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@ bf-ing/formula question
since Z was about 2 weeks old, he's been cluster feeding at night. basically from around 6 or 7 pm until 10 or 11ish, he wants to nurse constantly. it's frustrating, but until around 3 nights ago it was manageable. now by like the 3rd hour, I seem to have nothing left for him (go figure) and rather than just sucking for comfort, he seems to get irate that he's not getting anything. he cries and cries and almost nothing settles him down. we've tried a paci (which he hates most of the time) and the happiest baby on the block five Ss do nothing for him. so a few nights ago, I gave him a couple ounces of formula and he settled right down and then went to sleep. and now this is the third night that I've done that.
I have no real issue with giving him formula--I'm not just going to let him cry when I know that the formula will settle him down. but ideally, I'd rather not give it to him because it makes him spit up more and it's kind of a PITA.
he's one month old today and I keep hoping that this cluster feeding is going to end soon. I know he's getting enough to eat over all because he has plenty of wet and poopy diapers, but he's just so hungry at night! any suggestions for how to boost my supply at night? I'm drinking tons of water, taking fenugreek, eating oatmeal...I don't know what else to do. and all the websites I'm going on keep telling me that I'm f*cking everything up by giving him formula, but like I said, I am not just going to let him cry and go hungry :-(
Re: @ bf-ing/formula question
It doesn't make sense that his nursing regularly at that time wouldn't up/keep your supply, but you could try pumping while/after the formula, and keep pumping five min after you're dry.
FWIW, if he's nursing the rest of the day and it's just this one feeding, the formula won't hurt the rest of your supply.
One thing I've learned (or maybe my kid just knows our limits), the most annoying things that they randomly start doing are often short lived. Esp in the first three months, get through that feeding however you can.
We had a similar problem. On some nights the baby would want to eat quite a bit and didn't seem satisfied. On those nights we would make a small bottle of formula or pumped milk for her. We would start with 2 oz. and give her 1 extra if she still seemed hungry. The rule was if we supplemented her, I had to pump. This wasn't every night. Maybe a few times per week? Anyway, by week 6 or so, she completely stopped needing it. She hasn't had any supplement since. So you can supplement if you do it carefully and still maintain your supply.
I agree with Pesca. Baby habits are fleeting. Good luck.
ETA: I should clarify that we were on a supplementing kick because of a weight gain issue. If she hadn't had this issue I don't know if we would have supplemented.
It could be a little growth spurt. One thing that helps my supply is a beer at night. That's always worked better for me than oatmeal or fenugreek (plus, fenugreek smells like mildewy maple syrup).
Cluster feeding sucks. My daughter did it in the evenings too, and thankfully she's outgrown that (she's almost 6 months). Honestly, I can't even remember when she stopped, so it must have been a couple months ago. Do what you need to do- and don't let those crazy BF websites make you feel crappy.
Obviously you know your baby best, but one thing to consider is that he is just being fussy at night and it isn't necessarily related to hunger. Most babies have their fussy time at night and even though they are cluster feeding at the same time, the fussiness doesn't necessarily mean they aren't getting enough, if that makes sense.
But regardless, you need to do what makes you feel comfortable. One bottle of formula towards the end of cluster feeding should not impact your supply. Although, I would personally pump during that time, just to be sure. I also ditto the beer (or glass of wine) it seems to help me relax and I have more letdowns.
They do outgrow it though. I am pretty sure DS outgrew cluster feeding around 8 weeks.
ditto this. also, are you getting enough water? I know that's always difficult for me, especially during growth spurts.
try and get more rest, too. it's a lot of work for mama! good luck.
Joseph Henry was born at home on March 9, 2009
Nora Mae was born at home on October 30, 2011
He's right at a growth spurt age, he's probably trying to up your supply for that reason.
A little top off after he's done wouldn't be a huge deal it definitely not until the end of the cluster feed.
Could you do a nursing vacation for a day or 2? Just hang out with him in a diaper cuddled skin to skin all day/evening and just nurse away. I always did that when we hit growth spurt nsane feeding times and it seemed to help things move along.
