hi i am worried about our 2 week old son. he suddenly seems to be on the breast all the time in the last 30 hours. is this natural and can my wife run out of milk?
groth spurt: hi i am worried about our... - Pregnancy and Par...
groth spurt
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vicfzy
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Both mine had a growth spurt at this age, and to bump up that milk supply, they do extra feeding. Should calm down in the next day or two. And no, the more a lady uses her breasts, the more milk is produced( prolactin, the hormone used to make milk, is released during feeding) don't worry, they do this from time to time just go with it and trust that it will not last long!
Hi it's.completely normal at this age and bf works on supply and demand so lo will be getting all he needs x
Do not fret. Completely normal....my boy is nearly 11 weeks and we've had a number of these episodes. Your wife can't run out of milk but she may very well run out of patience.
1) Speak to your midwife or health visitor - they should have given you loads of breastfeeding info and also about local support for you and your wife.
2) Attend a breastfeeding support group - if she can - if she tied to your baby, she may not have strength but these growth spurts only last a few days at most, then there will be a lull : remember baby will be just as tired as mum and once the direct need is over they will both collapse for a few days and need lots of sleep and rest. There are breastfeeding counsellors at these groups as well as lots of other mums going through or having gone through the same.
3) Google "power pumping", to help your wife increase supply by expressing and draining the breasts between feeds. You'll need a good lightweight electric pump like Medela Swing - power pumping means once a day pumping for short bursts over an hour. Over time she will begin to increase her supply - and maybe the force at which it comes out too (!) but it may help baby become more efficient in getting what they need from her.
4) Fennel and Fenugreek are said to help increase supply - I buy pukka 3 fennel tea - but there are also specially formulated Nursing Teas - I use Nueners Organic Nursing tea. The jury is out in some quarters as to whether they really help but I found that they do and quite frankly after you've been up for 48 hours and your nipples are hanging off anything is worth trying.
5) Keep looking after and caring for your wife. She needs your support, love and attention more than ever. Try and figure out a way to enable her to get a regular amount of sleep each day. My hubby comes in from work, walks dog, we eat and then I go to bed from 8-11.30pm and he looks after baby. We invested in Medela calma teet bottles and he either fed expressed milk or a formula if I hadn't had time. You may not want to use formula to top up but as we'd combination fed at beginning (I was c section and it took 5 days for milk to start and 9 days for baby to latch) it doesn't appear to have affected my milk supply or baby to use 120ml a day when needed. We use the ready made cartons for speed or made up a bottle with powder and kept in the fridge. I know breastfeeding purists won't agree, but during growth spurts when I felt empty and drained and couldn't give anymore of my self, I asked hubby to give him a bottle for me. Our motto is and will forever be - whatever works. Now at 11 weeks we've had time to get into daytime and night time routines a bit (albeit with a false sense of security sometimes) and baby has started to sleep for 4-5 hours anyway - I just go to bed when baby goes to bed and hubby cleans around house and gets to put his feet up for a few hours after a long day at work.
6) Remember this is just a phase - it will change and end and you will both increase in confidence to know what's going on.
7) Keep at it. The first 4 weeks are the hardest and it is so easy to give up. But breastfeeding does get easier and more rewarding and it's a lot less hassle, healthier and cheaper than formula feeding. It's brilliant now as my little one goes through developmental leaps and gets clingy and scared as a result that I can soothe him immediately without waiting 10 mins for formula to heat up or cool down.
8) And remember, when you fly, for safety purposes, parents are told to put their oxygen masks on before their children's. Take this lesson woth you. If you are knackered and burnt out, you can't look after baby properly - make sure mum has plenty of good healthy food, drinks a glass of water at least every hour, gets rest wherever she can and is comfortable before she starts feeding - that means reminding her to go for a pee and making her breakfast in bed every morning and making sure cupboards are stocked with finger foods before leaving her alone.
9) And don't forget, you may not be able to breastfeed but you can wind baby when they've finished feeding, get baby from crib for feeds and put them back, soothe them while mum runs for a midnight wee etc. My hubby thought he was being helpful by only ever suggesting he gave baby a bottle if it was all getting me down - but all this did was destroy my confidence and nearly make me give up altogether. Let her lead on the feeding, so that she increases and maintains her confidence through the hard times to the good.
