Page 1 of 2 1 2 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 11
  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Location
    .
    Posts
    459

    Default Feeding on Demand - Growth Spurt / Milk Supply?

    I love these boards - specifically, I love knowing that I can come here and post a question and know that I will have more experienced moms give me advice and reassurance - so thanks again in advance for your insight!

    My DS is 7 weeks old and is exclusively BF. He is fed on demand and is not on a schedule at all. It seems like he "usually" eats every 3 - 4 hours, but that can vary. He also will sleep for about 6 hours at night. With that said - he seems to be VERY hungry for the last 2 weeks. I know that babies go through growth spurts at 3 and 6 weeks (give or take) and this may be what he is going through.

    The last 2 days (and he did this several days last week) he wants to eat every 2 or 2.5 hours (which means he ended the last meal 1 or 1.5 hours before). He nurses for a long time - usually at least 20 minutes each side.

    I want to be a good mommy and feed him when he is hungry, but I also do not want to be a push over and give him the breast when he is only using it for comfort or snacking. He is really not a fussy baby at all - unless he is hungry. I look for the signs - eating his hands, trying to suck on my neck, etc. If he is unhappy no matter what I do and he is showing hunger signs I usually feed him and it does the trick, even if he just recently ate.

    My other concern is that I just started taking the mini-pill and I do cardio for an hour a day (running and walking) and I am concerned that this may be affecting my milk supply. I am concerned that he may not be getting enough milk and that is why he is nursing so often. I have NO signs that my milk supply is diminishing - I just worry. I want to BF for as long as possible, and I do not want to mess up my milk supply! My milk seems to flow freely while he nurses and I wake up quite 'full' of milk.

    Sorry this is so long. Thanks again for the advice / support / reassurance!

    Anne
    Mommy to 2 Amazing Little Boys!
    Andrew 7/2004
    Tyler 2/2007

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2002
    Posts
    8,856

    Default RE: Feeding on Demand - Growth Spurt / Milk Supply?


    >
    >I want to be a good mommy and feed him when he is hungry, but
    >I also do not want to be a push over and give him the breast
    >when he is only using it for comfort or snacking.

    Giving your baby what he needs is not being a pushover. :) Whether that need is a meal, a snack, or comforting. Babies are not manipulative at this age, they simply have needs and express those needs in the only way they know how.

    One of those needs is to suck. That's how they get stronger and develop their muscles to be able to nurse more efficiently later; by sucking when they are not eating.

    Exercise should not affect your milk supply. It sometimes changes the taste of the milk right after a workout, but most babies don't mind.

    ...Karen
    DS Jake Feb 91, DD Logan Mar 03
    http://members.aol.com/khowe14494/superpower.gif http://members.aol.com/khowe14494/bo...breastfed2.gif

  3. #3
    kijip is offline Pink Diamond level (15,000+ posts)
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Posts
    18,572

    Default RE: Feeding on Demand - Growth Spurt / Milk Supply?

    I don't think the exercise is an issue at all! Good for you to be moving around so much. ITA with the PP- your baby is far too young to be manipulating you! He needs to eat or suck and the extra sucking is helping increase your supply as he gets larger. It sounds like you are doing a great job!
    Katie, mama to a pair of boys.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Apr 2002
    Location
    Northern VA
    Posts
    9,979

    Default RE: Feeding on Demand - Growth Spurt / Milk Supply?

    I am actually very surprised that you can get him to go that long between feedings at his age. My DS ate every 2-2.5 hours for many-many months, and there was no way I could get him to go longer. So, if he shows signs any signs of beinghungry, or wanting to nurse (maybe he's thirsty as well!), I would let him nurse.
    Mama to "The Fantastic Four":
    DS 02
    DD 06
    DS 09
    DD 12

  5. #5
    aoswald1 Guest

    Default RE: Feeding on Demand - Growth Spurt / Milk Supply?

    My son is 6 weeks old and has recently started doing the same thing. The past two days he has been nursing every 2 to 2.5 hours (he used to go 3 or 4 hours between feedings). I think it must be a growth spurt. The great thing is that my milk supply is keeping up. It's good to know other moms are experiencing this as well.

    It's so easy to immediately think that I must be doing something wrong when it comes to breast feeding. I'm working hard to quiet that voice in my head and trust my body and my instincts as a new mom.

    Ally

  6. #6
    Chelsey333 Guest

    Default RE: Feeding on Demand - Growth Spurt / Milk Supply?

    Maybe he was just extra sleepy that first 5 weeks and now he is starting to wake up more, and probably is really hungry. My ds is 4 mos. and still wants to eat every 2- 2 1/2 hours a day. He has his last feeding at 7:30 pm and will sleep until about 7 am the next day. I have it made at night and don't mind nursing that often during the day - though it would be nice to go for 3 hours without a session.

    I did hear the mini pill can decrease milk for some people. But honestly, I think most 7 wk old babies on bm eat every 2 - 2 1/2 hours. Good luck!

  7. #7
    simba Guest

    Default RE: Feeding on Demand - Growth Spurt / Milk Supply?

    Did your son EVER go for longer stretches? My son is almost four months and eats every 2-2.5 hrs too, even at night (sometimes he'll do one longer stretch of 4 hours) ! I feel so tired and hopeless!
    Silvana

  8. #8
    Rachels is offline Diamond level (5000+ posts)
    Join Date
    Nov 2001
    Location
    MA, USA.
    Posts
    7,253

    Default RE: Feeding on Demand - Growth Spurt / Milk Supply?

    Hang in there, Silvana. They eventually do go longer stretches. My daughter nursed about every hour for the first five months, and I thought I might not survive. What you're describing is normal and will end. His little stomach is still very tiny. He needs to nurse frequently now, but he won't always.

    -Rachel
    Mom to Abigail Rose
    5/18/02


    "When you know better, you do better."
    Maya Angelou

    http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbo...pphire_24m.gif Two years and counting!

  9. #9
    simba Guest

    Default RE: Feeding on Demand - Growth Spurt / Milk Supply?

    Thank you Rachel!
    The thing is that at three months he was doing much better! Well, I'll be patient! I am not going to deny him food anyway! =)
    Thanks for the kind words!
    Silvana

  10. #10
    missmelis01 Guest

    Default RE: Feeding on Demand - Growth Spurt / Milk Supply?

    When babies go through growth spurts, they do something called "cluster feeding" which is eating in very short spurts. While the literature says when the average baby will go through a growth spurt and how long it will last, these are averages and may not apply to your son. My DS is 6 months and I fed him on demand until he was about 4 months, and he has no feeding issues (at least none that I have noticed!!!)
    I often tell people that for me, the first 3 months of breastfeeding was harder than labor & delivery, but it has been soooooo worth it. All of a sudden, one day, everything will click and you both will be in what I call the breastfeeding groove! :-)
    As far as milk supply, there are many things that can affect supply, but it doesn't happen over night. You will be able to tell by the way you feel throughout the day whether your supply is dwindling. But even if your supply does decrease, all is not lost! My supply just about dried up, on Mother's Day of all days, and I had to start from scratch replenishing my supply by feeding and immediately pumping after. It wasn't easy, but after about 2 weeks, I was back to "normal" and have had no problems since, even after going back to work full time.
    Good luck and enjoy the experience.

Page 1 of 2 1 2 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •