My DS reminds me of the Very Hungry Caterpillar...he eats and eats, but he's still hungry.
I know every baby is different, but I'm wondering if anyone out there has a baby like mine. I feel like all I ever do is nurse and pump and he's never full. I'd appreciate any encouragement or insight!
LO has been EBF from day one. It's been going really well...but he eats ALL.THE.TIME. As in, he'll nurse for 45 min, take a 30-60 min break, then go back to nursing. I've tried everything to be sure that he truly is hungry before I feed him again. (Change him, play with him, try to get him to sleep...I'll even drive around the block!) While on maternity leave, it was hard to adjust to that schedule, but it was doable.
Anyway, I went back to work (I teach part time) two weeks ago and my MIL is watching LO. I'm giving her bottles of pumped milk for the time I'm gone (anywhere from 3-7 hours a day). We use the Playtex Nurser bottles. I fill them to the brim and they hold 5 oz. He usually goes through 4 when I'm gone for 7 hours, but today he went through 3 in 4 hours! I know that the "average" breastfed baby takes 25-30 oz of milk a day, but I feel like our LO is easily getting 40. He nurses every 1.5-2 hours all afternoon and evening. The only break is at night. He usually goes to sleep around 9, then wakes up between 2-3 and sleeps again until I get him up at 7.
When it comes to bottles, I've asked MIL to try as many distraction techniques as possible before feeding him. I know she's not just giving him a bottle at his first little whimper. We're using the slowest flow nipple, and MIL burps him often...even though he screams for more food the whole time. He's a voracious little eater! LO refuses the pacifier, so we can't give him that to satisfy his sucking reflex.
He's gaining weight well, and he's not even a big baby. He hardly ever spits up, and if he does, it's just a little dribble. As of right now, I'm pumping *just* enough to fill bottles, but I'm worried about having to supplement.
Has anyone else out there survived having a LO with a big appetite?
Re: 3 month old eats about 40 oz a day...
It's completely normal, some babies just eat A LOT. My DS has been eating about 40oz since he was 2months old, but luckily that is his max. If your LO is able to eat that much and isn't spitting up too much, I'd let him have it! Have you tried to space out his feedings to make your life easier? Instead of feeding him 5oz every 2 hours, maybe shoot for 8oz every 4 hours or so?
Try to nurse as much as possible when you are home with LO, other than that just try to pump as much as you can. If you've already been BFing for 3months, most likely your supply is established and you will be able to "keep up" with your voracious eater!
Yes, we did have some oversupply issues earlier. He had the slimy, green poop from about 5-8 weeks. I did 2 hour block feeding for that time and it seemed to help. Now, his poop is still pretty runny, but it's yellow and is only occasionally slimy/mucousy. I can tell that I don't have quite as much of a supply as earlier...I only leak first thing in the morning now.
I usually pump 8oz first thing in the morning, then I pump once or twice at school...I get anywhere from 3.5 to 5 oz per pump. To make up the difference, I also squeeze in one pump right before I go to bed...in between LO's last feeding and his middle of the night feed.
In terms of weight gain, I think he's right on...he was 7lbs, 12 oz when he was born, and at his 2 month appt (10.5 weeks) he was 11lbs, 12oz. Now, he's 14 weeks, and I don't have an accurate weight for him.
You mentioned that his stomach gets used to 5oz being "full". Is there any way to "retrain" that? I have spring break starting next Wednesday, so I'll be with him just nursing, no bottles, for a week and a half
What would some other symptoms of silent reflux be? He's a pretty happy baby right after he eats, he just seems to get hungry quickly
Also, is there a way to know if the pumped milk in bottles gets enough hindmilk?
What does your milk look like? Is it watery and blue/green tinged? Or does it look more opaque like whole cow's milk? Is there a thick layer of fat at the top and around the sides of the bottle?
More watery/blue/green means more foremilk.
Ideally, you want the milk to be more opaque and have a lot of fat.
Sorry I have no answer to your original question though. Good for you for keeping up with such a demanding nursing schedule though!
Reflux was my first thought. DS had reflux and he ate a ton until we got it figured out and put him on meds. Eating was the only thing that calmed him. Does he get mad/squirmy if laid down? I know that was a problem for ds since it only perpetuated things.
He also could just be a big eater.