Good Luck (May the forth be with you!!)
xx
You're doing great.
It's totally normal. Great onfo above but please don't pump though until the baby is a few weeks old though or you can end up with an over supply. The more your baby drinks the more milk your wife will make. She can't run out boobs produce milk all the time. Have a look on the website kellymom for breast feeding help.
Hello, no need to be worried - your boy is doing exactly what he should be doing at this age. The best thing your wife can do is keep feeding him when he shows signs he's hungry. That will help boost her milk supply.
Breastfeeding can be such a worry in the early days because you can't see what baby is getting. Just when it seems like you have a rhythm going, baby has a growth spurt and the feeding habits change! But if you can persevere it is so worth it.
It took me at least 8 weeks before I felt confident with breastfeeding and stopped worrying that my baby wasn't getting enough. He's now 4 and half months, exclusively breastfed and growing just perfectly I still feed on demand, it's the best thing for milk supply.
Make sure you are taking the baby to weighed when recommended by the clinic to keep an eye on his growth. That way if there are any problems they are picked up early...
The first few weeks are the hardest. Especially if this is your first and you've no idea if what you are doing is right and nothing to compare it too. I know my husband found the first couple of months really hard because he couldn't help with the feeding. In all honesty I didn't need help with feeding, I just needed encouragement and for the hard work I was putting in to be praised! Don't underestimate the value in that kind of support!
Thank each and every one of you for your replies. It has put my wife and mine minds at ease. He is a lot better today. Still a little grumpy and sickley.
Thank you again.
Oh forgot to check - did you know you can freeze expressed milk? - if there is any over supply after a growth spurt - express off and you can buy Breastmilk freezer pouches - I use Boots ones, couple of quid for 30. That way we keep a stock in emergencies - if I'm poorly or have to go to an appointment alone or in anticipation of next growth spurt - the milk early on changes to keep up with his needs but it's the gold top stuff 
May sound like a strange comment but does he have one breast or 2 when you feed? My daughter used to.have one and be feeding every hour until I started giving her one, winding her then letting her have the second x
It can be so draining but tell her to just keep at it,it will.pay off, I used to sit crying that I couldn't do.it anymore, but felt guilty for feeling like that so I persevered. It payed off but I remember thinking that I'd done nothing all day other than feed, which was hard for my partner too as he couldn't help. I second trying the breastfeeding support groups too though
The above replies are all great, but in addition to that Mum needs to eat well throughout the day and drink plenty of water as well to keep up with the demand. Also Pregnacare breastfeeding supplements are great to start at any time to keep her energy levels up and also ensure that both Mum and baby are getting the best. My little one is 10 weeks and loves breast milk. I keep a bottle of water next to my bed for when I wake up to do the night feeds. She has gained a lot of weight,not to mention the immunity benefit and all the other advantages of course, testimony that Mums breast milk is best. Keep going ladies, it is all worth while.
Thank u. I make shure she eats. After she has fed hum I wind him then change him then daddy cuddles.
Yes there is a need to eat well but during growth spurts I found myself eating biscuits and whatever else was easily accessible as I had no time to prepare food, did try to drink.lots though, glad he seems more settled now though!
I make shure she eats and drinks properly. She eats while I wind change him and have dad cuddles. Hope u r eating properly now.
Once again. Thank you for all ur advice.
He is so hugry again today surely he Carnt be on another groth spurt again 3 days after his last 1?
Cluster feeding is a normal part of the feeding pattern for the first few months. I had a period when my 5 month old was feeding for twenty minutes every hour. Things change, but with babies you airways just need to go with the flow. It's normal. Feeding frequently is because breast milk is easily digested because it is their natural food, whereas formula takes longer to digest food the same nutritional amounts because it isn't quite what they are set up to do.
Your baby's habits will change from day to day and week to week.
It may be worth trying a sling, like a stretchy wrap so your wife can feed whilst moving around the house. I found mine invaluable. If you aren't sure about slings, look up your local skiing library who can usual rent you one with full instructions and demonstrations on how to use them safely.
