Is Your Baby Getting Enough To Eat?

Amy Spangler

Will my baby nurse if he gets hungry enough?

Shortly after I returned to work full-time a month ago, my son went on a nursing strike and refused to nurse in the evenings and weekend days. (He still nurses well in the middle of the night and first thing in the morning.)  At first my husband would give him a bottle of expressed milk while I pumped, but I did not think that was a good long-term solution and I really wanted him to resume nursing.  So this weekend he had no bottles at all. I figured if he got hungry enough, he would nurse. And he did, but only half-heartedly.  He would suck for a minute or two, then either get distracted or fall asleep or pull off and scream.  And he is not one of those super-efficient nursers, either, so I can't believe he was getting enough to eat.

Am I right to assume that he will nurse if he gets hungry enough, or should I be concerned that he is not getting enough to eat?  Will short-term calorie deprivation cause him any harm?  A little more background: he was 8 lbs. 3 oz. at birth and now is around 15 lbs.  He is long and wiry with little baby fat, is generally happy and active, has plenty of wet and dirty diapers, and is meeting developmental milestones appropriately.  Thanks for your input!





First of all, I would like to know, why you think that you are not producing enough milk?  So often, a mother's perception of inadequate milk supply is a misperception.  While Fenugreek seems to increase milk supply in some mothers, scientific evidence that it really works is limited.

Milk production is directly related to milk removal - the more milk you remove from the breast through breastfeeding or milk expression, the more milk you will make.  You can increase the frequency and length of breastfeedings or you can hand express or pump between feedings.  Both will effectively increase your milk supply, however, your baby is the more efficient.

It would be helpful to know your baby's birth weight and growth pattern over the past three months.  A normal growth pattern is generally a good indicator of whether a baby is getting enough to eat.

Should I supplement for my hungry baby?

I have noticed a pattern that Robert seems satisfied during the day, but at the feeding around 7 - 9 p.m., he cannot get enough.  He is emptying me out.  I have wanted to stay away from formula, but all of the nurses and lactation people I have spoken to all say to supplement with formula.  They have suggested to start with 1/2 ounce of formula. However, I have been doing this for two nights and he has taken 2 full ounces after breastfeeding.  Is this normal, or am I not producing enough milk for him? For your information, he was born at 8 pounds, 10 ounces.





To answer this question appropriately, I would need to know your son's feeding pattern during the day.  Babies need to breastfeed 8-12 times in 24 hours.  Some babies will breastfeed every 3-4 hours during the day and every 1-2 hours at night.  Others will breastfeed every 2-3 hours day and night.  Every baby is different.  If Robert breastfeeds every 4-5 hours during the day, he will need to eat more often in the evening, perhaps every hour. This is a normal feeding pattern. In addition, when babies sleep for an extended period at night for example a 4-5 hour stretch, they usually feed more often in the evening to store up calories for use during the night.

I would not recommend that you supplement your son's diet with infant formula.  The problem with formula supplementation is, the more you supplement, the less breastmilk Robert will eat, and the less breastmilk you will produce over time.  Also, you need to understand that there your breasts are never empty, but only more or less full depending on your son's nursing pattern.

Unless you have some medical history, such as prior breast surgery, that would put you at risk for inadequate milk production, it is very unlikely that you are unable to produce an adequate supply of milk.  If this is your first baby, it often takes several weeks or months to develop a breastfeeding routine. As long as your baby is breastfeeding frequently and gaining weight appropriately, there is no need to worry about his breastmilk intake.

How much should my 8 1/2 month old be eating?

Emric is very active at this point. He's crawling all over the place and standing up everywhere.  I'm more concerned about solid food intake.  Since he is more mobile he got thinner and lost a lot of baby fat, and since he's discovering the world he doesn't spend as much time on the breast.  So, how much should I be concerned and how much should he be eating (average, knowing that every baby is different).  I also noticed that the size of my breast has shrunk since the baby is more active (I'm not pregnant for sure).  Thank you!





During the second half of the first year of life, breastfed babies gain less weight than bottle-fed babies.  In terms of your son's need for solids, three meals a day plus morning and afternoon snacks are appropriate.  Because he is so active, I suggest that you offer finger foods, such as soft-cooked vegetables (carrots or peas) or soft fruits (bananas).  Many babies like to feed themselves, so you many find that this is an easier way to get him to eat solid foods.

The decrease in your breast size is normal.  As you make less milk, your breasts will be less full and may seem smaller.




 

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