3 month old STILL eating every 1 1/2-2 hours around the clock...help!! - Page 2

[Mama2ChicknLil]

Originally Posted by silversparrow 

co-sleeping while nursing kills my back too, I found that using my nursing pillow helped if I rest my head om one end with the rest curled around behind my back.

Also for oversupply you can try drinking some sage tea. One-two cups a days for three days and see if that helps. It's possible with over supply that he getting lots of watery foremilk (though I know some people say there's no such thing as foremilk/ hindmilk, so that's why i say possible) and needing to feed frequently. This is especially applicable if your LO has watery/ foamy green poos. Mine did until my supply calmed dwn.

If you haven't already try to keep him awake (by talking to him, undressing him, burping etc) to drink as long as possible and use breast compressions (after the volcanic-type let down is over) to get as much into him at once as possible. 

You can also try pumping for the first let-down to get the foremilk off and then feeding him for the hindmilk.

I found that doing all these things got him from sleeping 3-4 hrs at night to 6 or 7.... until he hit 5.5 months... but that's diff story...

hope that helps!

Definately intrigures by the idea of the nursing, pillow, I'm going to try that tonight!! If I got 6-7 hours of sleep a night I would lose my mind...the joy would be unbridled!!

I'm going back to block feeding (when I'm home with him) and I hope that will help even out any imbalances. I'm too afraid to use the sage because it worked WAAAAY too well for my cousin and she ended up with low supply issues!!

[silversparrow]

I was too scared to use the sage too, but suffered with very sore nipples for three weeks because he kept biting/ pinching to hold back the flow.

[Mama2ChicknLil]

Kai still does that, the pinching off the flow thing. I was dealing with open wounds so long that sore nipples are a giant step up...so I haven't really done TOO much to deal with the oversupply

[Gracecody]

Originally Posted by Mama2ChicknLil 

Touche :) thanks for the words of assurance. Good to know it's not the result of some of my own poor attachment issues!!

Ditto! I have this same thing and this is baby #3 for me. We recently went through a horrible period of maybe 3 days of a LOT of crying that I attribute to my dairy challenge...and my stomach was totally in knots the whole time because of the crying, I can't deal with it at all. Mine hates his car seat too and we only go out a few times a week because I can't deal with the hysterics in the car either. :(  A couple times this week his crying has brought me to tears too, that crying is meant to cause a chemical reaction in your body and boy, does it ever! ((((hugs!!!)))))

I was reading something really intriguing yesterday about mothers with dairy intolerances eating dairy and passing *undigested* milk protein to their babies through their milk and this causing issues...I don't know if it's true or if there's anything to it but I thought I would mention it since you said you have a dairy issue yourself.

I've gotten used to the nursing while sleeping thing too...I make a nice little nest with my pillow above his head, my bottom arm tucked under the pillow, a second pillow laid the long way behind me to support me from hips to back (I roll forward a little and shove it under my back then roll back a little - it keeps me on my side, and top arm resting on my side. I often wake up a bit stiff, but by then it's time to change positions anyway...

[Mama2ChicknLil]

It's definatly a challenge trying to figure out what the problems are. We've lost so much wisdom haven't we? The only dairy I consume on a daily basis is some buter in the pan I cook my eggs in every morning, otherwise I'm dairy free. I'm actually starting to this that his eating habits might be just the way he likes to eat :( I'm hoping he'll start to lay off a bit at night though...I guess that's all I can do. In the meantime I'm going to try a million things until I'm comfortable!! The tip about putting him on blankets and dragging the blankets around was brilliant last night. He wiggles all over the place but it was still easier to move him!!

Kai suddenly hates the carseat too!! I actually pulled over 4 times in the mile ride to the market yesterday to make sure he wasn't dying!! Oh, it's too heartbreaking. I have been known to cry with him too ;) hugs right back at ya!

[EuroMama]

My lactation consultant actually told me that at around 3 months they go through this growth spurt where they have the need to nurse OFTEN and that during this time alot of woman give up because they are tired and to hang in there if it happeneds.

