need help with my 9 month old

[MommyN]

For the past 2-3 months my DS has been very difficult to nurse. He gets impatient and distracted and pushes me away. (I had a thread on this a while back.) I would feed him in a dark quiet room etc. It would sometimes work and sometimes not. I tried to chill about it and gave him bottles when I needed to. I think that now he is more willing to nurse, but my problem, I believe, is that I did not pump when a BF session didn't work out and I am now my supply is inconsistent. Sometimes I'll nurse him and all is well and other times he'll try to nurse and come off screaming. Then he'll go back on and off and on and off... And then he'll guzzle down an entire bottle. I'm confused and frustrated and don't know what to do. A couple of days ago I decided that I'm just going to go to all bottles but now I'm not sure. Tonight's bedtime feed went well and I want to keep it. I've noticed that if I give him bottles for the two daytime feeds, my breasts feel full at bedtime and the feed goes well. The morning feed used to also be okay but now it's not. I want to work on increasing my supply in the morning, then give bottles for the next two feeds and nurse at bedtime. He's been waking at night screaming and screaming and only goes back to sleep after a full feed. I think he is very hungry and just not eating well.  Any advice?

Sorry for rambling, I'm just so lost and so sleep deprived.

[MasynSpencerElliotte]

Hi there...sorry your post got missed. Is it going any better now? Do you think the nw's were down to not getting enough in the day or maybe growth spurt?  What time is he feeding in the night?

[MommyN]

Hi, thanks.

My supply is definitely getting better! We had two good feeds today. I think the night wakes were because he was not eating enough during the day. I've been working on making sure that he gets enough during the day, so that when he wakes at night I can resettle him in other ways and not be nervous that he's really hungry. I was still doing a DF. I nurse him in the morning when he's still sleepy (major improvement over there! He nursed for a solid 8-10 minutes at 6:30 this morning) and give bottles after his naps. I nurse him at BT and top up with a bottle so that I know for sure that he doesn't need to eat at night. Two nights ago he only took 3 oz at the DF, so last night I skipped it and he slept through for the first time with only one nw at 3! I kept shshing him in his crib and he eventually fell back asleep till 6:30. We'll see how the night goes. He ate well today.

He often only takes around 4 oz during his 2 after nap feeds. Is that enough for a small 9 month old (8.3 kilo)? He takes more at BT. He'll  nurse and then take 4-6oz.

[weaver]

Sounds good. One easy way to boost supply is to eat oats!

[MommyN]

Today is the third day since I completely stopped feeding him at night. He STTN last night for the first time ever!! 6:50-5:50! not one wake in between! I'm not sure if I did the right thing this morning when he woke at 5:50. I nursed him and he went back to sleep till 7:30. Should I have tried to encourage him to get back to sleep without nursing so that he would nurse when he woke for the day?
He's also eating so much better during the day! He nursed nicely when he woke at 5:50, had a solids breakfast, finished a 6 oz. bottle at 10 and just had avocado, half a yogurt and some banana. That is loads for him! I am so relieved  !!!

[MasynSpencerElliotte]

It is really up to you whether to feed at that early wake - I did in the earlier days with my kids to get them back to sleep! But eventually you may find it turns into a habit rather than about the feed itself.

[MommyN]

Thanks. Today he didn't feed till 7. I think I spoke to early - the past two nights were really bad in terms of NWs.

[MasynSpencerElliotte]

How has it been since?

[MommyN]

Hi, thanks for asking! He cut his first tooth yesterday, so I'm guessing that was the cause of the more recent NWs. The breast feeding is going okay enough, not great. He usually nurses at around 6 am and before bed. If it works out I try during the day too. I always top him up with a bottle to make sure he's full before bed.

[MasynSpencerElliotte]

Aw yeah teeth throw a wrench in things don't they! Must say of all things I am excited that my last lo is almost done teething her 2 year molars!

[Kimberlina]

Hi! Just coming by with some support and {HUGS}

Glad to see he has started to STTN! That's wonderful!   And a big well done for making it this far with BF - it can be really tough.

My DS2 was SO easily distractable from about 6-9 months. So much to see! I saw that you were feeding in a dark room, etc. But I'm just wondering whenabouts you do it? Like, right after he wakes? Or has he been awake a while? I found the most success if I went in straight when he woke up and kept the room quiet and dark and my voice calm and quiet. That helped us a lot.

Hooray for the first tooth! They are so hard won!

[MommyN]

Thanks for the support ladies!!

I saw that you were feeding in a dark room, etc. But I'm just wondering whenabouts you do it? Like, right after he wakes? Or has he been awake a while? I found the most success if I went in straight when he woke up and kept the room quiet and dark and my voice calm and quiet. That helped us a lot.

About the same time our BF troubles started we were dealing with short naps and adjusting routine, so he wasn't always ready to eat right after he woke up. I fed him as soon as he woke as much as possible. Now I feed him as soon as he wakes in the morning when he's still very sleepy and before bed. The morning is our best feed. I usually give him bottles for the two day feeds.

[Kimberlina]

Sounds good! Keep it up!