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Infant feeding

breastfeeding help!

8 replies

smirnoff861 · 13/09/2013 13:17

Hi
my DS is 15 weeks old end EBF. Recently he has been very distractable when feeding. He also pulls off and cries quite a lot when we start feeding and when I investigate further the milk shoots out quite far and fat during feeding before settling down! He is weighing well and doesn't often cry for a feed in the day, I look out for the signs etc. However, I don't think hr had been feeding properly recently and because of this has been up 3 or 4 times a night when it only used to be once or not at all. He seems to be teething so I don't know if im missing some hunger signs thinking it is teething eg fist chewing! If he is hewing his fist I offer him boobs but he doesn't always want them. DH and I are wondering if he will feed better from bottles either formula or expressed milk. might help with the teething if its something hard in the mouth? Im not sure?
Does anyone have any advice, experience or guidance? I don't want a hungry baby and am hoping to breastfeed foe a few more months but I don't want it to become stressful for either me or DS
Thanks x

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smirnoff861 · 13/09/2013 13:18

Sorry for the typos! Stupid phone!

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DuelingFanjo · 13/09/2013 13:22

I think it's probably a classic growth spurt where he will want to feed more frequently.

DS had times when he just wanted to feed more often (I breastfed too) and I just had to roll with it and keep telling myself 'this soon will pass' which it did but then usually happened again at the next spurt or during teething.

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tiktok · 13/09/2013 13:38

Smirnoff, many, *many, many babies go through temporary phases like this. So you may not need to do anything, and it will just go away by itself :)

You may well be right that's he's experiencing some new sensations with teething, but it is so normal for babies of around four months to wake up more in the night, it could just as easily be a behavioural development - a lot happens round this age and babies are sensitive and aware and may need extra soothing on extra occasions in the night. Chewing fists are not necessarily a sign of hunger at this age - babies explore with their mouths, gums, tongue and lips and it's about getting to know tastes and textures, rather than hunger.

The fact he is healthy and thriving indicates he is basically ok. He can be trusted to know when he needs to feed. I can't see any reason why expressing and bottle feeding would be anything other than a Huge Hassle for you.

The fast let down you say you observe may be a factor in his pulling off, but honestly, by 15 weeks he will be pretty capable of coping with this. My money would be on him pulling off because he is distractable and not entirely sure he wants to feed at that moment.

This may be just something you need to put up with for a week or so.

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smirnoff861 · 13/09/2013 17:53

Hi
Thank you both for your replies! Its reassuring to hear! Im sure this boy is aways having a growth spurt! I keep expecting to wake up and he's 6 foot tall haha! I guess I always doubtt im doing it right I because I don't know many mummies and the ones I do know all bottle fed and go on about how great their babies sleep! So its always tempting to change but I know many bottle fed babies don't sleep and many breast fed babie do!!thank you x

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kittencuddles · 14/09/2013 10:37

My 14 week old is the same! Have found she feeds better the moment she wakes up from a nap

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smirnoff861 · 15/09/2013 08:25

He's still waking up like 3 or 4 times a night but is only feeding for a few minutes. So I am thinking it may be a comfort thing rather than a feeding thing? DH said set night to start bottle feeding (all our friends with babies did bottle feeding and had wonderful sleepers!) I've said no but am wondering if a bottle before bed might make him sleep longer? So maybe start mix feeding? Has anyone done this with success? Or is it really just best to ride it out?

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tiktok · 15/09/2013 08:43

Yes, he may be feeding partially for comfort, but comfort is just as important as food for a small baby. Using formula at night is far less convenient than a bf of a few minutes....and at 15 weeks it is normal to wake up and normal to have a phase where there are more frequent night wakings. Then the phase ends.

Up to you - but seems to me you could be going from frying pan into fire :)

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smirnoff861 · 15/09/2013 08:58

Thanks for the reply!! I did say there was no way I was making up bottles in the night! Its just hard at 4am to remember this is normal, especially when all we hear are about these wonderful bottle fed sleepers!