Another question for nursing moms

katka512 · December 2014

I thought about asking this is WisconsinCheese's post, but I didn't want to hijack...

For those of you who nurse, how many times a day is your LO getting milk? We nurse 3-4 times a day and she gets a bottle of BM before bed. So 4-5 milk feeds a day. Typically, it's 5 feeds but once in a while it's 4.
LO had her 9 month check up on Friday and she's in the 10% for weight (45% for height). She was in the 25% for weight at her 6 month appt. The pedi did say that he thinks there should be a different growth curve for EBF babies, so not to worry that her weight dropped in percentile. But he said he wants LO to get 5-6 milk feeds a day now. He was in no way judgmental or even said anything to make me feel badly, but I left the appt feeling like I don't feed LO enough and I've felt terrible since. (Side notes: I mostly feed on demand, but do an extra feed in the afternoon because I felt like 4 feeds day wasn't enough. She gets solids 3 times a day. She STTN so all of her feeds are between 7am and 7pm.)

This weekend, I added another feed in the morning. But LO really isn't interested. She will nurse for a minute then start biting or trying to get away. I don't think she's hungry for another feed, at least not at that time. I've been really stressed about this since the appointment and just want to see what other moms/babies are doing. Sorry the post was a little rambling. I hope I got my point across.

linzerd · December 2014

A gets milk 8-9 times in a 24 hour period. I work, so she's getting pumped bottles when I'm not there. She's always been low on the weight scale. She was in the 14th percentile at her 6 mo. appt and just had her 9 month and she's in the 35th. She also had a couple sick visits in between and hasn't gained anything since the last appt in October. The dr. isn't concerned and never has been. She has chubby legs and doesn't look like she doesn't get enough, so I don't worry.

I guess I would just try to nurse her more often and when she takes it, she takes it. I'm sure she's fine!

kaking78 · December 2014

J gets 5-6 milk feedings a day for a total of I'm guessing 25-30oz. We're only doing solids twice a day at 11am and around 5pm.

katka512 · December 2014

@linzerd‌ thanks! LO is also happy, healthy, chubby and meeting all her milestones. So my head says not to worry but my heart feels sad about this. I know if the pedi isn't worried, I shouldn't be. But it's hard!

SurpriseAt39 · December 2014

LO eats 3 solid meals a day. Sometimes with less interest in the 'lunch' meal.

He nurses 4-5 times usually, sometimes 6-7. On demand, or as I need relief. Lol.

Example of our day. I'll start at bedtime since I think it sort of makes more sense that way.
8pm (ish) - nurse one side to sleep (sleeps about 1-1.5 hours)
9:30pm nurse one side to sleep
5am nurse both sides (awake until 6:30 or 7)
Gets up for day 8:30-9am
9:30am Solid breakfast
11am nurse one side (sometimes nap)
1pm solid lunch
3pm nurse one side
6-7pm solid supper
Then 8pm nurse to sleep all over again.
^^those are fairly accurate times, they vary a bit. Occasionally li will want to nurse both sides or an extra feeding. Sometimes he wakes up an extra time MOTN.

We just saw our doc for 9 month check up. LO is back up to 50%ile in weight. (Was 75+%ile at birth)
He is also 95%ile for height.
Doc was completely happy and not concerned about nursing since he is gaining weight well (only 7 lbs less that his brother that just turned 2) and seems happy and satisfied.

I personally think 4 milk feedings is not enough for a 24 hour span. I guess that's because it's food and drink for them, so if I drink something 5 or 6 (or more) times a day then I expect LO should also have drinks more often. They also need the fat from milk/formula for proper brain development.
However, if 4 feedings is all LO wants, (no water substitutes) then I wouldn't stress too much.

katka512 · December 2014

@SurpriseAt39‌ I agree. I don't think 4 milk feeds is enough per day, which is why I've been feeding her an extra time in the afternoon, so 5 a day. I've been doing that for a while now.

But if the doctor wants 6, I'll try to figure it out. Thanks for telling me your schedule!

