Hungry Baby... Help Please!

I went threw the same with my 1mo. old. My mom told to me to give him a tblspoon, of cereal in his formula, it worked great, and we all got some sleep at night. I only gave it to him at night at first then breakfast and lunch time. Pick a rice cereal, the banana, or oatmeal will clog the nipple, just a tablspoon that's all you'll need, M.

I had the same problem with my two boys. It was back when they didn't advocate the idea of no food till 6 months and very limited milk to avoid obesity or allergies and all that -- they are 38 and 42. What I did was to supplement but I added just a little cereal to the supplement. They were taking a full 8 ounces at 2 or 3 weeks and still hungry but the cereal fixed things right up. They ate babyfood very early and were on table food early, too. We're talking meat and veggies -- not just fruit and the sweet stuff. They have always been very good eaters and have never been obese. They are both over 6 feet tall and are very healthy -- no allergies or anything like that. I just can't handle hearing a baby cry because of hunger. I really feel that sometimes Mom knows her baby just a little better than Doctor or some diet councelor does.

A.,
I had plenty of milk with all three of my children, it just wasn't strong enough for them. I ended up puttin all three of mine on formula. However, if I were you, I would ask the pediatrician since you tried to supplement and it didn't help. Maybe there is something else.

Hi A.,
Just keep breastfeeding for as long as you can. If he is not gaining weight like he should then you will need to supplement. It is no reflection on you as a parent if you end up supplementing a bit. Don't let hardcore breastfeeding enthusiasts tell you not to supplement now matter what if you end up needing to.

I breastfed both of my girls, but my milk dried up after a couple of months with each one. With my oldest, I was determined not to give up, and even though the quality of milk seemed fine at first, she, too, was sucking on her fist and crying after an hour/hour and a half. I was told by several not to give up and not to supplement, that eventually more milk would come in. It didn't. You may be different, so keep trying, but don't be discouraged if your little boy needs a little bit more than what you can give him.

I also began pumping more milk in between feedings to stimulate my body to produce more, but I couldn't get large quantities in the bottle because I was breastfeeding her so often. Then I tried going longer between her feedings so that my milk would build up, but the poor thing was ravenous and would go through the little bit I had pumped earlier in a flash. It was frustrating for me and I was so tired.

Once I began supplementing with formula, she let me know how much she appreciated it, and consumed more formula than I had ever produced with my breasts! Unfortunately, she began to prefer the bottle to my breast once she realized that more was coming from that area.

With my second, my milk supply was of a higher quality for a longer period of time, and she didn't cry between feedings like my first one. But, eventually, the supply also ran out, and my milk became a bit bluish-tinted - a sign of thin milk.

I believe that lack of sleep/stress from feeding so often perpetuates the problem. I tried the teas and did everything they said to do. But what it all came down to for me was that I was stressed out because I wanted to nurse 100% (with no formula) and I wanted to be successful at it.

Looking back, I did the best I could, and I should have been at peace with that instead of putting so much pressure on myself. I was much more relaxed with my second, which is why, I believe, I had more milk. I also was getting more sleep with her because she was a sleeper and could sleep for 4 hours when she was a newborn between feedings.

I will say a prayer for you - may God give you peace and many blessings for you and your family!

Your pediatrician should be able to determine if he's getting enough by how much weight he is gaining, and if you pump a time or two you can see how much you are getting. When my son was a newborn, he was unsettled unless he was sucking on a pacifier, until he found his thumb at 4 months, and now at 3 1/2 he is still sucking at it (we're trying to break him of it.)

It also took a while to figure out what would make him happy at night for sleeping. He didn't like sleeping with me in bed, he didn't like sleeping in his cosleeper... finally by accident we figured out that he liked sleeping in a carseat. That way, instead of being flat, he was in a cuddly position with his head up a bit, and he finally started sleeping at night. We put the carseat in his cosleeper until he was old enough to start getting out of it.

Also, it took my milk a good week to come in, so I supplemented with formula the first week or so, then I pumped and would sometimes bottle feed him that. Doing all that messed up any developing rhythm between us, and it took us until he was three months old to get in sync with each other for nursing.

I'm not sure how much you are drinking, but with my first son (who was premature and spent 6 weeks in the hospital, so I was around lactation consultants and such all day every day) they did say it was possible to drink too much. Yes, you do need to drink a lot, but drinking too much, they said, could shut off your supply as well. I don't remember what the cutoff was for too much - you might research that.

Best wishes and I hope you figure out what your little guy needs; I know how difficult it can be.

Like the other responder, I am going to suggest the possibility that your baby may have reflux. Even if he isn't spitting up a lot, he could still have what's called "silent reflux" where the stomach contents come back up into the baby's throat, but then the baby swallows it back down. The acid burns the baby's throat and causes pain.

