I can't keep up to my lo's appetite.

melco19 · May 2014

I am ebf. Lo is 4.5 months old.
LO is eating every 2 hours, and this past week, I feel like I barely have time to replenish from the last meal before he is hungry again. There is definitely not as much milk in there as he would like.
I know I should speak to my doctor, but we do not have pediatricians here. I have to use my family doctor, and the information he gives is very old school. Some days I feel like I have to be mom and doctor.
I know you are not qualified doctors, but I am asking you as moms, what would you do in my shoes?

fauxvegan · May 2014

It sounds like he's ready for solids. LOs pedi told us once she seems like she's not satisfied after nursing to start cereal. I've had to start this week because my nipples were so sore.

melco19 · May 2014

I was making lactation cookies with brewers yeast and fenugreek. I noticed that it upped my milk in the mornings, but by mid day I was still scrambling to get enough to feed him. LO is recently waking only once in the night to eat, he used to get up more. I use this time to pump a bottle for the following day. I drink lots if water.

BootsOrHearts · May 2014

Keep BFing and your supply WILL catch up, it just might take a few days. Be careful about supplementing with formula because while this may solve the short term problem, unless you pump every time you give a bottle of formula, your supply will actually go down making the problem worse.

You could also add a couple of pumping sessions as it will increase your supply and then you can bottle feed what you pump to supplement. Try pumping first thing in the morning as that's when you'll get the most.

lifesaverz · May 2014

I had the same drop around the same time/age with my LO. All of a sudden she was wanting to nurse more often, & even started waking in the MOTN to eat when she had been sleeping through for months before that. It took maybe 5 days, but my supply DID catch up! I'd just nurse LO like crazy, or yes like a pp suggested maybe add in a pumping session or two & feed some of the pumped milk, but either one of these things should up your supply, & hopefully you'll catch up. Advice I got from my LC a while back was that if LO seems starving still after a feeding, then feed 1 oz of pumped milk/formula, & then have LO hang out with you til you can feed again, otherwise just wait & try to feed him as shortly after the feeding as your body can handle.

melco19 · May 2014

Ok thanks ladies. I will add a pumping session or two throughout the day and keep taking the cookies and see if I can keep up to him.

manausmom · May 2014

The same thing happened to us and our pediatrician suggested introducing solids and/or supplementing with formula. I was feeling kinda bad and guilty about it, but I felt that I couldn't keep up with him anymore and I was exausted!
I waited until he was 5 months and then started to supplement and give him fruits. I am soo glad I did it!!! I am much happier now and my LO is happier too!

fauxvegan · May 2014

Yezbick9 said:

riv06marce said:

It sounds like he's ready for solids. LOs pedi told us once she seems like she's not satisfied after nursing to start cereal. I've had to start this week because my nipples were so sore.

This was us. I wasn't ready to admit we needed to start her on solids, but our doctor and lactation consultant said it was time. She's been a much easier baby to live with!

I didn't want to start until 6 mos but she needed it. Next week we add cereal in the evening since she nurses every hour and a half after 5. I've started pumping again too to make up.

The Trail Home · May 2014

Sounds like another growth spurt. And/or teething. That's where we're at over here.

BoothBaby · May 2014

I'm dealing with the same thing. When he seems frustrated, I just pass him back and forth between both boobs until he is satisfied. I started pumping in the evening before I go to bed (a few hours after his last feeding). Right now I'm freezing that milk, but if I need to use it to supplement toward the end of the day when supply is lowest, I'll do that. I also just ordered some fenugreek, so we'll see if that helps! GL!

melco19 · May 2014

I am extremely allergic to ragweed! I never even thought about that!

Want a personalized experience?

I can't keep up to my lo's appetite.

Re: I can't keep up to my lo's appetite.

Choose Another Board

Search Boards