what should i do?? Barb??

so over the last few weeks my milk supply has been decreasing quite rapidly. DS use to feed from one side and be satisfied now hes taking both and still wanting more but gets really angry and frustrated coz there isnt any. so to try and increase my supply i started feeding more regularly (every hour) even if it meant having to wake him up but ive found that if he feeds to often he gets super unsettled and then projectile vomits everywhere and then hes hungry again!! i dont know what to do because i want to get my supply up but dont want to make him spew. im trying lactation cookies and all that stuff but havent noticed a difference. any other ideas or advice??

TIA
xx

Hi raffy!

Im not super experienced and by no means am pretending to be :) but are you sure your supply has decreased or could it be that your boobies are getting into the swing of things with this whole BFing caper? I believe they start to settle down at about 6 weeks. You are doing great by getting your little man on there more often to increase your supply, its the best way to do it! He could also be showing extra hungry signs because of a growth spurt and not just because yor supply is down. Is he having lots of heavy wet nappies each day? I dont have much idea about the projectile vomitting, maybe someone else can offer some help there?
But I do want to say that you are doing great hun, BFing is such a hard job but it is worth the pain and hassle :hug: well done to you!

Raffy hun, that must be confusing for you. It sounds like you had feeding going well and then your little one changed the rules on you.

There are a few things that could be happening here, but Lily Dust is right that many mums think that their supply is low after the first 6 - 12 weeks because things are different. However, if you are feeding on demand (and especially if you're feeding every hour!) this is unlikely to be the case. I wonder how many feeds a day Cooper was having before you started adding some feeds in? 8 - 12 feeds in 24 hours is about the normal range, although more often is common too. Some babies have one breast per feed and others two, some have one sometimes and two other times, and nearly all babies will swap from having just one side to having two, or the other way around at some stage. None of those things indicate any problem with supply.

The best way to tell if Cooper is getting enough milk is from his nappies. 5 or more heavily wet disposables, or 6 - 8 very wet cloth nappies in 24 hours is very good. Is Cooper still doing one or more dirty nappies a day? That is another good sign, and the poo should be runny or soft. Also weight gain over a 3 - 4 week period is a great sign.

Many babies vomit, however if you are waking him to feed every hour it sounds like he could be vomitting from being full. Babies have tiny tummies and if they drink more than their tummies can hold it has to come back up again. The seeming to still be hungry could be that he want to suck to help digest the food in his full tummy, not that he's still hungry. I would say, especially if the nappy count is good, that dropping back to feeding on demand would be ok for you, maybe with one or two extra feeds if he is not demanding a feed often enough to make 8 feeds in 24 hours.

Are there any other signs that are worrying you? I hope this helps hun. It gets easier as you go, but it does take a while to work these little critters out - I'm not sure you ever truly do ;)

Hi
Why do you think your supply has dropped? How many wet & dirty nappies are you getting? How is he, aside from fussiness?
If there's an issue with supply, the absolute best thing is to feed more often, so you're on track there. How often is he feeding usually in a 24-hour period?

It's quite normal for them to change their feeding patterns - 1 boob or 2. Getting upset and fussing at the breast is also pretty normal at different stages in their development and doesn't necessarily mean there's any problem with your supply. They love to be with mummy and they lvoe to be at the breat - it makes them feel better and it's not only about the milk. When they are unsettled, and especially if they're going through a developmental leap, they will often spend a lot of time at the breast, or rather demanding the breast and going on and off like they're getting upset. You may also notice that he's particularly like this at a certain time of day - very commonly for several hours in the later afternoon/evening.

It's hard when they up and change on you - if you're concerned about supply or his feeding, calling the ABA is a great way to get some advice and support. :hug:

ditto the earlier posts :hug:

and re projectile vomiting, have you tried stopping him more frequently to burp? air bubbles mid feed aren't good :)

Thanks ladies you have made me feel so much better. He still is having plenty of wet nappies and at least one dirty one a day. The amount he usually feeds a day varies but its def between 8-12 usually around 8 but closer to 12 if he's having a growth spurt. Thanks again ladies you've been such a huge help, hopefully I'll get the nack of this soon :crossfingers:

Ah, he sounds just fine then. Good job!