Schedule Mess Up

He may not be getting enough at the feedings, you may have to pump & bottle feed so you can see how many ounces he is taking at each feeding. Good Luck!

gotta be a growth spurt... or possibly teething? my sons nursing schedule changed often during the first year... and still does! hang in there. :)

Sounds to me like he is just having a growth spurt. They eat and sleep more during that time.

Breastfed babies need to nurse very frequently in order to grow and not be hungry. It's not a newborn thing as much as it's an infant not old enough for solids thing. This would be 8-12x in 24 hours for a newborn and will space out a bit as they grow, but not what you've been expecting. When they hit growth spurts, they increase again and your milk will catch up. He is not out of whack. He is normal and growing and needs you and your milk. Babies often nurse ever 1 1/2-2 hours during the day and may go 3-5 hours at night. You've been going for a formula-feeding schedule. Breastmilk is digested very, very quickly, because it's perfectly suited to a human baby's nutritional and growth needs.

R., I would believe your Baby is resetting the ammount of Breast milk he is requiring, these days are called frequency days, where they eat alot the milk supply increases and then they can go back to the original schedule. When these days happened I just tried to take the time to nurse as often and as long as they desired(you bring the meal the baby decides how much he wants).

I am a Gramma who has nursed 3 children,

As everyone else has said... growth spurt. That would be my guess as well. Babies are VERY smart. They know when they are going to need more fuel...so they stimulate mom to make more milk. That is done through nursing more frequently. He will change the 'schedule' many times over the next year. My daughter went through a slow down, where she didn't nurse as often for a week or so...then went back to normal.

The only thing I really don't agree with on here is not offering nurishment through the night if baby needs it. If baby is hungry in the night, feed him. 'Sleeping through the night' is defined by 5-6 hours... NOT 9-11 hours of nightly sleep. So, asking your child to go the ENTIRE night without food in my opinion is too much. Particularly when you realize breastmilk is digested within 2-3 hours.

Solids should be held off until at least 6 months. Their digestive systems just can't handle it. There are studies that are indicating starting solids too soon has consequences later in life like irritable bowel syndrom and such.

As other mums have said, just when you think you have the schedule figured out, baby changes it up. Just relax and go with the flow. Baby will eat when he is hungry. If it more often, then he needs it. Babies are very 'basic needs' individuals. They do not eat because it tastes good, like an adult...they eat because they need the nurishment.

It sounds like maybe your son is growing through a growth spurt. Since breastfeeding is a supply and demand process, this is his way of boosting your milk supply. My daughter does the same thing every so often and she is 8 months old. So even though it's frustrating, still nurse him on demand.

he could just be going through a growth spurt, needing to eat more because of that. if so, it will be over shortly....

dana

Hi R.,

It sounds like your son is going through a growth spurt. As he gets ready to grow, he requires more nutrition. At 19 weeks, perhaps he is ready to add some cereal, it sounds like he needs more. You aren't doing anything to make him out of whack, his needs and requirements are changing, right on schedule. If you continue to be his ownly source of nutrition, you are going to be exhausted! Enjoy your summer!

I know all to well your frustration with being a new mommy and a breastfeeding one at that. My daughter(now 19 months) did the very same thing. However now that your baby is 5 months my pediatricican told me (and he was sooo right) that they are at that age (5 months) where you do not have to feed them in the night. Also if your baby is over 12 pounds you should start rice cereal. Just a little bit whatever time of the day. Like a 2 tbs to start mixed with a little breasmilk. That will fill your baby up during the day. I always gave my daughter cereal in the morning. Also your baby is becoming more active and just like us adults, they need more fuel if their on the go more now. Their metabolism is going to move more fast. The doc told me it doesn't make them starve if you don't feed them at night. They get used to it and everything is habit. Good luck.

A child's sleep habits will change depending on what is going on with them, at home, etc. Your child may be teething, or may be working on acquiring a new skill (such as turning over). Maybe you just went back to work, or introduced a new babysitter. I'd suggest you just ride it out.

It's possible he might be having a little growth spurt. It can be confusing for a while, and it might take a couple weeks to get back on track. You're doing a great job! The little guy is probably just needed a little extra food right now. :)

just when you think the baby is on a schedule.. they change to a new schedule..

He is probably growing or teething.. both of which can make a kid do strnge things.. dont worry he will get back to sleeping better soon.

dont give up on nursing it is the best for you and the baby..

my son is 1 year and he still nurses morning, before nap and at bedtime..

He is probably going through a growth spurt. My little guy is 8 months old and the same thing happened. He slept through the night for awhile but he is just too hungry to make it now. I know it's frustrating but it really is a good thing.

two words.... Growth spurt.
He's nursing to increase your milk to support his growth thru the next stage of growth. Isn't a mother/ infant relationship awesome?
In a couple of days he won't fit his clothes anymore and he'll settle back down into the normal routine again...

Good luck, rest when you can, and drink lots of fluids.:-)

Your son is going through a growth spurt. For a few weeks when they hit growth spurts they eat nonstop. You can talk to your doctor about normal growth sput times. I can not recall but kids grow at very specofoc months and this happens. You are his source of nutrition when he is growing.

Hi R. - Congratulations on your bundle of joy and being able to be home with him at this time. You've had great responses so far, I don't have anything else to add except that breastfeeding is a, pardon the pun, fluid situation. I'm sure he is going through a growth spurt and what he needs is exactly what you're giving him. I'm sure his sleeping will stretch out again soon. It's hungry work being 19 weeks old - enjoy being the center of his universe!! B.

