is he weaning/ is my supply going?

[~Flossie~]

yesterday our day was as follows:-
6am - really good b/f both sides ( last feed was 10pm)
8.30- bfast
10-banana
little cat nap...
11.30-offered bf.. not interested.. turned head away and then bit me
gave lunch instead
12.30-3.. slept
3.00 - b/f maybe only 3 mins one side.. then just wanted to play
offered water, drank some and had a bikki
5.00 - early dinner.. very hungry boy ate very well
6.00 bath -
then b/f both sides.. was really unsettled after... he wanted the breast, but it seemed like he was not gettting much.. .

anyway he settled and went to sleep.. waking at 10pm when i offered b/f again he drank but again he was pulling at the breast like he was sucking and not really getting much out.. he would pull off and then i would offer again and he was straight on.. and he would pull off again.. it wasnt a game, seemed like he was getting frustrated..

my husband decided to try a bottle ( formula) to see if he would drink it and of course he had 150ml..

he then woke this morning at 6.30am.. my breasts had not leaked over night and didnt have that "full" feeling about them..he did have a good b/f then breakie,,, the day starts again!
....
Is he getting enough milk, i am so confused.. i am happy to give him a formula top up of an evening if needed.

is this what self weaning is like, or what lacking of supply is like?

i FF my DD so this is all new to me! so i am really happy that we got this far!

[mumof2beauties]

Hiya
I know how you are feeling, cause I felt like that the past week. My DS would more comfort suck, which I believed lowered my supply, so when he did want something, there was really not a lot there, or if there was, it took ages to get a let down!!!!
I went in search of a solution, cause I am not ready to wean yet (although he only feeds to sleep and at no other time). Have you read the thread 'increasing your milk production'?? It was talking about Actavite and how that increases your milk. I went and bought a very large tin and began drinking.....next day....heaps of milk!! Give it a try

[MantaRay]

Annie, at that age some babies do eat more solids and cut down of bfs. Also, I have had periods with Tom where he just won't drink from the breast, but will drink EBM (but not EBM expressed during the time when he wouldn't drink from the breast). So I think sometimes they don't like the taste- maybe it's hormonal like AF, or something we eat. I'd give it a couple of days to see if it settles. In the meantime, do everything you can to increase supply - put him on the bb frequently, express in between (and if he doesn't have a feed). When you see whether this is a pattern or a glitch, you can reassess the situation. Good luck.

[Barb Glare]

Hi,

I can't read the font on your ticker very well! But I'm thinking Alexander is 10mnths old? He won't wean. He's fine. He's a big boy, knows where breastmilk is and knows how to get it if he wants it. I would suggest it's just another stage he is going through. Just like us, some days he is hungier and wants more. Other days not so hungry and wants less. Some days irritable, other days placid. If he needs more, he will feed more and you will make more. If you want to keep breastfeeding, try to avoid giving a bottle. It is crushing to the spirits of a breastfeeding mother and knocks your confidence. Breasted babies don't need formula! As MelanieR said, stick with it! It can feel like unchartered territory when you haven't been throguh that particular stage with your baby before. If you read the formula feeding forums you see that formula feeding mums go through similar problems with their baby - sometimes they are hungrier, and sometimes they take less.

Hope that helps a bit
Regards
Barb

[~Flossie~]

well i have bought a tin of activate, weird taster but worth a try.. and those who know me really well know that i drink too much coke.. so stoping that aswell..

today we have had a great b/f day .. so just going to look on each day individually... and take it as we go..

Barb - you were so spot on with knocking my confidence.. i have been doing this for 10 months! you would think i wouldnt doubt myself.. but i do..

thank you again..

[Edensmumma]

yay Annie, im glad today was a good day for you guys... i think knowing you that i would say some of it too is u getting anxious about ur supply... Alexander is a true booby boy...
u should be so proud of yourself.
xoox

[nelly]

Annie Jake did the same thing a few weeks ago and ended up totally dropping his 10am BF back to just the 3 per day. IKWYM about being stressed about your supply dropping! Then this week he picked up his 10am again and my boobs didn't seem t be full enough, but a day or 2 later bang my supply was back. I read somewhere that now your supply is more supply / demand rather than hormones and that you will always have enough, even tho you feel "empty".

Well done for persisting this far - I know how challenging it is!

[shellbell3]

Annie- i also find too some days if they are teething and gums are all sore then they are more interested in a bottle than the breast.