Not sure what to do at this point.

[@llli*anarevalo1122]

I posted a thread about my one month old nursing for an hour and half every time he eats. Because he cries when taken off the breast with fists in mouth. But for some reason when given a 4 oz bottle of my breastmilk he usually is fine?? he doesnt cry or starting rooting with fists in mouth. I usually pump about 3 oz from both breasts and I know baby is more efficient so he should be getting 4 oz at each feeding. but he almost 5 weeks and still wants to nurse about 90-120 min every time. Also for the past few days he has been extra fussy. When he eats, you can hear it go down to his tummy and when he starts getting fussy... you can feel the gas in his stomach rumbling when you touch his tummy. its horrible today, you could actually HEAR his stomach gurgling after eating. And he fussy this morning again. My mother in law wants to me to go all formula. but ive made it this far I really want to get past this and get to point where I stop stressing and I just feed my happy and content baby. but It is so tempting to go to formula. I feel like I cant just enjoy my baby and be the happy mommy he needs when Im stressed all the time. What should I take out of my diet to see if it helps? I am drinking almond milk in cereal, and was only occasionally having cheese and chocolate but I am willing to cut it all out. Anything else I should try??? I just want my baby happy!!

[@llli*jenna562]

Sounds fairly normal to me actually. Do you notice super mucusy stools? I wouldn't suspect a dairy allergy because of gas. Have you tried different positions? You are headed into a big growth spurt time so around the clock nursing and fussing is expected and normal.


I have no idea what MIL thinks will be cured with formula! If anything it's harder for baby to digest.

[@llli*lllmeg]

What to do depends on this question...Is baby gaining well with nursing only? If baby is, then there is no need to ever give your baby anything else-not your milk in a bottle or formula. Just keep nursing, all is well. If baby is getting enough via nursing and nursing is comfortable for mom, there is in all likelihood nothing wrong at all.

If baby is NOT gaining as he should just from nursing, then you want to find out why your baby is not able to get enough milk at the breast while supplementing as needed, with your own milk where possible, in a breastfeeding supportive way.
IF your baby is gaining properly by nursing, but you are concerned about the length of feedings, then all you may need to do-if anything-is to tweak breastfeeding a little. It also may help to remember that 1) It is normal for some babies to take longer at the breast in the early weeks-yes, an hour or more sometimes. 2) baby will normally get more efficient and thus quicker at the breast in the coming months, 3) The breast is not interchangeable with a bottle. They are completely different. What a baby takes from a bottle is meaningless. A baby taking a lot from a bottle does not mean baby is hungry or needed it. And a pump is totally different than a nursing baby. What you pump has no correlation to what baby gets when nursing. Yes, typically, an effectively nursing baby will extract more than a pump in general. But this could be affected by many things... in other words, there is no reason to think that a one month old "should" be taking in 4 ounces per nursing session. Some might take in that much, others would be taking in as little as 2 ounces or so, all normal. and finally- 4) nursing is more than a feeding method. Babies nurse for comfort as well as food, this is normal and needed.

Doesn't your tummy ever gurgle after eating? This is not horrible, it is normal. An infant has an immature digestive system, and it is breastmilk that is easiest for baby to digest and will properly prepare the gut for other foods. In other words, IF your baby has digestive issues-which I doubt-the last thing you want to do is give formula when breastmilk is available.

For long feedings, you can try 1) feeding baby very frequently, on babies earliest cues. -long feedings are sometimes the result of mom scheduling baby or trying to go a certain amount of time between nursing sessions. This is neither helpful nor needed. 2) breast compressions to help baby get more in a shorter period of time and 3) have breastfeeding assessed by an IBCLC to see if baby really has unusual trouble nursing efficiently.


what is normal in newborn period- http://kellymom.com/bf/normal/newborn-nursing/

breast compressions- http://www.nbci.ca/index.php?option=...tion&Itemid=17

[@llli*mommal]

with the excellent advice from the PPs. I would like to add that 4 oz is a very large feeding for a young baby. 2-4 oz is more typical. So when a baby eats a 4 oz bottle, he ends up stuffed to the gills, and that often results in baby acting very "good", because he's pretty much too full to do anything but lie around.

If you don't like your MIL's advice- and I certainly don't!- I would not let her think that it is welcome. If you're uncomfortable saying "If you can't say something supportive, please don't say anything at all", have your husband do it.

[@llli*lllmeg]

I forgot to add-unless your baby needs your expressed milk due to troubling slow weight gain or separations, there is no need to pump. Pumping is a ton of extra work for mom and is very likely to interfere with your enjoyment of nursing esp. in the early days. If someone is telling you to pump milk so they can give baby a bottle, suggest other ways they can help with baby. If possible, all feedings should be at the breast.

oh and this may help you-and you mil...

differences between breastfeeding and formula feeding http://www.llli.org/docs/00000000000...tgoodsense.pdf
and your grandchild is breastfed? http://www.llli.org/docs/00000000000...sbreastfed.pdf