Distracted LO

Maebb

Hi, I've posted here a few times before. Thanks for your advice, and I have another question.

LO is 5 months old. Due to supply issues which I've worked really hard and tried everything short of prescription medicine to overcome, I have to supplement with formula. I work full time outside of the home, but this was an issue even before I went back to work. So LO gets bottles while I'm away, and usually half of the bottles are BM and half formula. Then he usually gets a total of 4 oz of formula throughout the night and next morning, but I BF about 3 times in addition to that.

LO goes to bed at 9 and usually gets up 1 or 2 times during the night to eat. These feedings during the night are always exclusively BF, and he does awesome. He has a good latch, is relaxed, focused, and he normally eats for about 12 to 15 minutes on each side and then goes back to sleep. The feeding in the evening after work, however, is much more challenging. He is distracted, looking all around, turning his head and unlatching whenever he hears a noise, and then usually he'll be "done" after maybe 5 to 8 minutes on each side, and he'll want a bottle soon after. I can still express milk, so usually I end up pumping and then giving him a bottle of BM and maybe some formula if that's not enough.

So...I know some of you will probably be disapproving of the formula, but my question is, how can I get him to eat better during the evening feeding? Should I go into the nursery with dim lights and no noise similar to how it is during the MOTN feedings? And how long should I make him try at the breast before resorting to pumping and bottle? Usually it's really pushing it to make him go 5 to 10 minutes on each side during this feeding. I'm worried that maybe he's frustrated with the slow flow rate after getting bottles all day, but can I do anything to make him more patient and focused? Thanks!

Snowmum1212

My 4.5 month dd is behaving the same way during the day. I usually go into the nursery and keep everything as quiet as possible. She nurses better that way. If we have a bad nursing session, she will normally want to feed again with an hour and that one always satisys her. I wouldn't pump to give your LO a bottle.

kjsmith9

DD has gotten distracted lately as well.  I think it's just the age (she'll be 5 months old this week).  I just let her latch on/off as she wants when we're at home and I'm not in a hurry to get somewhere.  Eventually she'll start doing mini crunches like she's trying to sit up, so I figure she's finished then.  I would definitely try to go into the nursery and dim the lights to take away distractions, and see if that helps.  Or try a nursing cover or swaddle blanket to block his vision.  

When he eats out of bottles, are you still using slow flow nipples?  If you've bumped up to medium or fast, you might be right that he's frustrated with how much work it takes to nurse.  If you've switched, you could try going back to slow flow.  

I agree with PP that I wouldn't pump just to give a bottle.  If he's hungry, he'll eat.  You said he often wants a bottle soon after his distracted feeds... I would just re-offer the breast.  DD eats every 2 hours at daycare, sometimes up to 2.5 or 3 hours.  But she NEVER goes 3 hours at home where she only BF's.  I probably nurse every 1.5 to 2 hours during the day on weekends... Sometimes I feel like I still have a newborn!  But I know that she nurses for more than just eating (comfort, boredom, etc), and I'm not complaining because I'm sure it helps keep my supply up.  Again, I would say just keep offering the breast.

Lane05

Can you try nursing side lying?  My DS nurses really well that way if I'm having trouble with him focusing.  He's used to it though because we co-sleep.  But, if you just hang out on your bed with low lights maybe he'll forget the exciting world around him for a few minutes!  

This isn't a "non-approval" of the formula - just a warning that it won't help your supply at all.  The more you can get that baby on the breast the more your body knows it needs to make more.  Even if he's not getting a whole lot - it's still doing the job.   

Maebb

Thanks, ladies! I'll try the low lights, quiet environment, covering with a light swaddle blanket, and side lying nursing. We use size 1 nipples for bottle feeding, but he normally finishes 4 oz in 7 to 10 minutes, so he's still drinking pretty quickly. We try to burp him in between to slow it down, but he gets angry whenever we pull the bottle out of his mouth. He's a greedy, voracious eater.

I do realize that replacing nursing with formula and pumping could have negative effects on my supply. I pump to try to make up for it, but even when he eats until my breasts are completely empty, he's still hungry immediately after sometimes. And I pump often at work, but it seems like whether I pump every 2 hours or every 4 hours, I still only get a total of 8 to 10 oz for the 9 hours that I'm at work. I'm trying so hard, but I guess some BM is better than none, even if I can't EBF.