Just because your baby is crying a lot, doesn't mean that he's necessarily hungry. It could be due to pain from reflux, or he may have colic. Try keeping him upright after feedings. You could try wearing him in a sling between feedings. The constant feeding could actually be making the reflux worse, since his stomach may be constantly full. Some babies also just have a strong need to suck. Have you tried a pacifier?

Mention it to your pediatrician. He/she could prescribe medication for reflux to see if it helps the baby's crying. You could also try giving him 1 tsp of Mylanta prior to feedings. You can do this up to 3 times per day and see if it helps. If so, that's a pretty good indication that he has reflux. There are several different medications that your pediatrician could prescribe to help.

Also have you tried pumping to see how much milk you can get? More than likely, if you're feeding that much, your supply should be plentiful.

Hope this helps, and good luck!

Breast feeding is just really hard. No one ever talks about that, they just say how wonderful it is. There's a book out called The Baby Whisperer by Tracy Hogg that is great for mom's with infants. There's a section in the book that she talks about breast feeding and the different levels of the milk that you have. Your baby may only be getting the foremilk and not the hind milk - the good stuff. Take a look at the book, it's a great read!

Looks like you have gotten a lot of responses, and I haven't read them all. But my first child (now three years old) did the same thing. I swear that child nursed every hour for the first 4 months of his life! I learned my lesson with him! I have since had two other kiddos (one now two years, and one that is 5 months old). Looking back, I see I was his "pacifier" for those first months. He wasn't hungry all that time!!! A baby should eat every 2 to 3 hours. If he is gaining weight, then he is getting sufficient milk. I was always so worried that he wasn't getting enough to eat, since I was breastfeeding. Be sure to watch your diet too - I think things I was eating might have messed with my little guys belly (things that weren't usual tummy problems, like bacon!). Try your hardest to get him on a routine. Not neccesarily a schedule, but a routine. I tried for months to get mine on the same schedule everyday, and we were all miserable. But we DID do a schedule, so he know what to expect. Sleep...eat...wake time. I promise it will get better! Like I said, it took me having my third baby to have it all figured out! And I have breastfed all of them. Best of luck!

Hi A.

Reading what you have said reminds me of my little one. He nursed NON-STOP. Found out he had reflux. Nursing/suckling I guess felt better than what the burn on the throat feels like with reflux. Maybe others have some suggestions for you. I hope you can figure it out and hang in there.
Good Luck to you.
J.

What does the doctor say? Its more important that the baby get his nutrition than that you breastfeed only, and I am big on breastfeeding and exclusively breastfeed my kids for two years each. My sister needed to supplement for the first few months, but then was able to breastfeed. At any rate, I would be asking my doctor, and do whatever it takes, formula or otherwise, to make sure your baby gets his nutrition needs met at this critical stage in his development.

Is it possible that something else is bothering him? My little guy put the fist in the mouth because his gums were hurting him. I've heard of babies starting the teething process around the 2nd month...maybe that is a consideration. As far as feeding... it sounds like you are doing everything right. I ended up having to supplement and this is what I did. First, and you probably know this already, this is the perfect time for you to introduce the bottle so that you may have a break/Dad may bond with him during feeding/others can help you out. Plus, in about 3-5 weeks he will refuse to take a bottle then you have a whole other battle on your hands. Are you pumping? This is something that you may want to start so that you can freeze for a later date. I would feed for 20 minutes then pump right away. Anyway, when I was 5-6 months my supply started to diminish so I had to supplement. After much trial and error, I used Similac Advanced and added 1oz. to each bottle of breast milk RIGHT BEFORE he was going to eat. Then every week I increased by one ounce. I continued to breast feed and pump and Dad loved being able to share the feeding responsibilities. Such a big help in relieving me from being exhausted from the continuous breast feeding! Good luck to you!

First of all you are doing everything right and remember that this will all only be temporary. I have a 13 month old who is still breastfeeding and it is wonderful if you can make it past the first few months. My son ate every 45min-1hour for the first 6 weeks of his life. Believe me I wanted to give him a bottle so many times. I have talked to other breastfeeding mothers since then and discovered this is normal. You will spend 5-6 hours of your day nursing. For a little while. I think this sounds like your son is normal and not hungry due to a lack of milk on your part. Your body will produce more milk if he is nursing often. Doctors and hospitals are so used to babies being fed formula that they offer a 2-3 hour feeding schedule like this is the best thing for all babies. Unfortunately it makes you feel inadequate if your baby is hungry more often. I promise in another month or so your baby will start to eat less often. Until then enjoy it because before you know it you will have a toddler who barely has time for you to give him a hug before he runs off.

I read some of the other responses and I forgot to say that at 5 weeks old I gave my son a pacifier. Sometimes he did want to suck but not eat. Make sure he is still eating first but sometimes a paci is great.

