soooooo how do i get her to eat more at one feeding?

[anielasmommy]

so i built my supply up recently, but she isnt eating more so i have to pump after i feed her and i get like an oz. she only eats like 3oz a feed and shes 3mo so we have two feeds at night which i would like to get rid of if i can. she doesnt eat enough during the day clearly and its the same even if i cluster feed her in the pm....sooooo how do i get her to eat more during the day if she doesnt want more? do i just wait until she decides?

[~ Vik ~]

Hi!

Unfortunately, there really is no way to get them to take more per feed if they're not interested!  If I remember correctly from your other thread, she was losing weight and you were trying to feed more frequently, is that right?  Could you post your current routine, with any extra feeds?  I also posted some supply boosting ideas on your other thread, have you checked it out?

It is very normal to still be doing night feeds at 3mo.  Have you seen http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=98183.0 ?  There's some reassuring information in there. 

Big (((hugs))), there's lots of experienced moms on here; we'll help you sort this out

[anielasmommy]

yeah we did have trouble my supply decreased b/c she got sick and still is sick after her 2month vaccines...but i built it back up and she gained weight but shes still not fully emptying my breasts, i dont want to loose the milk so i keep pumping lol. i did check out the other thread thank you. i dont really have an issue with her night feeds just though if i could get rid of them id try to lol
she eats at 7,10,1,4,5:30,7 df at 10   she usually wakes around 1 to eat and at 5.

i cant seem to stay awake during her night feeds and literally almost dropped her once so unfortunately i have taken to her nursing in my bed lying down....so at 1am shes usually sleeping with me till 7...but i have noticed the past few days when i feed her at 5 and i wake up at 7 shes still on the breast! so we have a new problem lol

[A pair of Charlies]

I think 2 night feeds for this age is pretty fair. She's still so young. And night feeds are hard. So if it helps, we've all BTDT and made it through - you will too.    I found a nap a day helped me through it.

As Vikki posted, if you could jot down your EASY there might be some tweaks we could spot that might help.

Well done on getting your supply up. Let's take a look at your EASY and see, eh?

Charlotte

[anielasmommy]

our day goes like this for the most part lol

7am e
7:30 A
8:00-8:15 S (whenever shes ready)
we have been having a lil nap issues but we try to make it to the next feed napping
10 E
11:30 S
1 E
1:30 A
2:30 S
4E
4:30A
5:30 E (ya i know she shouldnt be cluster feeding but shes cranky in the evening and shes spirited so its better this way for her because she stays relaxed)
5:30- 6:10ish catnap
7 E then right to bed

[AndyMummy]

I look forward to following this thread as I am also wondering how to get my 12 wk old DD to take more at each feed.  She only feeds (gulping!) for about 5 minutes each time, as compared to my DS who would take 30 minutes often at this age.

[A pair of Charlies]

Your EASY looks pretty perfect to me!! And I wouldn't worry about clusterfeeding in the evening, if it's working for you - I did it and it helped me tank DS up for the night. 

AndyMummy: some babes are super efficient feeders. If they are putting on weight, plenty of wet and pooey nappies and seem content between feeds then I'd put it down to efficient feeding. This might help: http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=65904.0

HTH

Charlotte

[FairyElephant]

Hello

Just a thought, you said you have built your supply back up after a sickness, I take it this is with pumping etc?

I got it into my head that DS was not eating enough (feeding time also dropped from 40 mins to 5 mins on each side), so I tried fenugreek and extra pumping after feeding (the usual stuff!!) I then found that DS was not emptying my breast and I felt fuller and uncomfortable, I continued pumping and giving him the expressed stuff.

Eventually I came to the conclusion that I was messing with nature, DS was taking what he needed, I was now producing more milk due to the expressing, the composition of the milk is going to change, he was not reaching the hind milk, leaving me feeling full and he was more unsettled.

I wanted to produce more milk so he would eat more, therefore sleep better (had the dreaded 40 min naps and frequent night waking), and for him to be more contented, it didn't work! They only take what they need from the breast. I decided to stop pumping extra etc and let him take what he needs. I feel better in myself, I am worrying less, he now finishes what is on the breast, also he has started sleeping better and being more contented naturally.

