This is the longest that I have breastfed and I am loving it. The problem is, I think my milk is not enough. During the day, my baby drinks formula but once I get home I nurse him. The reason why I am saying that I feel that my milk isn't enough is because he nurses almost every 2 hours through the night. Although he doesn't really wake up, he becomes restless and automatically latches on once the 'food' is offered to him. I don't want to stop breastfeeding and what I want to know now is how to increase my milk supply. I have been taking supplements, drinking a lot of water and soup but it still isn't enough.
Help?
5 comments:
I wish that I had some good advice for you, but I don't. My daughter has been very much the same way since she was about six months old. Every few hours at night, latching on although she is still mostly asleep. I've always thought it to be comfort for her, not lack of supply from me.
Before bed, how does he nurse? Is it the same every two hours? Or can he go longer? What about on weekends when you are home for a longer time?
My money would bet if this is only a problem while sleeping, it's a comfort thing and not a lack of milk thing.
Jac @ www.wuzzlemakesthree.com
Gosh, I have no idea. Maybe "Google" for the info.
He could be going through a growth spurt. Ms. D did a lot of cluster feeding like that periodically during the first year when she was going through growth spurts. Sometimes it seemed like the growth spurts were constant, but she eventually leveled out. The only way I know of the increase supply is to let the baby nurse as often as they want.
The other commenters are also probably right that some of it is just his comfort nursing too.
Are you pumping while your baby is receiving formula?
I had to do that to keep my milk supply up while I was away at work.
Breastmilk is also very easily digested by babies. More so than formula. So formula may sit in his stomach longer than breastmilk giving the feeling of fullness longer. As another commentator mentioned, he may also be cluster feeding or seeking comfort.
Any chance he's teething?
I was going to suggest pumping like Sandy did, that will increase your milk supply for sure.
It does sound like it could be teething or anything else that might make him want the comfort of nursing with mommy at night.
I had low milk supply for both kids, but they did like the nursing for comfort and closeness. I nursed and supplemented with formula too.
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