Oh my gosh I had the same exact issue with my little girl now 3! She was miserable and I was making a ton of milk! She just was so hungry..and I was miserable. I spent all day feeding her. I then had to take some medication for postpartum depression and had to stop and give her formula. She was finally full!! I'm not saying quit breastfeeding, but if your baby is that hungry (and believe me I understand) supplement with formula or switch to formula. I truly believe in breast feeding and know it is the best and really wanted to do that solely for my daughter (I did for my first daughter and it was great), however a miserable mom and baby isn't good at all - just do what makes sense for both of you and take the stress out of such a wonderful time. Good luck!

Sounds like reflux.

My son and daughter both had this. There is a lot of information on the internet about this condition.

It will make him feel like he's hungry when actually his stomach needs a break. You need a break too.

A pediatrician can evaluate him and prescribe some infant heartburn medicine that tastes like mint. Try this remedy we used on our son: 1/4 tsp Mylanta Supreme and 1 dose of infant tylenol 20 minutes before nursing.

Get him on a 4 hour feeding schedule to allow his stomach to calm down between feedings. Put him to sleep in a bouncy chair or cradle swing to keep his head elevated.

Also, watch the "Happiest Baby on the Block" DVD to make your baby stop crying and get some sleep. It really really works and the video may be available at your library.

This could also be the symptom of a variety of metabolic disorders. A pediatricians visit is definately warranted.

I didn't have time to read all the other replies, so sorry if I'm repeating. You should be drinking at least 8 - 10 8oz glasses of water per day, or more. Lots or fruit & veggies and protein. There are many plant based proteins options, maybe increase those. He may be crying cause enough is not coming out, or lack or nutrition of the milk, or some other reason like gas. Try a tiny tiny amount of baking some on your nipple on occasion to see if helps. Another mother shared the BS trick w/ me. It's so much cheaper than those expensive bottles or gas relief on the shelf.

As another mom mentioned, hopefully as he gets older, he'll grow out of that. I wish you the best of luck. I struggled myself and couldn't breastfeed for long due to thyroid issues.

My son, who is now 4, was the same way...turns out he had colic. Once we put him on the gas drops, he did much better. Also, you want to make sure that he's latching on properly. As the other ladies said, make sure that he's having plenty of wet diapers and gaining weight. Talk to your pediatrician.

it is better put the breastfeed milk in a bottle then let the baby suck your breast. It is hard to break the baby away from you. yeah they are hungry and sleeping and he need change of diaper and a plastic ( what they call to help the baby calm down ). But I would not worry about it they always get sleeping and put to a swinging seat and a little bed with music they will get better while they grow sometime a little bit of milk but not to over feed will help.Just don't hold the baby too much haha.

The first thing to remember is that breastmilk digests very easily, and very fast, so, in those early days - it seems like you breastfeed ALL THE TIME, and, you just can't understand why in the world they could still be hungry!! My daughter would "eat" for 4hrs straight, pull off, and go right back on 20-30 minutes later. In all honesty, it drove me nuts and I cried soooo much in the beginning. I was sore from nursing, and frustrated because I felt like I couldn't do anything.
THOSE DAYS WILL PASS!!!!!
I really suggest not supplimenting as this will decrease your milk supply, and, babies just need to suck! She is not only nursing for food, but for comfort as well. She needs mommy!!! If you feel like you need to "supplement" do not use formula!!! Pump your milk, and give her that to give yourself a break. That way you keep your milk supply up, and she still gets breastmilk. That's what I did - and sometimes, I would pump and let my husband or mom feed the baby at night to give myself some rest.
Even if you're milk is OK now, if you supplement w/ formula, this could hurt your supply in the future - so its not a good habit to get into - not to mention, formula is not really good for babies, so if you can avoid it - it is advisable!!!
You have to also remember that formula-fed babies, and babies that are (especially) less than 6mnths old getting cereal mixed with their milk are not "full" they are completely stuffed!!! Babies stomachs are sooooo small!!! About the size of a walnut at birth (rememeber, your stomach is the size of your fist - look how small their little fists are!). When you give them milk from a bottle, they eat more than at the breast. You will see 1yr old breastfed babies eating little more than 4-5oz from a bottle... and 1yr old forumla-fed babies eating 8-9+oz at a time. When they eat formula at this age, they are getting WAY TOO MUCH!!! Especially if you give them cereal that young. Babies stomachs were not meant to digest that type of food at that age - that's why mommies make milk. We, as parents, have to realize that we have more of a responsibility than just getting our babies to sleep - parenting is very very involved, and the fact that they need you so much, is one of the great things about being a mommy. You will never have another time in your life where someone will love you so much. That's how I think about it - it is just so precious that they are the only person in the world that wants nothing more than to be near you and be loved by you. So, nursing is not only about nutrition, its about emotional well being for them as well.
My best advice (and this is what worked for me) is to find another way to soothe him. Your best bet would be a Moby wrap or a Sleepy Wrap to wear your baby (and this can also lend itself to hands-free nursing!!!). For 9mnths he was with you ALL the time - he wants that comfort now just as he did then - the only difference, you can hear him telling you now - before, he would just kick you every once in a while! lol Wraps can hold babies up to 35lbs - so its well worth your money (about $40). Your baby is more than likely not hungry all the time, but wanting a lot of comfort as well. Babies that are "worn" are happier and cry less. They get to be close to mommy, and mommy gets some sanity back because she can do dishes, clean the house, fix dinner...etc, all at the same time. They usually work better than pacifiers too!!!
Trust me, this works! I don't know what I would have done without my moby!!! My daughter, now, has about 10 minute nursing sessions (is almost exclusively breastfed) and will be 1yr next week. No pacifier, and she still likes the moby once in a while. Everyone tells me how much of a happy baby she is - and I know its because of the way I have chosen parent. I love "wearing" her - and taking walks. Its a great way to bond and not feel tied down!

