Supplementing My 10-Month Old Who Has Only Been Breast-fed

For a while I felt the same way about my daughter, especially since she did not compare well on the growth charts. I recently learned that those charts the doctors used are based on formula fed infants, and not babies who are breastfeed. I wouldn't worry about it because now my daughter drinks so much water each day!

Hi,
I am sure that you have heard that milk production works on supply and demand. So, your body is most likely struggling to figure out how much to make because of the suppliments. Usually around 7-8 monthes your milk supply regulates itself and the "full feeling" disappears, this also happens when solids are introduced, and they take the place of some milk. Basically, the more you supplement, the less milk you will produce. Make sure that your baby is nusing long enough to get at the hind milk. This is the fatty milk that contains tons of nutrient and will help your baby stay full longer. You may want to contact La Leche League, they have wonderful resources online, and can connect you with a leader in your area who can help. Oh I almost forgot, the best way to produce milk is to nurse, pumping does not produce nearly as much as actually nursing.
C.

M.,

I am always saddened when doctors automatically suggest adding formula to a babies diet. You have done a great job nursing your son, and if he doesn't take a bottle and nurses 3-4 times per day, he should be getting enough milk from you. If you are worried about his weight, I would work more on adding high fat (good for baby) solids to his diet. Will he eat avocado? It is an excellent first food for babies. Proteins are good too, egg yolks, cottage cheese, whole fat yogurt.

When your body adjusts to your babies needs, you make enough milk. At 9 months, I wouldn't expect your breasts to feel as full as they did when your baby was ONLY nursing. As you add the solid foods, your body adjusts to your babies needs.

if you have more questions about your milk supply, I'd suggest calling to speak with a lactation consultant, or contacting your local La Leche League instead of your pediatrician. As bad as it sounds, MANY are not well versed in breast feeding and too often push expensive and less healthy formula on Mom's who are only trying to do what is best for their babies.

Good luck to you,

jessica

When in doubt, offer the breast. Supplementing only decreases the milk supply. You have done a great job with nursing your baby, keep doing it. Keep in mind those charts are averages and there is a great deal of range. Have you counted wet/messy diapers? If he is putting out plenty then he is certainly taking it in. You can also look at his height vs weight. Some babies get length, then weight. Is he content after he nurses? Is he a happy baby in general? Follow your cues from your baby and check out ask Dr. Sears Web Site, he has never failed me! Good luck and enjoy that baby! This era is fleeting!
J.

I don't this was said earlier...
When did your son begin crawling? About 8-9 months? I was in a parent baby group and we talked about this exact issue - baby not gaining weight. What we figured out and had confirmed by the moderator (certified in baby/child development), is that the child's weigth was dropping/stable because of crawling (and then walking). Do you feel your son is healthy? Then don't worry too much - trust your instincts, they're usually right. My guy went to 10th percentile at 9 months which is when he started crawling (he's 50th now at 2 years and breatfed the whole time with no supplements).

Congrats on the breastfeeding and keep it up as long as you choose.

i agree with Jess, my baby-8mos now- will not take the bottle or formula or anything, but she went like a 3 month period of not gaining any weight. she was getting enough milk even though i didn't "feel" full, like her diapers were very wet, she was content after eating, developing on target, etc. i suggest looking for those types of signs before assuming you don't have enough milk based on weight gain, b-fed babies grow and gain differently than formula fed ones, and those charts were made when most babies were on formula =) my ped first recommended adding more high fat foods, then like 3 meals of whole fat yogurt, but to keep b-feeding cuz that didn't seem to be the problem. -she then gained a lot of weight and seems to just have a high metabolism. make sure you get enough water and don't stress, those do seem to make a huge difference in my milk supply. i don't know all the in's and outs' of b-feeding, but it does seem that if you start supplementing, even b-milk- from a bottle, then your supply may diminish, but i don't really know =) increase feedings rather than pumpings maybe?...

I would suggest offering the breast more often than just 3-4 feedings a day. Babies are more efficient at sucking than breast pumps are, so that sucking motion that your baby provides ought to help increase your supply after a couple days. Also, drink tons of water and consider taking fenugreek. Some people swear by it. I haven't decided if it works yet, but I know it doesn't hurt.

I didn't read the other responses, so I'm sorry if I'm repeating anyone. However, my two oldest stopped gaining weight quickly as soon as they starting walking at 9-10 months. They both dropped into the 5-10th percentile but their doctor said it wasn't a big deal since they were fine developmentally and their muscles were strong. They were just "working it off." As far as nursing and feeling full, that feeling stops after you have been doing it for awhile. I was worried about that too with my oldest and the lactation consultant said that was very normal to start feeling "squishy" again. Your body is just used to it but still making enough. A lot of times, it may be harder to pump a lot too if you haven't been doing it regularly. However, your child is still very efficient at it. It sounds, to me anyway, like your child is doing great!

