Almost 5 month old preferring finger sucking to nursing...

[Parker'smommy]

I swear...just when I *think* I have things under control with this kid...she throws a wrench into it....

She has been SO colicky and wouldn't take a pacifier, so when 2 weeks ago she FINALLY found her fingers, and liked them, and soothed herself with them, I was so happy. She was less fussy and generally a happier baby.

BUT...in the last week she hasn't been nursing much. She's gone from nursing every 1 1/2 - 2 hours to ME offering at least every 3 hours. She will nurse, maybe 3-4 minutes and pop off, and stick her 2 fingers in her mouth instead. I try and take them out, and she cries, and arches her back and screams bloody murder and refuses to nurse. I have an OAL, but she hasn't complained about it and has nursed happily since about 3 months.

She has plenty of wet and dirty diapers. She's not dehydrated. BUT...I do worry that this will affect her weight gain. She isn't big by any standards. She is 14 lbs 10 oz...5oth percentile. It IS affecting my supply. The other day, my left side was totally engorged. I NEVER get engorged....NEVER.

Advice? Is this a novelty that will wear off? I'm TRYING to follow her lead and just nurse when she wants but that might be over 4 hours!! And even when that did happen once during the day, she nursed 3 min, and popped off. She won't comfort nurse. She does nurse at night, which I'm suspecting she may be doing more to make up for calories lost during the day ( we cosleep and I don't know exactly how much or how long she nurses at night...I'm asleep :) ) IF this was a pacifier, I'd take it away. But I can't take her fingers away! ;) And she's happy....ugh. Should I monitor her weight gain more closely ( weigh her at the LC or something?)

help! Thanks!

[Parker'smommy]

nuthin'?

Bumping....I would really like some advice :)

[peacelove&camping]

could it be a nursing strike?

if you can easily do it, maybe a weighed feeding at the lc is a good start; perhaps she's just gotten really efficient! my dd suddenly started a while ago nursing for 5 minutes, max, a side. i know she's older than yours, and that's not as extreme, but she used to go up to 20 each! so i was all freaked out.

that's about all i got. good luck! :)

[Parker'smommy]

Thanks for replying! I guess it could be a nursing strike...

I just found out that there is a baby store in town that sells bfing supplies and that the owner will let you use the scale if you need to. So I think I will try that out.

So, what would be a good amount to gain? I'm thinking at LEAST 3 oz?

[peacelove&camping]

oh that's cool of them! jeez, i don't really know. do you ever pump or give her formula, so you have an idea of what she usually takes in? 4 to 6 monthers should be getting about 6-8oz per feeding, if they're feeding 4-6 times a day [according to my little nutrition handout i have here from children's :) ]. so i would think, if she's eating more often [when she eats!], less would be okay. if she takes in less than that, or less than any amount you feel comfortable with, maybe just give the doctor's office a call.

if it is a nursing strike, it'll pass, that's the good thing :) also, my dd, when she was around yours's age [is yours's a word?], would stick her fingers in around my nipple *while* she nursed. could you maybe try convincing your lo to do that? that way maybe she'd get the comfort of both. like latch her on, and then guide her fingers to her mouth for her? keep us posted! :)

eta: i skimmed over the part about her possibly nursing more at night too quickly. maybe she's--what do they call it, reverse cycling? for example, sometimes babies of working moms take in very little during the day and then nurse on closer to a 'normal' bf baby's daytime schedule at night. maybe, for whatever reason, that's what your lo has started to do, i know it happens often to moms who are with their baby all day long too. try a night or two of waking up at least enough to know how often&how long she's nursing [i know, it's gonna be rough!]. that way you can get an idea of her night 'schedule' and compare it to the day. if she's nursing all night, well then, you may have solved your problem ;) and you'll just have to gently shift her to taking her meals when the sun is shining, like the rest of us!

[peacelove&camping]

sorry, weird computer messup....