Lazy latch and very distractible baby..Lowered milk supply?

[@llli*bonniefleming]

So LO is 4.5 months old and I guess from what I have been reading and noticing that being quite distracted is normal at this stage. The problem is that I think my milk supply may have dropped a bit. She seems to only nurse until the letdown ends and then starts tugging like mad at my nipples. I also noticed she doesn't seem to open as wide, she likes to slurp my nipple into her mouth. I'm thinking this combo has led to poor milk transfer? She was gaining 2 lbs a month but at her 4 month checkup she had only gained 2lbs in two months. The doc said this was normal for weight gain to slow but I thought that was around 6 months? It wasn't my usual dr.
At night she is constantly yanking on my nipples and it hurts! They're bruising!
Anything I can do?

[@llli*bonniefleming]

Bump!

I'm desperate. It feels like she hardly feeds long at all, like 2-3 mins, I have to keep switching back and forth and it's like she keeps giving up and stops sucking. I'm getting so stressed out. This morning it took about 15 mins before my milk let down and I'm being horrible to my 2.5 yr old. I really don't know what's happening.

[@llli*mommal]

Aw, mama! Sorry you're having a tough time! I hope it will reassure you if I say that what you describe sounds pretty normal for this age. Being distractible: normal. Faster feedings: normal. Baby acting frustrated once letdown ends: normal. Supply down a bit compared to the first couple of months of nursing: normal (milk supply tends to be most abundant in early infancy, and then adjust to match baby's demand very exactly).

You're right that weight gain typically does not slow until the 4-6 month window (see: http://kellymom.com/bf/normal/weight-gain/) but high active babies sometimes slow down a little earlier.

Just checking- any chance of pregnancy? And what form of contraception are you using, if any?

If you could post a complete weight history- birth weight, lowest weight, weight at each checkup- we might be able to reassure you a little more.

[@llli*bonniefleming]

No chance of pregnancy (you actually got to do the deed and this mama has no desire to right now)
Birth weight she was 6.05 lbs, then she lost 10% according to LC two days later. Then by two month check up she was up to 10lb (was gaining two lbs a month) ans her 4 month checkup she was 12 lbs. could her weight slow that much??

[@llli*mommal]

Check out this chart: http://kellymom.com/images/growth/growthcharts.gif She hasn't slowed down all that much, based on percentiles. Is she a particularly active baby? They often start to "lean out" earlier than their more sedentary peers.