M. - If your child is now drinking from a sippy cup, it may be time to give up breast milk and try regular milk...Ask your pediatrician about this before doing it, but when my daughter was drinking from a sippy, she was taking in everything from water to juice to whole milk. H. this helps!

I too had trouble with my milk supply (mine was at 1 month old). Many people see there milk supply go down for a variety of reasons and it is not your fault. First off..you may want to go see a lactation consultant (Carol at St. Luke's is great...and free). The lactation consultant can tell you for sure if your milk supply has gone down. If it has indeed gone down you have a couple of options. Option one is similar to what you had been doing at first...pump after every time you nurse. Then immediately give the baby the pumped milk. This will eventually bring your supply up, but is very exhausting. Option two is to get this device (I'm not sure what it is called) that allows you to supplement and nurse at the same time. It is a 2-ounce bottle with a tube at one end that you put next to your nipple when nursing..that way baby is still nursing, but getting extra calories too. This method will also help to get your milk supply up, because you are not decreasing the number of nursing sessions. Option three is to supplement the normal way. Most importantly...do what is right for you and your baby! If getting your milk supply up is what you want do that..if supplementing is the way to go...do that. Don't let anyone else tell you what is right for you! Good luck! Let us know how it turns out!

I actually gave up going to docs etc with mine as they had NO idea about fully breastfed child!

Mine fully bf until about 9 - 10 months. I did give him food earlier but his body jsut not ready - I waited until he 'stole' food :) from out plates etc. He also would not have cow juice until after his he was one.

As long as hes not dehydrated he is probably getting enough, and of course let him feed as much as he wants. I never felt full, but there are lots of ideas for

Increasing milk supply http://forums.a-little-wish.co.uk/Default.aspx?g=posts&am...

here but you will need to register :)

Breastfeeding didn't work out for me, so I can't give much advice on that portion, but just wanted to note that I've noticed since starting on solid food, my 8 month old daughter hasn't been drinking as much formula as before. But she's still going strong, just not interested in finishing her bottle half the time during the day. So it's certainly possible that may be the case with your son as well. I always mix formula in with the cereal and not just water, so she gets some that way and it's not like she stopped drinking completely, so I'm not concerned at this point.

M., Don't let your doctor scare you. A weight plateau is nothing to get excited about. It sounds to me like your son is getting enough milk.

You will know if he's thirsty. He'd be looking to nurse more often.

Hi,

My baby was a very large baby early on (exclusively breast fed) and weighed about 23 pounds at 5 months. Now that he's almost 13 months, he still weighs in at about 23 pounds. He's very healthy, just a lot more mobile. I would say that if your child is a good eater and enjoys the tastes and textures and experiences of solid foods, he might well not be nursing as much. I worry also that my 13 month old is not getting enough liquid, but he seems content and healthy, so I try not to worry about it. I think a lot of babies take nursing "dips" when they find more exciting things for their mouths!

i agree with jenny L.
and again, congrats on continuing breastfeeding! this is the best for your child - and im glad that you have continued this long! DONT LET ANYONE TELL YOU THAT YOU SHOULD STOP!! as long as you can breastfeed - do it! it has so many benefits for you and baby, and the longer you do it, the greater the benefits. i lost 5 more pounds when i continued breastfeeding after a year.
as long as your baby is eating and growing and acting normally and healthy, you shuldnt worry about your milk supply. i had little concerns here and there about my supply, but my son was always perfectly healthy, and even if I didnt think so, my milk was always adequate. kids that dont get enough milk will show signs. im sure you are just underestimating your supply. its normal to seem wierdly low. LOL.
contact your local la leche league - they can support you and give you the answers to many problems and questions.
:D write me if you want any help or support to continue!
in all reality - milk , dairy and other animal products are NOT good for our bodies. im no vegetarian, but we all should be aware that all animal products are made for other animals, not humans, and they are hurting our bodies. the longer you breastfeed, the longer you can delay using any dairy at all - and kids dont care either way, you can start using soy or almond or rice milk. much healthier.

oh well.
any questions write me.

heres the thing; your doctor does not know your child as well as you do. he may be a doctor, but he does not know everything. your child will eat when he is hungry, and you should NOT force him to eat any more than he wants to, no matter what the doctor says. this can give him a bad attitude about food - he will stop listening to his body's signals that he is full, and lifelong issues with weight will begin.

if there is a health/nutrition issue, work with your doctor, and knowledge of healthy foods, and fix it. if there is no nutrition issue, then there isnt a problem.

www.askdrsears.com will have good information on healthy diets and healthy attitudes about eating.

just be sensitive to your instincts and your sons needs. kids WILL eat when they are hungry. as long as there are no medical or nutritional issues, there is no reason to try to force your child to eat any more than he does.

