is my baby getting enough milk?

Question

my baby girl hasnt been sucking on my breast actively. for example, when the milk rushes in, she'lll suck for about 5 min and stop. she doesnt take the other breast. so i've been supplementing with formula. she only takes about 4 oz though. is she gettin enough fluid? she is 5 months now and about 16 lbs which seem normal....

*note* i still breastfeed my daughter. sometimes she prefer one or the other. she usually breastfeeds when she is sleepy/hungry and formula when she is just hungary but still wakeful....

and it worries and confuses me when the nurse said she should be breastfeeding 20 min on both side.

Answer 1

Many women believe that they have a low milk supply, but it is actually not common to have a low milk supply. My baby also only took one breast at each feeding and was finished very quickly. I was also concerned, but I did not supplement because he was gaining weight just fine and wetting more than 6 diapers per day. It bothered me that he only took from one breast, so I understand what you are going through. But, you actually might have a lot of milk and that is why she only feeds at one breast at a time. You really need to look at her weight gain and wet diapers. If both are fine, then you do not need to supplement...you should only be concerned if your daughter is not gaining weight or wetting diapers in the normal range. Your daughter is a very healthy weight!

Lastly, it wasn't until about 5 months that my baby took from both breasts, but this did not happen at every feeding.

Congrats on your baby!

Answer 2

Breast milk is a lot more rich in nutrients than formula. If she only eats for 5 min, she could be getting down at least 6 oz. My baby is 4 months old and can down 8 oz in 5 to 8 min. Also it depends on how often she eats. Some babies eat more at one time but less often and others are the opposite. If it really worries you, instead of supplementing, pump it out and feed it from a bottle to see how much she is eating. Yet if she doesnt cry, or act hungry she is probably fine. Just as long as she stays in her percentile for weight your fine.

Answer 3

I agree, your baby will take as much breastmilk as she needs- watch out for bottles though- or your baby may end up preferring it, and as long as you have enough breastmilk, giving bottles will end up decreasing your supply. She may have just gotten faster at drinking, or is ready for solids? If none of these apply, she may just be going through a phase,getting distracted or too interested in her surroundings to drink. My daughter did this too around that time and I realized I was feeding her too often, and started feeding her every 3 1/2-4 hrs, bigger meals than she was getting, with solids, and it worked. If you give her solids though make sure you breastfeed first. But then she may not be ready for another month for solids..

Answer 4

you may want to speak with your dr about this as it is possible that you may have to switch her over to formula completely if she stops taking the breastmilk. Or you could try pumping and feeding her breastmilk by bottle if you want to keep her on just breastmilk. Some babies get tired and fall asleep and some get bored. My son had to be on formula as I had to go on meds after he was born, but he was about 20Lbs or more by 6 months. He was 8 Lbs 8 oz at birth, he is now 27 months and about 35 Lbs.

Try these options and see if anything changes, I suggest trying pumping first before you put her totally on formula. Why give up on breastmilk if that isn't the problem.

Good luck to you.

Answer 5

I also supplemented with my last child, #4....she was NOT getting enough breast milk....

your baby will let you know if she is hungry....my baby is 4 months and 14lbs., so it looks like your baby is about right on the weight

mother of 4

Answer 6

It seems such as you're doing wonderful, yet I remember feeling the comparable way with my firstborn, too! infants' pooping types selection plenty from one toddler to a different and additionally from one age to a different. For my son's first 2 weeks or so of existence, he actually pooped after each feeding. (i theory we would circulate broke procuring diapers!) ultimately that slowed down and he went as quickly as an afternoon, yet now that he has began solids, he's going extra lower back. Breastmilk is designed to be almost thoroughly digested with little waste, so it is not uncommon for a breastfed toddler to circulate an afternoon or 2 with out pooping. as long as he remains making moist diapers, does no longer seem uncomfortable, and his poops seem frequent while they do come, i does no longer difficulty. so some distance as your breasts feeling finished, i understand there are situations for me when I can truly tell which section he needs to eat on next, and different situations while they're the two delicate and that i'm able to't tell the version. I additionally feed on-call for via following my toddler's cues and that i do no longer watch the clock to time feedings, as you reported you do. sometimes he eats each hour, sometimes he is going 3 hours or extra between feedings. Many infants at 10 weeks have a time of day, many times interior the night, while they are going to "cluster feed" and nurse almost non-quit. additionally, infants have boost spurts around 3 & 6 weeks, and lower back at 3 & 6 months the place they'd desire to nurse extra many times. for many women persons, start administration this is designed for use throughout breastfeeding does no longer influence milk furnish, yet there are some who discover it motives a shrink. in case you experience this is affecting you, you will likely would desire to discover a different style of start administration. right here issues are powerful in conserving up your milk furnish: Feed the toddler many times and on-call for; drink to quench your thirst and eat nicely; take your prenatal supplementations; get sufficient relax (much less annoying reported than finished, of path); pump your milk in case you're away out of your toddler for any prolonged sessions of time. Like I reported, apparently such as you're doing wonderful. believe your instincts and in the adventure that your toddler is healthful, gaining weight, and looks happy after feedings, then he's getting sufficient to eat.

Answer 7

If you stop giving her bottles...she will eat more. She is old enough to relaize that there is a pattern to this...if you want to keep nursing her. I would suggest taking the bottles away...slowly...one at a time. If she is 16 lbs she is plenty big...you have had her long enough to know that she is a happy contented baby or starving.....

Answer 8

if you let her nurse on demand and you offer her the other breast, she'll get enough milk. supplementing causes problems best avoided.

Answer 9

she is gaining weight so she must be having enough.also how many wet diapers does she have.?