It sounds like you're on the right track, just keep nursing him! I bf all my 7 kids approx 3 yrs each. Each had a different style of nursing. The two extremes were, one who nursed for an hour, every two hours for the first two yrs, refusing all else, would not take bottles, pacifiers, or other foods at all, then she finally startied eating other foods around two yrs,gradually tapered off bf until fully weaned at 4yrs. On the other extreme, I had one who nursed for 10 minutes every five hrs for 5 months, then got interested in table food, she also sucked her thumb, but finally weaned at 3 yrs.

Another thing to consider is that 8 oz of water is only one glass, not nearly enough! You should be drinking 8 glasses, not 8 oz of water daily! Also, some herbs tend to dry up milk supply, such as cinnamon, and ginger also anything alcoholic (except beer and ale, which contain hops), others tend to increase milk supply like hops, fenugreek, borage, & blessed thistle. Good luck, happy nursing!

A.,
Don't give up the breastfeeding! You're doing a good job trying to keep up with the milk demand. But I will say a minimum of 8 oz of water a day isn't even close to what you should be drinking. Drink lots of water--carry a bottle with you wherever you go. Is it possible that because you're not drinking enough, that your milk is tough for him to get? Maybe he's struggling to suck out the milk.
I've known mothers with similar issues. What you can do is mix a teaspoon or two of baby cereal flakes into your breastmilk if you own a breast pump. This will help safisfy his tummy a little longer and give you a break.
My son seemed to be attached to me all the time as well, but I figured out that sometimes he just wanted to suckle. If that's the case with your little one, you may want to try a pacifier.
Remember: WATER!

I feel like the other responders are probably right. Your baby probably is getting plenty of milk and is probably just suckling to comfort him from something else. I can remember when I my children were that age and I felt like I could not get anything done because they wanted to nurse all the time. Take the baby to the pediatrition and see if they can figure it out. I encourage you to keep nursing. I know it is hard especially with a 3 yr old around the house too.

Hi, A.!
I was always told to drink a glass of water each time I breastfed. I can't imagine that 8 oz. of water is enough daily. It sounds like you're doing everything else right. Have you talked to your pediatrician? I had a friend that had to start her 2 week old son on cereal at night, straight from the spoon. But talk to your pediatrician and see what he says. Good luck and keep feeding on demand.
L.

You need to be drinking at least 8, 8oz glasses of water a day... not just one. Also, try to rest as much as you can. About 30 min before you feed him, try drinking as much water as you can... fill up! Then rest as much as possible... even if you can't sleep, just try to sit and be calm for a little while. That should help some. I know I had a REALLY hungry baby the first time. She nursed what seemed like constantly, and was never satisfied. I finally supplemented at 6 weeks and she drank 4 oz. AFTER nursing. But it gave me a chance to catch up a little and we were much better after that.

Breathe, relax, and just go with the flow. You need way more than 8 oz of water a day, even if you weren't breastfeeding. More like 8 glasses a day. I have also heard that to really get all of the hydrating benefits of water, you need to add a little lemon juice for better absorption. Also, a glass of wine or a beer with dinner can help with the milk supply and not hurt the baby.

Keep nursing on demand and realize that it isn't going to be like this forever. I liked the book Happiest Baby on the Block, which may help with some of the suckling issues. Babies like to suckle, it comforts them and it is instinct. You may want to consider a pacifier. It is okay for him to suck his fist and comfort himself.

Good luck!!!

