Supply Issue?
I'm wondering if maybe I am having a supply issue. It seems that sometimes (mostly at night) I don't have enough milk to satisfy my LO. Up until a week or two ago he was only feeding off of one breast per session, but has since stepped it up and takes two breast most feedings.
Twice now he's emptied both breast and cried for more. When this happened I tried to keep him on the breast thinking that maybe it would stimulate another let down, but no luck.
We've been going through the 4 month wakeful for weeks and this is just making it so much worse. He's up starving every hour or two. I know he's hungry, because if I just try to comfort him he latches on to whatever he can (last time was my cheek) and sucks vigorusly.
I don't know what to do. Of course my mom is telling me to start cereal, but that sounds like a good way to make my supply dip even lower right?
I'm confused and exhausted, any input is appreciated.
Re: Supply Issue?
It does sound like a growth spurt (nurse, nurse, nurse). About that time too, I started noticing the difference between morning milk (height of supply) and evening milk (basically on empty). Try drinking more water through the day to help...and continue offering both breasts if he's emptying them...maybe oatmeal for breakfast.
LC's can do a weight-feeding check to see how much he's getting at a time if you do think it's low supply related. I don't think cereal would help that much...as it's mostly empty calories in the beginning...milk has much more to satisfy him with the carbs and fast in it. We started cereal practice at 4.5 weeks because she was showing all the physical signs of being ready (holding head up, watching us eat and reaching, opening and closing her mouth as we ate, etc)...but if anything she slept lighter for a while until she really started eating meals at 6m.
It sounds like a growth spurt to me too. Don't worry, your breasts will eventually catch up and meet his demands. I can recall several nights when my LO would wake and nurse ALL night (I truly mean all night too) and leave me completely dry the next morning. It was a good thing I had a few bags of milk stored in the freezer for his day care provider or I wouldn't have had anything to leave for him!
If he's 4 mos, you can definitely introduce the cereal. Mix with a little BM to start and see how he takes it. Pump and store the milk to keep your supply up while feeding cereal. In the meantime, drink plently of fluids, keep taking a vitamin and continue to take care of yourself. My LO is exclusively BF but the one thing that I'm noticing now that he's alittle older and eating more, is that my supply is becoming less and less. Not to mention the mouthful of new teeth (6 to be exact) he now has. So I've decided to slowly wean him. Needless to say, I completely understand your frustration (and exhaustion).
Best of luck!
JC's mommy