Breastfeeding supply, night wakings, solids and stress!

[carly-g]

Hi ladies,

Jack is almost 8 months old, and is waking at night to feed anywhere between 2 and 4:30.  He is breast fed, but I do give him formula a couple times a week when I am away.  (Not much luck with pumping, I have a medela pump, but still can only get 1-2 oz).  He is getting solids 3 times a day between 3-5 ounces.  My breasts NEVER feel full, and I am worried that my supply is too low to allow him to STTN.  Because pumping doesn't really work for me, I have been bringing him to the breast 5-7 times during the day to try to jump start my supply, as well as eating tons of oatmeal and water.  I've tried herbs, but they make Jack and I both gassy and give us loose stools (too much info, I know!)  Jack is having wet and dirty diapers, but a girlfriend has a daughter the same age who is EBF, and her wet diapers are significantly fuller.  I would like to make it to a year, but am afraid that he needs more than I have to offer. 

Oh- he weighs 19lbs3, and was 9lbs13 at birth.  We had all had a stomach bug last month, and he lost some weight (down to 18lbs8), but he weighed 18lbs12 at his 6 month visit.  I thought he was supposed to be 2.5 times his birth weight by 8 months?!?!?

I hope this made sense, I feel like I rambled a bit!

TIA,
Carly

[woopster]

Your breasts are adjusting to your son's needs. They won't feel as full as they did when he was a newborn or going through a growth spurt.
I bet your supply is fine.  Just keep doing what you're doing.

As for his weight, is he crawling, more active?  Those birth weight guides are just that - guides. Don't get me started on weight issues! 

[First Time Mom]

I bf my dd for 18 months, she ALWAYS had a weight gain issue and I worried about supply every time she fussed, didn't gain much, or woke in the night. I was never able to pump or express but I think it was a mental block that prevented me from being able to. I never felt full, especially after 6 months of bfing, with the exception of when we'd drop a feed.

Is you doctor concerned about his weight gain? Is he having enough wet diapers? You can't accurately compare to another lo's wet diaper as you don't know if the other lo was changed for each pee or if the diaper is holding 2 pees.

Just make sure you're offering the breast before the solids so he fills up on bm first, and you're doing exactly what I did during growth spurts or when I was concerned about supply by offering the breast extra in the day to increase supply. When he feeds does it seem like he's satisfied and takes a full feed or does he always fuss or refuse the breast? If you've gone this long I doubt you'll have problems going to 12 months, just make sure he's getting the bm before the solids and that you don't increase the solids too much or too fast.

[carly-g]

Thanks for the responses.  My doctor said he weight gains was a little low, but still alright.  DH and I are both tall, and fairly solid, so I feel like he is small for his genes. 

SInce birth, he has always been a finicky breast feeder- bobbing on and off the breast, never continuously feeding for more than 3 minutes.  In the early months, I could pump 4-6 ounces additional to bfing 2 times a day, but now, I can barely get a half ounce. 

Today I gave him 2 bottles instead of the breast, and tried to pump, still only half an ounce. 

Are my breast feeding days over???

[woopster]

As he gets older he will feed quicker so your breasts will empty quicker. I think it takes 5-7 mins for an efficient baby to empty a breast.

A pump will never get as much from the breast as a baby does - they don't work the same way.

You risk decreasing your supply every time you give him a bottle. If you don't breast feed him your breasts will adjust accordingly and 'drop a feed'. Then you end up in a vicious circle cos you don't think he's getting enough and add another bottle in and your breasts readjust.

How often does he breast feed during the day?

[rinajack]

Not being able to pump is NOT a reliable indication of your supply, you may not have even managed a let down with the pump, especially if you are stressed about it.

Also, your lo may not necessarily end up being as big as you and your DH, that is also not a reliable indication.

[First Time Mom]

I agree with both pps, every time you offer a bottle you are sending a signal to your breasts that the breast milk is not needed. The odd bottle during the week when you are out shouldn't impact your supply but if you start adding additional bottles you will (like the 2 you mentioned in one day) if you are not pumping extra during that day to stimulate your supply.

You need to decide how much longer you want to bf for, if you want to stop and switch to bottles be ok with that and know that you've given your ds a fantastic start in life, if you want to continue bfing longer you need to refrain from giving the bottles when you are around. I would continue to offer the breast, doing so will increase your supply. Again, make sure you are offering the breast before the solids too. How often is he bfing? If he is only bfing 3 minutes and bobbing off in total and it's frequently it may not be enough to drain your breasts and send the signal to make more. Are you offering both sides at each feed or single side feeding?