It sounds like you need the book "Breastfeeding with Comfort and Joy" [www.TheBreastfeedingBook.com] because that has a lot of tips and advice -- primarily in the form of pictures to *show* you proper nursing positions. This is my favorite breastfeeding book, and I've read a lot of them, including the 1-2 inch thick compendiums written by breastfeeding doctors and other experts.

She writes about breastfeeding after the neonatal period (which is exactly where you and your baby are right now):

"A Note about Colic and Frequent Feeding...CHECK POSITIONING:

"If your baby becomes uncomfortable with frequent crying spells associated with apparent gassiness or abdominal cramping in the following weeks or months, it may be a result of poor positioning at the breast. You may have never had ideal positioning and things were okay until now, or you may have slacked off on your positioning. Poor positioning causes the baby to feed less efficiently, and he is not able to extract the high-calorie hindmilk which comes during the latter part of the feed. The baby may gain well because the baby will get enough calories by getting a large enough volume of fore-milk. The fore-milk is higher in sugar and lower in fat than the hindmilk and can cause the baby to become gassy because of an overload of sugar. By not getting a high enough proportion of hind-milk, the baby needs to take in a larger volume to meet his calorie needs, and feeds more frequently. The extra milk volume may lead to gastrointestinal discomfort. The frequent feeding may become overwhelming for you.

"A correction in positioning allows for a proper latch and often brings about a happier baby and Mom. You may have the baby's head too far over to the breastfeeding side. Now that the baby is bigger, you may need to allow more room for his legs. An armed chair may push against his legs, incorrectly shifting his head position."

You may also need to look into reflux and also at your own diet to see if he is allergic to or sensitive to something you're eating. A friend of mine related the story of her oldest daughter being just horrendously fussy all the time, and she figured out that it was due to the eggs she ate every morning for breakfast. The little girl (now 6-7 years old) still can't eat eggs; but when she was nursing, as long as the mother didn't eat them, the daughter stopped being so fussy.

I breastfeed all 3 of my kids(sons), my middle son weighed 10lb 6oz and ate the most. If your son was a heavyweight, more the 8.5lbs he probably just needs more. Protien is great but make sure that you ear fruits, veggis and grains, preferably whole grains. Drink more water. My husband always teases that for the first 6 months of Chris's life he was sure if he even had facial features because he was always attached to MOM. It did slow down after 6 mos. unless he had a growth spurt. Enjoy the time to sit with him now, soon he will be on the move and then they grow up so fast. Talk to the pediatrician to see if they have any suggestions as well.

Are you sure he's hungry? I know I'm not going to have the popular answer here but if it were me, I would pump breast milk in a bottle and add about a tablespoon of rice cereal into it to see if that satisfies him. Most are going to tell you he's too young but they aren't the ones ready to loose it with having a baby attached to the boob. I asked if you're sure he was hungry because a lot of times they just want to suck. In that case I would just give him a pacifier and see if that soothes his sucking reflex. Above all know that this is temporary if he's really hungry there is light at the end of the tunnel - he's eating will slow down soon. He's probably going through a growth spurt they are always like this when they grow. Best advice is to sleep when baby sleeps and feed him when he's hungry or give him some rice cereal. When my son was a month old the doctor recommended it because he couldn't get satisfied. It's not going to hurt him to have cereal once or twice a day.

I nursed 4 'babies' and our older daughter has nursed 3 (our only 'grands', so far) for at least a year each, and lots of liquids and a lack of stress for Mama are the main points to successful nursing.

I believe you said you drink 8 oz of water a day. I hope you meant more than that. You need to drink LOTS of liquids (probably a total of 64-100 oz. a day -- and preferrably not caffeiene drinks, of course). Also, to relax, try laying on the bed (alone) with baby while he nurses and stroke his cheek -- or whatever makes you both feel 'warm and fuzzy'.

You probably know that the more he nurses, the more milk you'll make. It's nature's 'supply and demand' plan.

Have you tried a pacifier? Our boys (2) both had colic and it was a 'life-saver'. Neither girl used one (although the youngest [girl] was a thumb-sucker from about 3 months to age 4 when she broke herself of it).

Good luck and God bless!

worry not! i had the exact same situation as you with my now 3 month old. he'll grow out of it. :) when they are that tiny their stomachs are tiny and they can only get a wee bit of milk at a time. they need to eat more to satisfy their little appetites. they also nurse a lot instinctively to increase your milk supply so there will be enough as they grow. my son started to nurse less frequently and for shorter periods as he got bigger, his mouth got bigger, and he was more efficient at nursing. now at 3 months he nurses for about 15 minutes every 2-3 hours. just hang in there. it will change. i was starting to get sick of it myself and felt very very frustrated but your instinct is right. don't supplement, just keep nursing and all will be fine. in a few weeks you will see things beginning to change. you are doing great!!!