Sanibel21 · December 2014

We are 4-5 times per day too including the nighttime feed which is a bottle of 5 ounces. And its 4 if she takes both sides every feeding, 5 if she only takes one side during a feeding or two. I have tried offering more than that but LO pushes it away, cries, and bites. She eats solids three times per day. I have her 9 month appt on the 29th so I don't know what the pedi will say.

SurpriseAt39 · December 2014

Just a reminder to everyone, percentiles tend to drop as baby becomes more active, that's why they need extra calories. Usually breast milk or formula provides enough to help them maintain their percentile after starting solids, but if they drop too many feeds, they can also drop %.

I am not a doctor or a nurse, but I have 3 kids all breast fed and happy. I think 5-6 nursing sessions a day is a good aim. Most times the solids that a (roughly) 9 month old eats isn't really a lot of food, nor does it have enough calories.
I say my kid eats like a pig sometimes, but other times he just nibbles. Yesterday he ate a huge bowl of oatmeal plus banana bread and then nursed an hour later. Today, he had one cracker for lunch. Lol.

Happy nursing to everyone! 9 months is awesome!!

WisconsinCheese12 · December 2014

Usually 4-5 *goes to google percentiles because my pedi is a dumbA$$ and doesn't tell me that stuff *

WisconsinCheese12 · December 2014

Idk how reliable this site is but it said 37%

fish8412 · December 2014

I nurse LO about 5 times a day and she eats 3 solid meals a day. I nurse on demand, but our day usually looks about like this:

6am-wake, nurse, fall back asleep for about an hour

7am-up

8am-breakfast

10am-nurse, morning nap

1230pm-lunch

2pm-nurse, afternoon nap

530pm-dinner

7pm-nurse, bedtime

one feeding in the middle of the night, the time varies

kaking78 · December 2014

WisconsinCheese12 said:

Idk how reliable this site is but it said 37%

FWIW I put J's numbers in and the percentiles were pretty close to what the pediatrician told us.

SurpriseAt39 · December 2014

kaking78 said:

WisconsinCheese12 said:

Idk how reliable this site is but it said 37%

FWIW I put J's numbers in and the percentiles were pretty close to what the pediatrician told us.
----------------------
Almost exactly same percentiles on the chart you shared as what I got on https://www.childgrowthcalculator.com/#grafica_longitud
(They are both WHO charts)
But my doc doesn't give 'exact' percentiles. He gives the 'range' which puts us in the 50% range.

katka512 · December 2014

Thanks everyone! LO was cranky all yesterday afternoon and she's hardly ever like that. I think she was hungry after only nursing for a minute or two several times. Feeding 6 times a day isn't working for us. So thanks for the feedback because at least I know she's not the only baby eating 5 times a day! :-)

kaking78 · December 2014

@katka512 Since she won't nurse more frequently, have you tried about giving her more calorie-dense solid foods? I try to make sure that J gets yogurt, cheese, or egg yolk at least once a day. It's no substitute for milk but it will help her keep her weight up.

Natty13umppo · December 2014

LO nurses 5-6 times a day, but this past week she's been wanting to nurse like every 5 minutes.

But FWIW re: percentiles... I'm guessing your LO just dropped in percentiles and not in weight? As long as they are gaining weight, I think they are okay. With DD1, I had a problem because she was basically flat with weight gain from 4-6 months and then actually lost some weight after that and was down to below 10%. It was on demand and I just felt awful that she wasn't hungry enough or something. Like her cues weren't enough for her and I have should have known better to feed her more or something. I dunno. Anyway....I upped her nursing/added a feeding and she gained again and now is a 3 year old in the 90% for weight and height. Sooooo.... I guess my point is I would only worry if WEIGHT is going down, not percentiles.

katka512 · December 2014

@Natty13umppo‌ yes she only dropped in percentile. She gained almost 2 lbs since her last appt. I'm glad your DD is doing so well. It sounds like you understood how I felt after the appt!

@kaking78‌ thanks for the suggestion! She does get whole milk dairy nearly every day. I think I'll add some avocado to her diet too.

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