My sweet DS is going to be 5 weeks tomorrow and we are having a difficult time EBF. He is constantly hungry, and it takes absolutely everything I have in me to keep him soothed between feedings and to try to make it to the 1.5 hour mark.
He will usually nurse for 25-45 minutes, then gets extremely frustrated at the breast and pulls off but continues to make hunger cues. If I put him back on, he falls asleep and barely suckles but if I take him off to put him down, he wakes and screams like he's starving.
We have started to give him one formula feed at bedtime to give me and my nipples a break, and when he's done with it he is so calm and blissed out -- nothing like how he is after a nursing session.
I'm doing everything I can think of to help my supply, thinking that must be the issues. Drinking 90-120oz of water a day, keeping my calories up, taking fenugreek. It's doesn't seem to be working 
Any advice? Something I haven't thought of doing? I'm going to stick it out until after he's 6 weeks, because I keep hearing that something magical happens around the time and things just click, but I'm not sure I'll be able to do this much longer than that. And that makes me so incredibly sad
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Can I ask why you are waiting 1.5 hours? And it may be a growth spurt. My LO nursed a ton at that stage, and for long periods of time. Unless your babe isn't gaining weight, or isn't producing enough dirt diapers, you probably have enough milk. It's pretty normal, but totally exhausting, for them to want to nurse a lot, especially in the evening, at that age. Kellymom has some good information about growth spurts and cluster feeding,
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Is there any chance you could organise a consult with an IBCLC to get LO's latch checked and some expert advice? How is your LO's latch? Can you hear swallowing and is your LO gaining weight and having plenty of wet and dirty diapers?
I know it's really tough but at this point in time your LO is still working on establishing your milk supply and being at the breast in your arms is his favourite place to be! And if latch is good, LO is gaining weight and output is good then I'd suggest that it could be a growth spurt and you just need to ride it out.
Hang in there mama, you're doing great!
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I can't really help with BF advice because I FF but what I will say is at 5 weeks my LO was eating a ridiculous amount of formula - way more than she is eating now at 3 months - and was still hungry constantly. I think it's pretty normal, however you choose to feed. There is usually a growth spurt around 6 weeks, too, so it's possible that this will continue a little longer but, again, it is completely normal.
Hugs.
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@Silva: I guess I'm trying to wait that time because I feel like I'm empty and need a little time to fill up the tanks? I would be happy (well, that's maybe an overstatement) to let him nurse sooner but he just seems to get so frustrated. If not for the fact that he's acting dissatisfied, I think I'd just deal with the frequency but I'm worried he's not getting enough. I definitely feed him sooner when he can't be soothed, though.
@Kemma: he's only having 1, maybe 2, dirty diapers per day. I feel like it should be more considering how much he eats. As of last week, he'd gained 1lb 3oz from his hospital discharge weight, and his ped is happy with everything so I'm grateful for that.
@Cherrybee: thank you for telling me that -- it makes me crazy not knowing how much he's getting and feeling like it must not be enough if he's so hungry. It's helpful to know that your LO went through a similar time, knowing how many ounces she actually was getting.Ugh am I just a wimp, then? It's really so much more about being worried he's getting enough, rather than not wanting to BF so often. Aside from the stress of wondering, I very much enjoy feeding him.
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@MamaMagpie: When you say he's only having 1-2 dirty diapers a day, do you mean bowel movements? How many wet diapers is he having? It's totally normal for breastfed babies to have multiple bowel movements a day OR go days between having them! Wet diapers is what you really need to look at. Is he having at least 6-8 wet diapers a day? If so, then he's probably getting enough!
And I agree with the others - it sounds totally normal and could be a growth spurt. I remember Xander wanted to be on the boob CONSTANTLY for hours at a time, especially in the evening! It was so hard, but it's so normal, and it's your baby's way of building your milk supply!
But definitely see you can see a lactation consultant! They can do a weighted feed to see if your baby actually is transferring well and getting enough milk!!
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During growth spurts it's normal behavior for baby to latch, unlatch, fuss, pound/kneed your breast, cry, latch, and do it all again. That's what signals you to make more milk.. it's not so much about him not being statisfied or being hungry, it's just the mechanics of the relationship. It's what gets you through the long haul.
Unless he's not gaining weight or not having enough dirty/wet dipes I would stop supplementing, especially if *you* are concerned about your supply. Nursing is the best way to signal your body to make more. And I wouldn't worry so much about the clock & just nurse on demand. It's exhausting but it does work... maybe just spend the day hanging out in bed doing lots of skin to skin, nursing, and napping together. Those will all help supply too!
You're doing great!!!!
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You know my story already (almost identical to yours), but I just want to say that if you do supplement that's nothing to be ashamed of - it was the best decision I ever made (both for DDs health and my mental health). If EBF is extremely extremely important to you then I would say stick it out - but also know that other feeding options are there and they are safe and valid and your child will still thrive. when I was struggling with if/when to supplement, Fearless Formula Feeders website was extremely helpful and reassuring to me.
