About to give up

[@llli*utmama]

I am at point of frustration that I want to give up BF. I really wanted it to work but it just doesn't seem to be. I am constantly struggling with supply. My LO has a horribly shallow and lazy latch. She only nurses for a few mins. on one side each feeding. By weight check she is only getting 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 oz. at each feeding. This weekend I started feeding her every 1 1/2 to 2 hours during the day. That gave her 10-11 feedings in a day which increased my supply, but in a day or so it went back down. I can't keep feeding her more frequent or we will be nursing 24/7. I have never been able to read her hunger cues. Matter of fact, I'm not sure she has any except crying which is past the point that I would want to feed her. She does feariously each her hands but she does that all of the time. So, either it isn't a cue or she is hungry all of the time. To top it all off, she won't take bottle. We are trying to work on it, but i have to have BM to put in the bottles that I can accept will most probably be thrown away. Since I am worried about my supply and her getting enough since she seems to be able to get milk when it is free flowing, I worry that if I pump, she won't get what she needs. I have considered using formula, but I am worried that that is a slippery slope especially with a supply issue.

[@llli*bellababy]

1.5 to 2.5 oz each feeding sounds really good to me. How has her weight gain been? Her wet and dirty diapers?

[@llli*aprilsmagic]

1.5 to 2.5 oz each feeding sounds really good to me. How has her weight gain been? Her wet and dirty diapers?

[@llli*utmama]

I guess I should have mentioned that she is almost 10 weeks old. Her weight gain has been good so far, but over the last few days, I really don't think she has gained any weight. She is still having enough peepee diapers. Her poopy is all over the map. She had a few days of no poopy a couple of weeks ago. Then, she was having 3-4 a day. The past couple of days she has had 7-9 poopy diapers a day. My concern with 1.5 - 2.5oz per feeding is that she typically feeds only 7-8 times a day. At 10 feedings a day, it would be ok.

[@llli*mommal]

It sounds like your main problem is confidence! Her weight gain is normal, her intake is normal (I know 1.5-2.5 oz seems like a very small amount compared to what formula-fed babies get in their bottles, but remember that breastmilk is digested very completely and formula is not), her nursing frequency is normal, her pee and poop frequency is normal... It's all normal, mama!

The nursing behavior you describe is frustrating- but also normal. Hand-sucking can be a reliable hunger cue in a young baby, but older babies tend to start hand-sucking for fun. They can also go from zero to sixty in a heartbeat when it comes to hunger cues. Both my girls were like that. They went from fine to screaming in a moment, with no intermediate step of hand-sucking or rooting or anything.

[@llli*lizziesmom]

I agree that what you are describing sounds normal. You said your LO has a lazy, shallow latch. What have you done to help correct that? Latch problems can be the worst, often because they result in nipple damage or pain. If you're not having pain, then the other issue with latch problems is they can mean poor milk transfer, but it does sound like your baby is getting enough.

My daughter has had a terrible latch from day one. I did everything everyone told me would help, but it never did. The only thing that has helped is time and growth. She still latches shallowly, but her mouth is big enough that it is no longer excruciating.

The other thing I identify with in your story is not being able to read hunger cues. I was pretty bad at that, too, until DD was old enough to lung at my chest when she wanted to nurse . What I ended up doing was just getting in the habit of offering to nurse really frequently, more often than MIL thought necessary, BTW . I think what you were doing, offering to nurse every 1 1/2 - 2 hours, is probably pretty smart. I know it can start to feel like you are nursing constantly, but it does mean you take care of her needs before they become pressing, which means less crying (good for everybody.)

[@llli*jamielee]

[/QUOTE]Hand-sucking can be a reliable hunger cue in a young baby, but older babies tend to start hand-sucking for fun. They can also go from zero to sixty in a heartbeat when it comes to hunger cues. Both my girls were like that. They went from fine to screaming in a moment, with no intermediate step of hand-sucking or rooting or anything.[/QUOTE]


my DD is 14wks now and she is constantly sucking her hands. Sometimes she will have her face covered with her own saliva.

[@llli*aprilsmagic]

My concern with 1.5 - 2.5oz per feeding is that she typically feeds only 7-8 times a day. At 10 feedings a day, it would be ok.

Stop measuring You don't have to. Some BF babies take less than others. But it's 100% digestible, so they get every last big of goodness out of it. It's fine! Sounds like she has more than enough wet and poopy diapers, and it's all good!

I just fed anytime I thought the baby would take it My first went from nothing to starving in about 2 seconds flat, so I got pretty hypersensitive about nursing whenever I could. The second never made a peep; I think he figured I'd get around to feeding him at some point. Third would fuss a bit. Fourth just demands to eat and starts in crying.

[@llli*efifer]

I totally agree with pp's, it sounds pretty normal to me. It sounds like your concerned about her weight gain and maybe concerned or frustrated with feeling like you're constantly nursing. I would say that, as long as her pee pee diapers are OK, she's probably getting enough. My first was as regular as clockwork with poops, this one is all over the map. At 10 months, she's finally settling down to a couple of poops a day, but there were times it was daily and times it was a few days between poops!
As far as constantly nursing, just hang in there and remember this will pass! At 10 weeks, she may be in the middle of a growth spurt! Try to hang in a couple more weeks and maybe things will settle down!

[@llli*redpowerlady]

Some, ok most, 10 week olds like to nurse all day. I agree with ladies, her behaviors are in range of normal. What I want to know is what is bothering you? Do you have pain? Is someone filling you with doubt? No support? Feeling lonely? Feeling stuck inside or on the couch?