Feeding her more than milk?

[cbell]

My LO will be 4 months this week and I am contemplating giving her something more than milk. Someone had mentioned giving her rice stuff in her milk (pablum?) Anyways the reason I am considering this is I really don't feel she is satisfied any longer with my milk. I have tried lots of things to stimulate my milk, frequent feeds, pumping in between etc but she gets a bit cranky when she drains them. She does have wet diapers and is gaining weight but its almost like she needs a "filler" to keep her satisfied. And I have recently deducted that might be the reason she cries when going down for naps... is that she is still hungry and tired at the same time.

I know there are risks such as food allergies but do you think it is worth a try to give her a teaspoon now and then?

[tylersmommy]

If you're breastfeeding exclusively, you might want to take a look at this to get some more info.

From birth until somewhere between four and six months of age, babies have what is often referred to as an "open gut." This means that the spaces between the cells of the small intestines will allow large molecules to pass directly into the baby's bloodstream.
This is great for your breastfed baby as it allows beneficial antibodies in breastmilk to pass more directly into baby's blood. It also means that large proteins from other foods (which may predispose baby to allergies) and disease-causing pathogens can pass right through, too.
 During baby's first 4-6 months, while the gut is still "open," antibodies from breastmilk coat baby's gut reducing the likelihood of illness and allergic reactions before gut closure occurs.  Adding substances other than breastmilk changes the environment in the baby's digestive tract (Ph levels and bacterial flora) which makes it harder for the protective layer to operate . Babies start producing these antibodies on their own at around 6 months, and gut closure should have occurred by this time also.
If breast milk were again given exclusively, it would take 2-4 weeks for the intestinal environment to return again to its protective state.

https://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=68263.0

Also keep in mind that 4 mo is a tough age for both sleep and feeding. There's often a growth spurt around this time and formerly great sleeper can start changing things up quite a bit. How long has she been unsettled at naptime? Have you tried adjusting her A times?

[cbell]

Well she has been unsettled for nap times for about 3 months now. She takes these 45 min naps and around 4 a day. And each time is such a chore to get her down. I usually start her wind down by sitting in a rocking chair with her facing out so she can see stuff. This was working but lately it doesn't seem to have the same effect. Today for example I turned on the TV and she drifted off no problem. Before I didn't need the TV and she would just cry and cry. I know she is tired because she starts to get fussy and a few yawns make an appearance. Sigh.... she has been crying after her feeds too which I suspect is a growth spurt and she isn't getting enough. She is a big baby too for 4 months old. She weighs about 15lbs. So I don't know.... I starting topping her up with a bottle (2oz extra) and that seems to help some. I do make sure that she is draining both breasts. Its just that once the milk flow slows down, she stops sucking therefore not stimulating milk production. The manual pump can only do so much I guess.

[Samuel's mum]

I am really not sure about your reasons for starting solids and as you can see from previous posters it may not be the best thing for your baby. I would urge you to try and come at your situation from a different angle.

At such a young age starting solids will not provide many additional calories and is really about first tastes and experiences (assuming you were to ignore the advice about delaying if you are exclusively breastfeeding). Breastmilk has far more calories per oz than first baby foods and breastmilk remains the primary form of nutrition and source of calories until at least 8 months, some say a year.

Let's imagine you did get something in her and 'fill' her for a moment - you would potentially be taking away her demand for breastmilk which could have further consequences for her demand on your milk and your supply situation would deteriorate further - not to mention the fact she may not yet possess the enzymes to digest the food you are giving her satisfactorily and she may not be able to absorb the modest calories anyway.

I know I'm coming off like a nagging big sister here but I would feel awful if you made a choice that not only risked your ability to breastfeed but might cause your baby problems.

It could well be your baby seems more 'hungry' because she is going through a growth spurt. In which case more frequent feeding may be needed in order to build up your milk supply to meet her needs. You could consider offering her the first breast again when she has finished as she will get another letdown and another mini-feed that is very rich in hindmilk and will help to stimulate your supply. You could also consider pumping at the end of feeds to help increase your supply - although baby does it best if she's content to stay at the breast.

This is also a common time for teething issues to start so if she seems unsettled it could be due to that.

If you genuinely suspect supply problems then do get help and contact a lacation consultant or free helpline - there are numbers on the bf FAQ board. I really would urge to reconsider solids at this point (putting aside all the reasons why waiting is recommended). I honestly don't think it would solve your problem. You could potentially get less calories in her, affect your supply more negatively, and potentially disrupt her sleep further if she is having any issues digesting the solids (which is more likely at a young age). In my case I found sleep got worse for a bit when solids were introduced.

Have a look at the readiness for solids signs which are described on the solids board. There are various developmental indicators. What you've described doesn't sound like your baby indicating readiness.

I hope you don't mind my directness but I really don't want you to make an error that can't be unfixed