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@Adira: oh, yes, 1-2 poopy dipes -- he has about 8-10 wet ones a day. Thank you for telling me about your time with Xander, I'm starting to feel better about this just being normal. I have another appointment with an LC on Monday, so I'm hoping to get some peace of mind then.
@runsyellowlites: I never knew that! It makes me feel better to know those cues aren't necessarily because he's hungry or there's something wrong. I've been carrying around the itzbeen like it's another appendage (the little timer that tells you how long it's been from last feeding/diaper/sleep) and maybe I need to put it away and just go with the flow. -
@char54: thank you, mama
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@MamaMagpie: oh Mama, hang in there. It will get better! Sounds like your babe is doing exactly what he needs to in order to get your supply well established and set you both up for a fulfilling breastfeeding relationship. I promise you it's going to get easier. For me it was the first nine weeks that were the toughest. After that it clicked. And now, at six months, it's easy as pie.
So glad you're going to see your LC again.
And yeah, about the itzbeen....put it down! I was a slave to my tracking app and my LC finally convinced me to try to go a day without using it and I've never looked back. I was thinking about it today and if there's one piece of advice I wish I could have given to myself when I was a brand new mom it would have been to trust my baby! Our babies know what they need and when they need it, we just have to trust them to tell us
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@MamaMagpie: adding a second motion to leaving the timer alone for a while
if baby is hungry or wanting boob comfort, no timer is going to convince him otherwise!!he sounds like he's definitely getting enough, and his behaviour sounds very much like my LO during a growth spurt! hang in there, and you'll get through! hellobee is always here for company and support through those marathon, hours long sessions!
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@MamaMagpie: sorry you're having a tough time. E sometimes does that. Pulls off, fusses, refuses the nipple even though he is hungry. I find he usually does it when he has gas and sometimes I feel I can't do anything and it's very frustrating. He gets so upset and I feel bad cause I know he wants to eat. Like everyone else has said if he's gaining weight, has bowel movements he's getting enough. But if you feel giving him some formula is right for you guys - go for it I say!
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I'm sorry you are having a tough go of it. I agree with people that you should ditch the timer for a while. Demand drives supply, so don't wait for your boobs to "refill"-- the more baby nurses, the more you will produce.
If you can swing it, spend ALL day tomorrow in bed with baby...just nurse constantly, lots of skin to skin and stare their sweet little face to try and jump start things. -
@MamaMagpie: Seriously, another vote for not clock watching. I was obsessed with babyconnect and never felt better than when I deleted it from my phone. It sounds totally normal to me!! I remember thinking I was spending 90% of my day nursing. I PROMISE it gets better. Promise. The dirty/wet diaper output is a good indicator that you're not having supply issues! My LC said that all that fussing, crying is simply the baby urging your body to ramp up supply. There is NOTHING wrong with supplementing - but supplementing now could start a chain reaction that your supply can't keep up when LO is older. Hang in there mama. My LO is almost 11 months and nurses 4X a day, none overnight, and nurses for maybe 10 minutes max each time. Its. So. Easy. You'll get here!!
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Hang in there! You are doing great! If you can make it to an LC, mine helped me immensely. We went through tongue tie, lip tie, reflux, mastitis, you name it. I ended up making a standing Friday date with my LC because I craved her reassurance to be able to make it through. I promise it gets easier every week. Some advice I got from a lovely Bee here: never quit on your worst day. Hugs!
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@MamaMagpie: Also, for me, I almost quit around 5-6 weeks too. Those were definitely the hardest for me! Week 7 was the beginning of a new era in my nursing relationship and I hope that yours gets better for you soon too!
Also, I agree with @runsyellowlites: that if you should stop supplementing with formula if you can. Nothing helps boost a supply like nursing round the clock, as much as it might suck to do so!!
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@MamaMagpie: Hugs! I remember my LO went 45 minutes max between feedings at that age. I think part of what makes 6+ weeks a "magical" time is that colic/fussiness wanes and babies start going a little longer between feeds so you aren't constantly nursing.
"He will usually nurse for 25-45 minutes, then gets extremely frustrated at the breast and pulls off but continues to make hunger cues. If I put him back on, he falls asleep and barely suckles but if I take him off to put him down, he wakes and screams like he's starving."
I'm no expert, but it sounds like he might be getting more milk than he wants. When he pops off after 25-40 minutes he might really be done eating. He might need to pop off to stop the let down. Then he gives you "hunger cues" (which are really "put a boob in my mouth now" cues) so he can get a nipple to suck on during his nap. That's how my LO loved to nap.
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I cannot tell you ladies how much you've all helped me through this rough day! I honestly don't know how I'd be holding up right now without having your words of encouragement to get me through the last four hours -- instead of being in a state of anxiety and worry that something was wrong while H nursed literally constantly for four hours straight, I read your words and thought "I can do this".