Sorry for rambling on, but I think we are trying too hard and also trying to fix things which aren't actually broke. I made another problem for myself by giving him the extra expressed stuff in a bottle he prefers the bottle to the breast. Have to be careful to limit the number of bottles he has!!

Have faith in your body to know what it's doing, also know that the baby will take what it needs, let nature take it's course.

Ren

PS my DS is now just over 4 months.

[anielasmommy]

i had to build my supply because it was wicked low and she still wasnt eating good i didnt build it to try to get her to eat more but thanks for the advice. I totally agree with you I was jw if anyone had any ideas b/c Tracy makes it all seem so easy and flawless lol im like right according to the book she should be sleeping like 6hrs straight and then im going to feed her every 4 hrs and thats not enough milk according to my pedi. she said she needs to eat a minimum of 6 times a day! sooooooooo idk how i would feed her 4 times then a DF makes 5 still not enough so you are garunteed a wake up no? idk its a lil confusing sometimes. we are working on 3.5hr easy now she never seems hungry! she never cries to eat i always just offer it and she doesnt refuse but a lot of times she will just have a little it seems b/c shes still not eating great...but she has gained weight but thats because I cluster feed her and what not. well things are much better than they were but her aunt came over for x mas with a cold (unbenounced to me) and what do you know my LO is wicked sick coughing congestion the works. i was hovering over her all night one of the days b/c i was so scared she was going to die from not being able to breathe. so shes sick again im feeding her like every 2 hours but if shes sleeping i dont wake her hopefully that will keep my supply up this time. thanks for all the advice guys!

[A pair of Charlies]

Hope she gets better soon      It is so hard when they are little and poorly - DS was rarely ill until about 7 months old when he got an endless stream of colds for 6 months. And it is so hard not too worrry!! 

I found putting the cot at an incline helped. Feeding often (keeping their liquids up as they needs loads with a cold) and lots of comfort. I use Karvol capsules or the plug in (at this age I plugged it in in another room so it wasn't too strong for DS!) and it helped him to breathe better at night. Another tip I only learnt recently was to take supplements suitable for pregnant / BFg mothers so that your immune system packs a bigger punch. Omega 3 is also important if you're a slim build (so I was recently told).

Hope you get some rest.

As for following the book - it is hard. Babes are all different and while Tracey gave us information on how to tackle the issues thrown as us, it isn't a manual. It is Baby Whispering - so take the guide and apply it while listening, observing and watching what she's telling you. Trouble shoot with us here - if something doesn't work, we can try and work out something else. My DS didn't fit the A times for a long long time - he always needed less because that's just how he was. But he was also a very active and alert baby compared to others of his age, so perhaps why so tired so quickly. Babes don't all have tummies the same size, or want to be as full as another baby, and mothers don't all produce exactly the same amount of milk, with the same calories etc. It all varies. So we all take the guide and tweak our way there. Lots of Mamas aren't on 4EASY for BF E until babes are 6 months old  while others are eating every 4 hours before they are 4 months old. Some don't really give clear cues because they are just so content that it will all come, some scream a lot. Varies. 

You're doing a great job 

[anielasmommy]

thanks for the tips and the support! so you think i should take like sudafed? when i was pregnant they said sudafed and benadryl and i think thats it...im certainly not a slim build yet lol i gained 90lbs!!!! dear god but i quit smoking and drinking---started actually eating (was going through some hard times but the second i found out i was pregnant i stopped, thank goodness i found out when i was only 2 weeks) and got laid off so the weight piled on lol but i have been taking dha supplements since i was pregnant too. my LO is also very active and alert, but if i try to put her to nap 1 min early she flips out. all day she has put herself on 2hr A time and i keep trying to put her at 1:30-45 and she wont sleep. maybe we need to start 4hr eaeas idk we will see!

[A pair of Charlies]

I'd check with a pharmacist or your doc first. For colds etc I can only take paracetemol and babies cough syrup, so they told me. I get by, but haven't successfully shaken off a cold or cough for months now. One fades and another starts. The worst was flu on the back of an evil cold.

Anyhooo, I would check. They look it up in their magic book and can see how much comes through in BM.

HTH

Charlotte

[anielasmommy]

uh oh i didnt know that i took sudafed when i had a cold b/c i could take it when i was pregnant thanks for the tip i will have to find out now