breastfeeding questions for a four month old?

Question

My son is 4 months. He is breastfed all the time except for a bottle here and there at his bedtime (6:30) feeding only. He use to nurse for 15 min or so, but now he has been nursing only 5 min a side or so. I still have milk left, but he isn't interested. Is this normal? Is he getting enough? He seems content enough when he comes off, but his hands do go right into his mouth (as does everything). His output seems fine - 4 -5 wet diapers and a poo everyday. I am just worried about the time he is feeding. Breastfeeding can be very stressful. He is only measuring in the 50th percentile.

Answer 1

Your baby is more effiecent at suckling, so it will take him less time to get more milk from you.'

The 50th percentile is perfect.

The number of #1's and #2's sounds normal.

Trust your baby's natual ability to regulate his caloric intake. It sounds like you two are doing great! Keep up the breastfeeding! You're doing your baby such a wonderful favor!

My baby is also four months old as of yesterday. Her hands are always in her mouth. It's totally normal. In fact, it's a milestone; our little ones are learning about their hands!

Answer 2

If he is in the 50th percentile that is excellent! Maybe your milk supply has dropped because of the occasional bottle. Do you express the missed feeding? If not that could be the cause of the shorter nursing, or he has just got better at feeding and only needs a small amount of time to get through a side now. If he is content and still giving you wet and soiled nappies then everything must be fine.

Answer 3

First, your anxiousness is completely normal. My son is also in the 50%. We were told when the measured him in utero he was at 50%. Now that he's 5 he's still 50%. That just happens to be normal for him.

Your son has grown dramatically from a new born to 4 months old. He has gotten better at feeding and you've gotten better at both producing milk and breast feeding. As long as he's still producing dirty diapers, he's getting what he needs. Baby's go through a big growth spurt at 3 months and then level off. You might just be transitioning to a slower growth period where you're building more brain than body.

Still, there is a simple way to know that he's getting milk.
Before you feed him, PUT HIM ON THE SCALE. Then feed him. PUT HIM ON THE SCALE AGAIN. If you were bottle feeding you would be giving him about 2.5 ounces per pound of baby per day. So a 12 pound baby would get about 30 ounces a day. So if I was giving 5 feedings over a day he'd be getting about 6 ounces. I think breast milk is more efficient so he might get less than that.

Answer 4

Babies at that age are much more easily distracted. He is also much, much more efficient at getting the milk out. He needs less time at the breast. He may be getting enough milk in that time or he may want to nurse soon after he is finished. If you feel he is not removing enough milk, pump for 5-10 minutes on each side (both at the same time is best) after the feedings. If the milk is not removed there is a chance of a drop in milk supply.
Good luck!
You can call the lactation consultant at the hospital that you gave birth at.

Answer 5

Remember, the 50th percentile is absolutely normal! That is nothing to worry about!

Breastfeeding babies soon get much more efficient - taking much more milk in a shorter time. If he isn't hungry and there is plenty of output, then don't worry.

Also, he might be at the tail end of a growth spurt and not require as much nutrition. Your milk supply should even out to match his decreased demand in a few days (in the meantime, watch out for mastitis!)

Do you completely drain each breast before switching sides? That is what my lactation consultant recommended as the composition of milk changes throughout the feed, and they need to have all of it. It also reduces the chance of mastitis because there is no milk left in the ducts. But consult an expert for their opinion. It is probably just the current trend in Australia, no doubt the rules will have changes by the time my next bub is born...

You will also get used to predicting a growth spurt, because he will feed and feed constantly to increase your supply in the days leading up to it!

Congratulations for breastfeeding successfully and best of luck with your little one.

Answer 6

ONLY measuring in the 50% thta's great that means hes average. around that age the content of your breastmilk changes and becomes evevn more fatening as tehy dont need as much. my son is 5 1/2 months and does this as well. as long as your baby is growing then you're fine. my son is 50% for weight and 75% forheight. his last appt about 2 1/2 weeks ago he wieghed 16.4 and was 26 inches. breastfeeding is stressful and good for you for giving that gift to your baby. i plan on breastfeeding my son until he is a year.
- also i work part time so my stepmother watches ( i pump) him and he will only drink about 4 ounces in that 4 hour period when he used to eat like 10

Answer 7

it is in all hazard a trend which you have regular without rather intending to. there's no longer something incorrect with it. She in all hazard isn't taking as a lot in each and every feeding as different little ones do. My 5 month previous nurses 4 circumstances an afternoon and my husband provides him a bottle each and every nighttime. he's likewise taking approximately 6 oz. of solids split between 3 feedings. we've worked to get him on recurring which works for us, yet once you're pleased with the way your toddler is feeding, it is merely superb. no count if it is bothering you basically attempt pushing out the feeding by skill of 10 or quarter-hour so which you will slowly stretch out the time between feedings. Your toddler will start to soak up greater. do merely is slowly and gradually. Congrats on your kit deal of excitement!

Answer 8

Yes, that is completely normal! My son nursed for only 5 minutes total at times! Like everyone else said, babies become more efficient at nursing, so it takes them less time as they get older. 50% is great! This means that 50% of babies at his age are fatter than him, so he's right in the mid-range. Babies can fall lower than 50% and be totally normal too! Doctors track a baby's weight gain over time and look for any major fluctuations in their gain/loss of weight.

Answer 9

he will eat what he wants to eat. 5 min a side is fine for a 4 month old. Your milk flow has regualted and he is more efficient at getting it out. As long as he is peeing and pooping he's getting enough. If he were fussy you would have to worry, but as long as he's content then just keep it up!

50% is not low, he is at the average size for babies his age.

Answer 10

you are confused as to what percentiles mean.....and i agree that 50% is what is normal....it simply means that in comparison to other babies his age that 50% are bigger and 50% are smaller than he.....it in now way shape or form is a chart to guage that he should be at 100%!.....if he were at a 100% that would mean he is the biggest in his age group and he is a monster compared to other babies

did your care providers not explain this to you??

and babies just love to suck.....sucking on their hands doesn't mean they are still hungry.....it confuses me that ppl think it's okay to stick a pacifier in a babies mouth to shut them up but the minute they have their hands around their mouth they are still hungry/discontent and so on....

babies let you know what they need....and yes they get very efficient at breastfeeding as they grow older

and breastfeeding isn't stressful honey....you just have to trust your body and your baby and let go of any false info thrown at you making you doubt your ability to do this

and be careful with those bottles....if you begin to doubt yourself and offer more bottles you will create a problem

good luck