in October 2024 Babies 🇬🇧

Regression? Hunger?

I EBF my little girl, and it has always gone so well. She nor I have ever encountered any problems from the very beginning, we have been incredibly lucky. When she hit 3 months, she would only wake once in the night for a dream feed, everything was amazing. Then, 4 weeks ago we started weaning as she was showing all the signs etc. After a week or so, she realised she loves the stuff. Doesn’t really like purées or being spoon fed, but all the soft hand held stuff she shoves right in and finishes nearly everything I give her! She has done absolutely amazing and I really didn’t expect it. However, she seems to have liked it too much. She cries more for food, and has been feeding less. Now this means she’s waking EVERY HOUR at night time to feed from me. I can only assume this is because she’s making up for the lack of milk during the day? I offer her the boob every 90mins or so which is her usual feed timing. She’ll latch, a let down would come, but she’d come straight off after the let down meaning I’m leaking everywhere and she’s barely getting anything. What do I do?? I offer her food 2/3 times a day, she definitely knows how to let me know when she’s had enough. So it’s not a case of being hungry or anything. My other problem, is she doesn’t do well with bottles at all. After many tries, we’ve had success with Lansinoh bottles, but the most I’ve ever been able to get her to take is 80ml, and that was a good day. Usually it’s 30/40ml. She has dinner with us around 6, and seems full then is asleep by 7:30, after breastfeeding. So, should I introduce formula before bed if my breastmilk just isn’t cutting it anymore? Or do we think this is just a regression? I have no idea! So sorry for the long post, thank you for reading, any advice or questions are welcome, just want to figure this out!

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Have you tried putting some milk in her food, that is what i did with my little boy

@Annabel Yeah I’ve mixed my milk with baby cereals and rusks, played around with consistency but she just prefers to feed herself

I wouldn’t introduce formula, it’s nothing to do with your milk, I think it’s just them getting used to food and their tummies being full in a new way! They’re bound to change how much they’re breastfeeding as they’ve got a whole new intake of nutrients now! My little boy was feeding every 90mins or so, but now we’re doing breakfast and dinner his BF has dropped off massively! However I’ve had him weighed and he’s gaining perfectly so it’s defo just them adjusting to their new diet! As for the night feeds, absolute nightmare, i can only imagine how frustrating that is, but I wouldn’t touch formula if it was me, I’d just suck it up (begrudgingly) and hope sooner rather than later baby adjusts! It’s all so confusing and frustrating when you don’t know the best action 😅 you’re doing amazing BF, don’t fall into the formula trap, your milk is perfect, don’t doubt it 🤍

@Chloe thank you so much, this was really encouraging. I was only able to breastfeed my first baby for 3 months before I fell into the formula trap because ‘my supply wasn’t good enough’. I just feel like I’m forcing myself to believe this is the same in a way, so I don’t have to be so hurt again. My first didn’t take well to weaning either, he’s 3 now and still doesn’t have a good relationship with food. All of this is so new to me I just don’t know where to go. But you’re right, I didn’t even consider that her body is adjusting. Thankyou 🫶🏼

@Aimeé oh angel, it’s so hard, my little boy had slow weight gain and was at the lower end of the centiles and I kept beating myself up and that in some how my milk wasn’t good enough, but in reality, I’m a small women, his dad isn’t the biggest bloke, and he’s just going to be a small boy! Have faith your milk, the quality and the supply are all absolutely perfect, it’s your little one growing, adapting and changing! You’re doing amazing 🤍

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