Oh, and it's a good thing that you are completely emptying, once your body gets that message it'll up your supply but it does take a little time.
Also does he have any signs of acid reflux? looking back I think DD did but be ause BM is easier to digest she didn't have the classic spit up with it so I didn't connect the dots. AR often acts up in the evening and he may be comfort nursing because it hurts.
Of course it could be just be the normal newborn witching hours in the evening too.
Could he be reverse cycling a bit? Is he not very hungry during the day and making up for it more at that time? You could try offering more during his less demanding times to try to even him out. It will take a few days.
I think babies that age get used to the "milk drunk" feeling once full and rely on it to get them to sleep/comfortable again - it could be something like that. I'd maybe just limit the oz of formula to as few as you can and make sure the nipple is the lowest flow he'll except. Maybe explore other ways to occupy him like the swing, bouncer, etc.
You could try a few supply enhancers like oatmeal, fenugreek and beer to stimulate supply. That will take 2-3 days to ramp up as well.
GL!
Have you tried having your partner walk the baby with you in an other room? Often they will accept comfort if you're not there smelling of milk.
It will, of course. If you're not providing 100% of their nutrition your body will stop producing 100% of their nutrition.
But it went away, on it's own. He gradually stopped doing it. Without a drop of formula or a bottle of any kind. I honestly think it had more to do with wanting comfort than it did hunger. I'd personally stop supplementing with formula (if BFing long term is something that you want), and let this phase run it's course. If you can, just let him comfort nurse all evening if he needs to - I promise you that he'll stop needing to.
Right, but if you're providing 95%, you'll continue to produce 95%.
Maybe he isnt hungy but has indegestion? sometimes eating settles that and amybe thats why he doesnt want to stop? You could pump a few times during the day after he nurses and sae that at night to give instead of formula?
I am living proof that carefully supplementing will NOT kill your supply.
signed,
Mother of an EBF baby starting at week 6.
I agree with the PPs who are suggesting that this is not necessarily a feeding issue at all. I well remember my first and second child being nearly inconsolable in the evenings around that age for a few weeks. No amount of nursing, rocking, bouncing, swaying, etc. seemed to stop the crying. Pretty sure I shed my share of tears around that time as well.
Our best solution to this was to take turns (mom gets a break) and to put the babe in a carrier and go for a walk.
This too shall pass.
Exactly. You won't have a full supply.
thanks for all the input and advice!
whoever said that it would take a couple days for my supply to adjust hit the nail on the head. last night I nursed for 2.5 hours straight again and he fell asleep at around 9:45 and didn't wake up until 2am. and he was definitely still getting milk when he passed out, whereas the other nights there was nothing coming out. of course, by 2am I felt like i was going to explode, but it was great that he wasn't frantically hungry like he had been the past several nights.
I suppose it could have been AR or indigestion or just night time fussiness those other 3 nights, but he was rooting frantically and when I tried to nurse him he was getting completely frustrated. Then as soon as he started drinking the formula he calmed down...so I don't know. But I have no moral issues with giving my baby formula especially if it's going to keep him calm and happy :-) And he drank less than 2oz each time, so I don't think I did any permanent damage to my supply.
Yea!
Glad things are improving. The first 4 months of BFing are so hard because of all the growth spurts.
As long as you let him nurse as much as you want and pump during any bottles you should be ok.
Also you can always power pump (15 minutes on 15 minutes off for an hour or 2) after he's done to really get your supply to up quickly.
I had supply issues and that helped so much to catch up my supply to her demand.
well, he's nursing a lot (IMO)...he has an internal timer that is fool proof. during the day he demands to be fed at least every 2 hours and sometimes every 1/.5 hours. and it can take him an hour or more to eat. so I'm quite the milk factory these days. but since I am also home with my other son who is an energetic almost 3 year old (who mercifully is being taken care of by someone else today) it's pretty tough finding time to pump and take care of him...and brush my teeth or get dressed, lol.
Didn't realize you had a toddler running around!
You definitely have your hands full!