Thank G-d for you ladies and HelloBee -
@MamaMagpie: I was going to say what @runsyellowlites: said. At 5-6 weeks they go through a crazy growth spurt, and my LO acted exactly the same way as yours during that time. My boobs ALWAYS felt empty, and I was nursing around the clock... but it's because they're stimulating your boobs to make more milk in anticipation of a growth spurt. Hang in there mama!!
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Just wanted to chime in to say 5 weeks was hell. If she was awake, she was attached to my boob. I ended up supplementing one morning session to give myself a darn break! I will say we had another mini growth spurt around 8 weeks that wasn't fun either, but it honestly turned a huge corner after that and I love nursing now. I'm unfortunately having to wean her because of supply issues, but if you had told me at 5 weeks that it would upset me to wean I would have laughed you out of my house.
Hang in there!
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I agree with everyone to just hang in there! I'm at 9w pp and it hasn't been easy, but the last couple weeks have been better. I don't time how long she goes between feeds anymore, I just feed her whenever she wants. There are still times where she comes off and on the boob in a session constantly and in the evenings I nurse pretty much three hours straight.
I was getting frustrated because in the evening she never seems satisfied and can pop on and off often. A good friend told me that in the evening milk production is down and can be thicker and harder for babe to get. It made me feel better knowing there was a reason why she nursed constantly and seemed frustrated at times with what she was getting. Who knows if that's true or not, but it makes sense to me.
Good luck, you're doing great! -
Maybe he's just nursing for comfort. My daughter wanted to for the first couple months. I would get frustrated and overwhelmed but my mom put it into perspective for me. Think about how safe your baby felt in your womb. Now their in this new world and they just want to be close to you. Nursing is how they accomplish feeling secure.
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Thanks for all of the amazing advice and support! I saw an LC today and we did a weighed feed -- H got barely 2oz after a 45-minute session which was like pulling teeth. So...low supply
He hasn't been able to get a full tummy, which is why he wants to constantly eat. It broke my heart! I've been drinking mother's milk tea thinking it would be enough, but it's time to break out the big guns and I started taking 620mg fenugreek caplets tonight. The LC said I should see a difference in 72 hours...fingers crossed!
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Good luck!
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@MamaMagpie: I was thinking of you and wondering how things were going! Sorry about the low supply (I can sympathize!) but at least you know what the root issue is and can make a plan moving forward...my LC had me on domperidone which really boosted my supply (so much so that I developed mastitis and now am afraid to take it again). Let me know how the fenugreek works!
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@MamaMagpie: Bummer!! But it's good that you know a low supply is an issue now! Are you going to go back to the LC in a week to double-check how much he's transferring now that you're taking the fenugreek? I really hope it works for you!!!
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@MamaMagpie: Good luck! I really hope it works for you.
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@MamaMagpie: good luck! My sister is going through almost exactly what you are--a baby that nurses constantly and falls asleep a lot at the breast. She also has low supply and started taking fenugreek...she is also pumping after she nurses, have you tried that? I hope things get better!!
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@MamaMagpie: Oh man - I went through the same thing!
If you want any Blessed Thistle, Fennel, or Brewer's Yeast tablets, I have a crazy extra amount (unoppened bottles) of all of them and I would be happy to send some to you! I was able to double my (extremely small) supply by taking those + fenugreek.
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@MrsStar: @Smurfette: thank you!
@char54: aw, thank you I'm wondering if she'll want me to take the domperidone if the fenugreek doesn't work...she didn't mention it, though. Ugh I'm so sorry you developed mastitis! Hope you're feeling better now, though.
@Adira: yah, it was sort of a strange feeling of relief to know that there actually was an issue...because now I feel like I have something to fix! We are going back on Tuesday, so a week and a day from our last appointment. I really hope there's a change!
@hilsy85: ugh, I feel for her! It's really tough. I've tried pumping twice after sessions but hardly anything comes out and it's such a hassle (I hate the pump my insurance covered) so I've been bad about it. I'm going to see how things go with the fenugreek and hope that when my supply increases that I'll be more successful at pumping. I'm also going to rent a pump from the hospital and see if it makes a difference.
@swurlygurl: oh my gosh, you give me such hope!!! How long did it take to increase your supply? And did it work with just the fenugreek or did you have to add in the other supplements for it to increase? I may very well take you up on the offer for those, thank you! -
I didn't read others comments but...
1. Try more milk plus! (Available at whole food store)
2. Try drinking papaya juice. (Also available at whole foods)
3. Must get Ibclc In home appt... I suspect you may have an incorrect latch
4. Don't limit the time. Just feed him when he cries.... There were times I was completely empty and my NB LO would suck vigorously for an hour. Just attach them to your boob all day if needed.
5. I would ditch that bottle of formula completely. Your body will not create enough to match your baby's needs if you supplement. Even if you pump it doesn't retrieve as much milk as your baby could.But at the end don't stress yourself. It is crazy mental and physical challenge to breastfeed.... Bottom line is do whatever you think is right for you. Hugs!!
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@MamaMagpie: oh yes, definitely rent a hospital grade pump! They are awesome! Good luck!
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