't burp much at all but I do find he's gassy but not always? He's "normal" Or typical, for gas/reflux etc. it's never been excessive.

In the afternoons when our supply is less it's worse. I've always wondered if he's just comfortable... But he gets himself off! I don't ever take him off- only time is when I switch breasts to wake him if he fell asleep. I eat healthy so I just don't understand. Once I distract him, then he's ok?

But it's really really bothering me at this point 

[*Ali*]

Does he cry after a feed if you pump and bottle feed him that expressed milk?

He could just be OT with all the CNs. Do you have a baby carrier he can hang out in after a feed?

Have you ever tried wake to sleep for the 45 minute naps?

[FPT23]

No he doesn't cry w/ bottles but it could be because he's getting enough? Kwim?

I'm scared to do w2s haha!! I've considered it

[*Ali*]

So you think the milk is there but he is having trouble transferring it? Has he been checked for tongue tie by a qualified person who's felt inside his mouth?

[FPT23]

Yes he wouldn't transfer. I sat in a session where I fed for.ev.er and then they would weigh him after to see ho much he was transferring and he wasn't well. But that was at like 1 month of age.

They said yes he has TT but his dr said it wasn't "bad" and it shouldn't affect him. Then another consultant later (more recent) said it was ok and latch and all was good. So I'm really not ever or have ever been sure.

But he seemed to have turned a corner and is getting better. Maybe bc he's spacing out feeds now as he's getting older. I'll see at 4 months how his weight continues

[*Ali*]

FX the weight continues going up well.

If not I'd definitely look into the TT some more.