Sorry I have posted about my breastfeeding adventure with my 2 month 20 days old baby but I am really puzzled.
I have been stressing out if my acid reflux baby is getting enough breast milk. He is exclusively breastfed. Some times he drinks for 8 minutes 1 breast and stop, refuse to drink more, and I have a scale there are times he drinks 1-3 oz per feed (my weak side holds maybe 3.5 oz max at engorgement, my "good" side maybe 4-6 oz). When you think he'd had enough, some times when you force to push his head to my breast even if he's crying and all, he would latch on and drink for 10 more minutes!
Then, like tonight on the last feed, he acted like he hadn't eaten for years and drank with his hands clawing on my breasts. He actively sucked for the first 9 minutes, then he unlatched but he was still clawing my breasts as if he wanted more. I thought it was acid so I burped him and offered my 2nd breast. He would latch on like a hungry baby but then spit it out. This happens a couple of times and then he cried frantically. I burped him for 15 minutes and he still cries and I got some burps. He would still "act hungry" as he was alert and jumpy and all, he sucks on my finger, and his fists in his mouth (but he sucks his fists all the time now). But whenever I offer to feed him, he just cries. No position works (I tried to sit him up, or have him on top of me, he just cries as soon as he feels the proximity of the nipple next to his face). Today I asked my husband to warm up an oz of expressed milk and see if he'd take it. He took the bottle at first but then he sucked a bit and milk just drooled out of his chin. He just wasn't drinking. Yet he still "look" hungry. Then I put him down to sleep and he slept (well he woke up a few times crying but I gave him a pacifier and he calmed down).
To be honest even though I wasted my express milk but I felt better knowing he didn't take the bottle either... so it may not mean that he was hungry.
More information: He has 1 pretty messy poopy diaper everyday on average, he may skip a day occasionally.. so far it happened maybe 2-3 times. He also has enough wet diapers. For the past week (7-8 days), he may have gained 4 oz if I haven't measured wrong. He also always take my breasts after 1+ hours of not eating. Just that he may not last very long on it.
His birth weight was 7 lb 10 oz, and as of today he is 14 lb. I have to mention though he has been acting like a very good breastfeeding baby up until maybe the past 2 weeks, so his growth rate might have slowed. I have no idea.
At 2.5-3 months, they said fist in mouth doesn't mean hunger anymore - it is just an exploration of his hands and/or a way to self sooth. My husband says rooting doesn't mean hunger too at his age, as sometimes he roots to / sucks my finger but won't take my breasts, or bottle.
So how do you tell if your baby is still hungry at this age? It is seriously driving me crazy as I wasn't sure if it was me that my supply went down, or if he really isn't getting enough milk, or acid reflux, or what is the deal here.
I will see our pediatrician and call a lactation consultant. I even think I need to see a shrink because of this. Can anyone shed some light?