Worried about supply at 8 months

[Casey44]

I'm not sure this is the right forum for my question, but here I go...

DD is 8 months and has been EBF up until 6 months when we started solids. We are doing solids about twice a day, an hour or so after breastfeeding. In the past two weeks I have also started exercising (I was putting it off because of breastfeeding but decided it was time to get back in shape)! Most of what I read said that exercising shouldn't mess up my supply. I eat A LOT of good healthy, (including lots of good fats) food, and drink water constantly. I haven't been exercising at 100% but have been doing it about 4 to 5 times per week. Here is why I'm worried:

DD sometimes fusses after a feeding. It's like she'll finish and then she'll sit on my lap and let out a fuss like she wants more. I'll put her back on but she won't really eat- she just kind of plays. I've started letting her "play" though thinking it might boost my supply if there was an issue? (She actually started doing this fussing before I started exercising though so I don't know if it's related to the exercising?) Sometimes I have just given her a pacifier and that has instantly made her happy- I would think she would let me know if she was still hungry, but I'm not sure? She's also has always been small so it just makes me extra careful about making sure she's getting enough!

She is STTN (almost 12 hours) and eats 5 times throughout the day. I nurse her pretty much every 3 hours and she never acts hungry other than that little fuss after a feeding sometimes that just started recently.

Is there any other way to know how my supply doing? Today I have been feeding her more like every 2 hours just boost it a little, hopefully. But I guess my question is- how do I know if my supply is decreasing? And what do I do about exercising?

Thank you!

[annettemarie]

Moving out to the main forum.

[Casey44]

I never got a response on this and was just going to see if anyone had any thoughts/advice.

Also, she has been a lot more fussy lately. She still doesn't have any teeth so I know it could be teething, but how do I know what is wrong? She grunts and fusses about everything... being set down, me wiping her hand, putting her in her car seat, looking at her wrong... haha. I mean EVERYTHING seems to set her off and sometimes she's just upset and grunting and nothing I do makes it better. She won't let me feel her gums which kind of makes me think it's teething, but it could just be that she doesn't want me touching her gums because it's another thing that seems to annoy her. (Is this behavior normal, btw? It's almost like colic- I feel like my happy baby is just not happy anymore so it's worrying me!)

It's always been difficult for me to tell when she's hungry because she has always been the type to nurse whenever it's in front of her. I'm just worried that if my supply is decreasing, I wouldn't necessarily know it and now I'm worried that this might be why she's fussing? Like I said, I've always been paranoid about her getting enough, so the trend continues!

Please let me know if you have any advice or can help me understand what is going on! Thanks!

[Mom2M]

You know, I always have that sort of in the back of my mind...is my supply down...when I know it probably isn't! It's so hard to know for sure and I know I am paranoid about it also.

Anyway, mine had a hard teething time, she got 8 in a row and was very fussy with it. She has never used a pacifier regularly, though I tried, but when she was going through the teething, a few times she would pick it up and gnaw on it.
Maybe you could try giving her frozen teething rings.

She could be going through a growth spurt too and if she nurses more your supply will adjust for her.
Another thing could be a sensitivity to a solid food that she is eating.

I'm sure it will get better soon but it really is hard!

[jillmamma]

Originally Posted by Mom2M

You know, I always have that sort of in the back of my mind...is my supply down...when I know it probably isn't! It's so hard to know for sure and I know I am paranoid about it also.

Anyway, mine had a hard teething time, she got 8 in a row and was very fussy with it. She has never used a pacifier regularly, though I tried, but when she was going through the teething, a few times she would pick it up and gnaw on it.
Maybe you could try giving her frozen teething rings.

She could be going through a growth spurt too and if she nurses more your supply will adjust for her.
Another thing could be a sensitivity to a solid food that she is eating.

I'm sure it will get better soon but it really is hard!

Sounds like teeth to me too. My LO got her first 2 teeth about a month ago, and she was acting similarly. Sounds like you are doing what I would do. Maybe try offering the solids cold or with some ice water in a cup.
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[Snickleson]

If it's REALLY stressing you out, you could take her to a well baby/LC/ or just to the ped and get her weighed. Then take her back in a week or maybe 2 and see what happens. Most likely she will have gained (or maintained), and if she doesn't, keep checking in and you'll get some idea! (Although keep in mind that it's totally normal to not gain or even lose a little) My babe is 8 months also and she can be quite a grump right now too Hopefully it's the teeth!