E. & juicy

You said you drink 8 oz or more, which is one glass, maybe two of water per day. If you meant 8 8 oz glasses of water, you are on track. If you meant what you wrote, you are well below the necessary intake of water to produce adequate amounts of milk.
Large amount of Vit B and C, calcium & protein are required to produce millk also.

Google a LaLeche league in your community. They are mothers who work with other mothers. Unfortunately, sometimes consultants have head knowledge, but no experience. RT

Have you tried burping him really well or giving him mylicon for gas? My second (8 wks) does the same thing but usually just has gas. He likes to nurse cause it's comforting but that makes the gas worse. Other than that my advice is just keep on nursing and getting plenty of food and liquids yourself. Eventually it will level off and he'll be satisfied. I think you made the right choice to stop supplementing because that will only decrease your milk production. As long as he's having wet and dirty diapers your milk is enough. Keep us updated!

A.,
It sounds like your milk supply is low. Supplementing with formual will not increase your milk supply. These are the things that will increase your milk supply:
*Get plenty of rest. Nap when the baby naps. Put your older child in the bed with you and get your older child to nap when you are napping.
*Eat a healthy well balanced diet. Eat smaller meals more times per day. Breakfast, fruit at mid morning for a snack, Lunch, fruit or another snack at mid afternoon, Dinner, glass of milk before bedtime.
*Drink plenty of fluids. Try to drink 8 ounces of fluids every time you nurse. Milk and juice always seemed to help me produce more breast milk.
*Do not drink anything with caffeine in it. Caffeine will dehydrate your body and you will produce less milk.
*Blow off the housework and rest.
*Nurse your baby more frequently. Nurse on demand every time your baby wants to nurse. That will increase your milk supply.
*Read your 3 year old a book while you nurse. Then she will be less demanding of your time.

Every time I was low on milk my babies nursed more frequently. Just let the baby nurse. That is natures way of increasing your milk supply.

Now, if you are truly exhausted ask someone (your husband, your mother, your sister, your best friend) to feed the baby formula and watch your 3 year old for at least 4 hours and you SLEEP. 6-8 hours would be better if you can find someone to take the baby for that long. If you can't get anyone to take the baby and the three year old then try to find a friend to take the three year old for a day for you. You will not have enough milk for your baby if you are exhausted.

Take care of yourself. That is the key to having enough milk supply for your baby.
S.

I have a three-month-old, I am breastfeeding him and I drink water constantly all day. I try for eight 8-ounce glasses each day. Sounds like you're doing everything else right, though. Are you thinking it's too soon for a pacifier? Maybe he needs something to suck on, as opposed to being hungry. His latch must be good, so I would try a pacifier.
I know all this breastfeeding is a pain now but it does pay off later. I breastfed my first son for 22 months and he has been sick twice in 4.5 years. He doesn't get ear infections or all the little viruses that go around daycare. I admire your dedication to breastfeeding. Keep going! Even if you make it to six months, you will have given your baby a much stronger immune system.

after working in day care i can honestly say breastfed babies are always hungry. however if you tried formula and he still acted like that it sounds like it could be reflux. you dont say how many oz he is getting. good luck

hi A.,
Now that this is a month later I am not sure where you stand but I thought I would share some experience with you. My first, Chloe who will be 3 next month, was the same way. She constantly wanted to breastfeed and like you said, would do it for an hour with 30 minutes off and then want more, as I understand this is very normal and can last the first 6 months until their stomachs grow more. I would have some days were she would breastfeed 16 times in a day. It was really difficult and tiring. It seems like you are doing everything right, maybe you could drink more water. As far as the lactation consultants I would double check that you have a good latch. In regards to the formula, bottles, supplamenting I would say, if it becomes too much the sitting, sitting, sitting and breastfeeding you can try pumping. However, my biggest problem with Chloe was finding the time to pump in between feedings. So what I did was pump a little here and there until I had enough for a feeding, it usually took the whole day to get that first bottle, and then give her that bottle of breastmilk, and then pump when she is finished as much as you can. It is really hard I know, I did a lot of crying and feeling like I was taped to the chair, but it got better and easier. Also I found that once I gave her a bottle or two, just knowing that I could do that, took some of the pressure off so that I felt if I really needed a break I could always pump. I hope this helps. My second is 9 months old (Ethan) and I have been breasfeeding and giving him some formula, since I was having trouble pumping. I almost gave up breastfeeding but I really didn't want to give him formula and like I said before, I gave him one or two bottles and had a sigh of release that just if I ever need the break someone else can help me feed him and it was enough to keep me breastfeeding. So eventhough I felt like I didn't want him to have formula, giving him "some" was just what I needed to continue breastfeeding, and that feels great. Whatever you do you have to make sure you are in good spirits, and good health. Good luck