Babies go through different growth spurts. He is probably on one of those "grows" and needs to eat more frequently. Unless you have become more active, maybe not drinking enough water or eating differently so that your milk supply is different, YOU are not doing anything to cause this. Your baby just needs more to eat so he wakes up more often. It will even out again as your milk supply catches up with his new demands. Hooray for breastfeeding!!! Good job!

He is probably going through a growth spurt. Once your milk catches up he will most likely return to his "regular" eating and sleeping schedule.

Two words: growth spurt. And another tip, just when you think you have established a schedule, he will change it on you! ;-> He's not "off", just a baby learning and changing every day. Good luck to you and enjoy this very special time in your life!

Relax your son has hit a growth spurt. He will start sleeping more in a week or so. you should also see an increase in the amount of milk produced as he is drinking more. Do not supplement or you will reduce your output. This is a good time to start pumping and freezing milk if you have not already started.

My daughter also went through a simular stage. I, however, did not feed her in the night. I would offer a sippy of water that was it. I didn't want to incourage night time feedings because I knew she should be sleeping through the night at that age. If I were to feed her she would then get into that routine and it would be hard to break it. All babies regardless of how they get thier milk should be sleeping through the night at 19 monthes, unless of course there is some health reason that they don't. If they stop you have to incourage sleep again, not hinder it by giving food or stimulation.....when I first read this post I thought it said 19 MONTHS!!! OOPS! You'll just have to keep feeding on depmand at 19 weeks!!!! SORRY, I didn't read more carefully!!! :-)

Hi, the only way to increase your milk supply is to nurse more often. More than likely he is going through a growth spurt and simply needs more to eat.

Or he could be starting his teething and needs the comfort of nursing. Is he chewing more often? All around more fussy?

My son would eat every half an hour for a half day then go back to his every 2 hour feeding (he was a big boy ;p) when he was on a growth spurt and when teething started at 4 months he wanted me all the time like a pacifier (he didn't have a real one)

It should pass in time, if not I'd bring it up at his next well baby and make sure their isn't any medical reason for his increased hunger.

Good Luck and hang in there, I know how hard it is to loose even more sleep when you just got a little back!

God Bless
K. SAHM of 3

I have a 12 month old son. He has gone through many stages of sleeping through the night and then going for awhile wanting to nurse more and sleep less. From our experience, the two most likely reasons are a growth spurt (He is very hungry)or teething (His gums are soothed by nursing). Enjoy your Summer!

Hi R.

I wouldn't say necessarily a schedule mess up...their schedules change constantly. Maybe a growth spurt, and he's just needing more food right now?

A

your baby is just going through a growth spurt, or possibly getting teeth. my daughters schedule changed a little when something like that happened.

R. ~
Your son is just growing. Breastfeeding is supply and demand. So when he starts a growth spurt, he needs more fuel. To get more fuel he needs you to make more milk. So, him eating more often for a short time will produce more milk. He should go back to his regular feeding schedule soon.
D.

It's likely he is going through a growth spurt. When breastfed infants go through growth spurts, they eat more frequently so that your body can increase supply (since you produce on a supply/demand basis). If this is a growth spurt, any time now your body should catch up with his demand and hopefully you'll get back to a better schedule.

Sounds to me like he's going through a growth spurt. My son did that to me a couple of times. Be thankful for the 3 hours. My son was nursing on both sides every hour on the hour for a 2 day period and then he had a day where he slept almost the entire day except for wet diapers. I wouldn't be that concerned. Good luck. By the way have you started him on cereal yet? That might help as well.

It could be that your milk supply might be going down. Make sure that you are drinking enough water during the day. That happened to me and I started making sure that I drank approximately a gallon per day and then he went back to longer stretches through the night and most of the time it was 7hrs :) Just get a gallon jug of drinking water and keep refilling it and make sure that you have it empty by the time you go to bed. Hope this helps.

K.

R.,
This is not unusual. I breastfed my son for 10 1/2 months, and he quit all by himself (now he's 37 & a loadmaster in the AF).

Babies go through growth spurts. It sounds like that is what's happening with your son. He's just hungrier because he's growing. You might check out the La Leche League website, and see if they have a chat room for mothers in your same situation to get some more info.

G. (grandma to a 10-yr-old)

R., your son is probably going through a growth spurt where he needs to eat more often. Just relax, it will get better. You will have to retrain him back into his routine but it will happen! :)

You could be experiencing a growth spurt and there may be a decrease in your milk supply... have you tried to supplement to make sure there is enough for him?

Make sure too, that everything else is good (health-wise).

Hi, I would just figure that, with your son, he's going through a growth spurt and needs more food for his activity levels. :-)

Hi R., Try not to be frustrated with your little guy. Sounds like he is going thru a growth spurt. Babies do this periodically and it seems like they nurse, nurse, nurse. He will get back to a schedule again just be patient. Your milk supply will increase according to his needs. All 3 of my breastfed babies went thru spurts like your son.

I could be remembering wrong, but I think most babies experience a growth spurt around 20 weeks. My oldest daughter would normally nurse every 3 hours, and just before a growth spurt, she would switch to every hour! I used a pump, and my husband would help with feedings so I could get sleep at night. At least it should only be for a short while and then he will get back on schedule. Good Luck!