I would say that your son is getting as much milk as he needs or he would want to nurse more often. Your body only produces as much milk as what your son is drinking. Also I have read that you are actually suppose to pump every 2-3 hours if not nursing because if you are feeling the full feeling then it is too late and that is actually when you will start to produce less milk. I would say that your son needs to just drink other fluids such as water or juice. My son has been nursing for 17 months now and I haven't had the full feeling since he was 6 months old. I have gone through some very stressful situations and thought that I was totally loosing my milk supply. My son is also on the small side and has been. If you haven't noticed already, breastfed babies are always smaller than formula fed babies. I don't like formula just for the simple fact that when my daughter was formula fed I felt as if she wanted a bottle more often than my son wanting to nurse. He does get juice, water, and whole milk as well throughout the day. Another thing is that when you start solids your little one doesn't nurse as often. Maybe have some snacks provided, I use the Gerber Graduates and he loves them. Maybe he just needs a little more solids added throughout the day. You could add cereal to all his baby foods and even add a bowl of cereal as a snack throughout the day. I would make my cereal with some breast milk and my son loved it. I worked full-time and as of recently I became a stay at home mom so I know what it is like not being able to pump enough times throughout the day or not being able to pump long enough due to only getting 15 minute breaks and not wanting to do it on my lunch break while I tried to quick eat.

Start drinking some mother's tea first thing in the morning along with a bowl of oatmeal. I started doing this and over the last couple of weeks I have noticed a difference in my milk supply as well. Also drink the tea throughout the day by using the tea bag several times. You can also use fennugreek and that should help as well. It is hard to tell you because some things work for one women and don't work for others. My son is 17 months old and only weighs 22lbs 10oz. My daughter was 27lbs when she was a year. I was also told that he is short for his age as well. I don't care because he is eating well and I still am changing plenty of wet and soiled diapers throughout the day. Keep nursing it is the best thing for your son. If you are feeling over whelmed and stressed out just remember to take a deep breath and relax. This has always helped me out. And crying can also help to get those bad feelings out. We are emotional creatures for a reason that is the way god created us.

I would also have to say that my doctor told me that I was doing a good job with the nursing and that if that is what my son and I wanted then we should continue doing so. I love my doctor because of that and I know that he totally understands. If your doctor is a guy then he probably doesn't know much about breast feeding and if it is a women then she was probably one that didn't nurse her babies, that is if she does have her own children. I just think that most doctors will say that if your child seems small or if you are questioning nursing then they will just simply tell you to add formula. Easier to do that than ask questions about what is going on with nursing and if you have questions about it yourself.

Sorry this got kind of long but I sure hope it helps you out. A.

First off, your milk suppply is FINE! Your baby is more efficient now, and your body is way more efficient at making only the milk your baby needs. Also at this age, your child doens't require as much foremilk,and that is what made your breasts feel full. Now he's getting more fatty milk, and he doens't need as much of it, so your body is making it more concentrated, more fatty. THAT is why you don't feel full. I don't think many moms would make itn ursing long if thier breasts felt full all the time through the first year! I know about 5-6mos my breasts regulated with both kids, and I wasn't full, nor did I leak. Its because my body figured it out, and it knew what my baby needed and made only that, nothing more.

Pumping is no indication of whaty our supply is, your baby can get out 2-5ounces MORE than ANY pump can get. And I'm not surprised a doctor would just automatically suggest formula... look around thier office. Similac or Enfamil SUPPLY thier office with clipboard, paper, pens, facilitating whole wings of peds offices! The doctors are basically PAID by the formula companies to advertise thier products and hand them out.

Again, your milk is fine. Those growth charts are made for formula fed babies, not breastfed. Breastfed babies don't fatten up like formula babies because they regulate thier own diet, they choose what they eat, how much.

Don't question your milk, as long as your son is content, happy, nursing (and he's nursing quite often so keep offering) and just relax! The more you supplement, the moer your milk will suffer.... it is supply and demand and if you take away the demand by supplementing, then your supply WILL drop. Right now its not, you just have more concentrated milk to match what your little guy needs. Formula can't do that, so stick with nursing, it will be ok. He sounds totally normal to me.