First of all, it makes me really angry that a lactation consultant would tell you to supplement. Especially if you expressed your desire to exclusively breastfeed. Secondly, your baby is only a month old. He is supposed to breastfeed a lot! When all three of my baby boys were nursing (I exclusively breastfed, still nurse at night my 17 month old) I felt like they were eating all the time. Literally, every hour for what seemed like a really long time each feeding. Try not to watch the clock. Trust me, this short time of nursing all the time will pass. Make sure his latch is good, and that he's getting the richer hindmilk that comes after you let down. Sometimes babies will be hungry sooner if they only get the first milk. If he falls asleep, wake him up to eat! Have him eat as long as he can on the first breast, burp him, then offer the second breast. Have your hubby, or another support person help out as much as possible with your 3 year old, housework, etc. You concentrate on nursing and resting. Also check out kellymom.com . I would strongly suggest you check into La Leche League as well. Good luck and don't give up! This nursing all the time won't last forever!

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A.,
I had the same problem with my second child. He was always hungry. I suggest you talk to you pediatrician like I did. I don't know what yours will say but I was told to mix a little cereal in a bottle with my milk twice a day. Once for the morning feeding & once for the feeding before he goes to bed & if that didn't work I could also do one for lunch too. I hope I have helped. Good luck & God Bless.

Hi A., I agree with the lady before me that you do need much more water than 8oz a day if you are breastfeeding (which may not matter to his being hungry, but it's much better for you overall.) When my son was born it seemed that he was up all the time breastfeeding too. At 4 weeks I gave him a pacifier for the first time since I needed some sleep and he was always suckling for something. It worked like a charm! I thought he was always hungry but it turns out that he just needed something to suck on. With you mentioning him sucking his fist, it made me think of that. Did you try a pacifier? I was very opposed to them early on, but it worked so well for us. Of course, it's not to subsitute feedings or anything but it may buy you some time. Congrats on the new baby! (I'm actually expecting a boy in 6 weeks that we are also naming Caleb. Guess it's more popular than I thought :-))

Is your baby gaining weight? If he is do you think maybe he is not hungry but maybe has colic!! This may be the case. My child ws the same way. I bought the book the happiest baby on the block and it helped. Good luck.

He is still learning to nurse, and getting good at it. He is probably also having his next growth spurt. They will nurse constantly to build up your supply. Hang in there. It sounds like you are doing a terrific job. It took me about 3 mo to get really super at the whole thing, and very comfortable, and I nursed one for a year and one for 18 mo. I never supplemented. It was so convenient and easy. Good luck. PS, You need to drink 8 oz every time you nurse. So, when you sit down, get yourself a drink and a book for Grace, and use the time to cuddle and read to Grace. I propped baby on pillows, and nursed, read, and cuddled.

Hi A.! congratulations on deciding to nurse your little one! I have two boys (oldest is 3 and youngest is 1.5) I nursed them both successfully for the first six months of life. You probably need to make sure of two things: 1) that you are producing enough milk in each breast and 2) that your little one is able to draw the full amount out of one or both breasts during a feeding.

1.) I made sure to get enough rest (very difficult) and to eat three full meals a day-- like clockwork. Also I drank 12 oz of water or juice with each meal and I also drank 6-8 oz of water during every feeding (sometimes I had to force it down). This made sure that my breasts were always full when it was time to feed.

2.) For many (if not all nursing mothers) your milk must be "let-down." Just because the little angel is sucking on the nipple does not necessarily mean they are getting enough milk. Your baby should be able to let-down mouthfuls of milk at a time, with relative ease. But sometimes mommies have to practice this, and babies need a little training (sometimes).

Try the compression method...once your baby is fully and properly latched on- (and this should not hurt at all after the second week)- cup your whole hand around the breast that is nursing and between each of baby's sucks--gently squeeze the breast (not the nipple). this will trigger your let-down reflex. your baby should suck a few times...and then pause with mouth open-- to allow the milk to fill his mouth. Then your baby should swallow (a good mouthful will sound like an unmistakable "gulp") If your baby is getting enough milk, it will take less than an hour to feed and most likely the little angel will drift into slumber land with a milk mustache or a milky chin (Sooo Cute!). My sons would sometimes let down so much milk that they would cough/gag just a tiny bit...you dont want to drown the little darling, but this is a good sign that plenty of milk is draining and getting to their tummy

Another trick that worked was to prepare myself before feedings by gently handling the first breast in a circular motion. Making sure to massage the entire breast. this would trigger my let-down reflex also.

Last tip: with drinking so many fluids you may become engorged at times (breasts too full), just position the baby's chin towards the tight/swollen area and he will naturally drain from that particular set of milk ducts.

I hope this helps at least a little bit. If I can do anything else for you please let me know!

Good Luck Honey!

I'm sorry to hear that you're going through such a frustrating time. Have you tried pumping and feeding him your milk via bottle instead of formula? Do you think it could be colic? I am not an expert, but perhaps if you discuss this with your doctor, it may be a good idea to change your diet. Sometimes eliminating dairy from your diet eases colic.

I haven't read the other responses, so I may be redundant in this. My firstborn was an all-the-time nurser too. My family kept me worried about adequate supply. My pediatrician was able to dispel my fears by frequently checking my son's weight gain. If weight gain is appropriate, the child is eating enough - bottom line. Some infants use nursing as a means of not only feeding, but of soothing as well. I had to allow my son to suck a pacifier even though I preferred not to, in order to get some rest from nursing. I would like to encourage you to keep at it! By the time my son was 2 months old, the frequency of his nursing had slowed enough for me to feel sane again. I continued for quite a number of months, and it became one of my favorite things about being a mom, despite being one of the most worrisome things early on.

I am a firm believer in breastfeeding, and I am still nursing my 18 mo-old. However, I think it is more important to make sure your baby is thriving. If that means you need to supplement, there is nothing wrong with that. If the LC suggested it, maybe there is a good reason for it, since usually you hear the opposite. I did have a period of time where I had to supplement, and didn't notice any difference. (he was about 8 mos at that point, maybe it wasn't as big a deal at that age.) How did your son do during that week with the supplementing? You should really talk to your pediatrician, they will be able to tell with weight gain how he is doing.

Also, pumping doesn't get as much milk as actual nursing, so for all the advice you got to pump to give yourself a break, that can also decrease your supply just like supplementing can if you dont pump at the missed feedings.

I also see nothing wrong with pacifiers. I didn't want mine to be too attached to them, but he was one of those babies that NEEDED to suck. Once we gave him one, he did so much better- he just needed the comfort. I just stopped giving it to him all the time once he got past about 6 mos, and only used it at bed- and naptimes.

Lastly, around 5 weeks is when mine had a huge growth spurt. For about a week, I literally nursed him non-stop. I still remember that time as this vague blur of exhaustion and frustration. It did get a lot better.

Please talk to your doctor. They can give you great advice and information (like the fore and hind milk thing- hind milk is very important) and they can maybe put to rest some of your fears that the baby is too hungry, and they can check for reflux and colic.

Hi A., my son was like that too. He fed "at least" every two hours, sometimes more, around the clock until he was about 4 months. Then he moved to about every three hours. He was a voracious eater He was also big ... he was a beautiful chuncky baby! ... and always above the 90th percentile. And now, he is a tall slender 5 year old.

Also, Nursing Mothers of Raleigh are a wonderful support group. http://www.nursingmothersofraleigh.org/

Hang in there! D..

My second born is/was like that. He would nurse constantly and would be hungry again about 20-40 minutes later. I couldn't get any sleep or spend any time with my three year old so I started to pump and bottle feed him because he's very inefficient at nursing. I didn't want to bottle feed but as long as he is only getting breast milk it really doesn't matter if he gets the breastmilk from a bottle or directly from the tap.

When he nurses, he only gets about 2 oz but when he bottle feeds, he gets 6 to 8 oz. So now I give him five bottles of breastmilk per day (about 7 oz per bottle) and nurse him three times a day. Bottle feeding has given me time to spend with my other child and now my little one isn't hungry all the time or permanently attached to my breast. Good luck and kudos to you for breastfeeding.

I had to cut my response short earlier because my baby (he's five months old) was hungry again. So I have a little bit more to add. First of all, both my sons had a hard time latching because I was so engorged they couldn't get latched well. When I started to pump to relieve engorgement, they both latched better and were able to get the milk out easier. I thought if I pumped they wouldn't get enough milk but I found that if I pumped just a little to soften my breast, they latched better, plus since I got let down from the pump, the milk came out faster. I don't know if it's my nipples or my breasts that are the problem because both my sons didn't get enough milk when they nursed but I produced a ton of milk. So bottle feeding helped. Both my boys had huge appetites anyway. At two months old my youngest took 30 oz of milk per day from the bottle and nursed 3 times a day.

Also, drinking a lot of water (drink an 8 oz glass every time you nurse), eating three meals a day plus two healthy snacks (fruit, yogurt or cheese) and getting more sleep will help you produce more milk. Fenugreek and Mother's Milk (brand name) tea can also help.

Your baby might also be using you as a pacifier. He might just want to suck and isn't necessarily hungry.
If he is gaining weight well then he might just be using you for comfort suckling.

Anyway, I know I've thrown a lot of suggestions at you but hang in there. I feel for you because I remember how hard it was having my baby practically permanently attached to my breast while my toddler was tugging on me trying to get me to pay attention to him. It will get better. Good luck and great job with breast feeding-it's hard to do especially when you are the mother of a toddler as well.