[rainface]

My little one is 3 months old too...well, in 10 days. She has been taking looooonnnnggg naps and last night she nursed all night, which is unusual for her. Kiddo has been up 2x a night to eat since she came home from the hospital. I'm wondering if the 3 month growth spurt is upon us :)

Anyway, I wanted to commiserate with you on the crying being upsetting thing. I'm so sick of being lectured by everyone about how I have to toughen up "she's just going to cry sometimes, why do you let it bother you so much?". When she cries, it really upsets me...makes me sick to my stomach. I think we're biologically wired to respond when our babies are upset. And it's not like I could do anything different anyway...oxytocin rules my life right now :) As a result, the only person I'm comfortable leaving her with is my mom, she's the only other person who seems to take soothing her as seriously as I do. 

[EuroMama]

Anyone have a snacker??? Sometimes my 2 week old will  nurse 5 minutes and then get off the breast.

[Mama2ChicknLil]

Originally Posted by EuroMama 

My lactation consultant actually told me that at around 3 months they go through this growth spurt where they have the need to nurse OFTEN and that during this time alot of woman give up because they are tired and to hang in there if it happeneds.

Absolutly!!! I was just so determined to see this BF thing through, I nursed him through bloody nipples, extreme pain, and continuing on through the fatigue. Growth spurts are evil. Two things keep me going...the sense of calm and peace I feel about 30 seconds into nursing him, and that smile he gives with the nipple still in his mouth :) Oh yeah, and the health and economic benefits aren't bad either...oooh, and being allowed to legally flash people!!

Originally Posted by rainface 

My little one is 3 months old too...well, in 10 days. She has been taking looooonnnnggg naps and last night she nursed all night, which is unusual for her. Kiddo has been up 2x a night to eat since she came home from the hospital. I'm wondering if the 3 month growth spurt is upon us :)

Anyway, I wanted to commiserate with you on the crying being upsetting thing. I'm so sick of being lectured by everyone about how I have to toughen up "she's just going to cry sometimes, why do you let it bother you so much?". When she cries, it really upsets me...makes me sick to my stomach. I think we're biologically wired to respond when our babies are upset. And it's not like I could do anything different anyway...oxytocin rules my life right now :) As a result, the only person I'm comfortable leaving her with is my mom, she's the only other person who seems to take soothing her as seriously as I do. 

You know, Kai goes through the 'typical' growth spurts at least a couple weeks before they are due. He has, howevere, nursed all night long since out first night together :( hopefully for you your baby will go back to waking less at night once she's got through this developmental milestone.

I too hate those people who come over and want me to put the baby down in their seing or something, or try to encourage me to let dad give him a bottle (yeah, I'm going to express even MORE milk during the day so DH can feed him, nah), or just "accept" that babies cry. It's crap. My aunt, wj=hom I adore, kept telling me to do these things, and I finally emailed her Dr Sears' High Needs Chekclist. Her response? "Wow, I just...wow. I just wanted to help." Yeah, I know...but it wasn't working!!

Also, I hate people who try to tell me I don't know what my baby is feeling. I KNOW he was traumatised by his birth. I KNOW he's mad at me for leaving him to go back to work (he wont make eye contact with me for HOURS after I get home!!!). I KNOW he gets scared when he is sleeping alone. Geez!

Originally Posted by EuroMama 

Anyone have a snacker??? Sometimes my 2 week old will  nurse 5 minutes and then get off the breast.

Oh yes...Kai's a crazy snacker. Now that I'm back at work he takes about 3 2oz bottles while I'm gone. That's him eating three times in 9 hours. He's obviously capable of going longer than 1 1/2 hours between meals!!! I find a lot of it to be comfort nursing though...and if it weren't for that chance to reconnect when I get home, and cuddle at night (despite how tired I am), he might not remember me at all :(

[rainface]

LOL at being allowed to legally flash people 

I'm going back to work in 24 hours...we've been trying to introduce a bottle for the past 6 weeks but baby girl loves her boob time and she's having none of it. I know she'll adjust eventually but I'm stressed about her being upset and hungry while I'm gone. I hear you on reconnecting...I feel like I need to have her touching me as much as possible. Last night my aunt was holding her and she started yelling, I immediately went to take her and offer her nursing but I practically had to wrestle her away. Having to repeatedly say "no, I know what she needs, she's hungry" stresses me out. (And my aunt is a lovely, loving, experienced mom and grandma...)

BTW, I love your name...I call my little one Chicken Little. That just makes me smile 

[EuroMama]

I also nursed through bruised nipples, and horrible fatigue, I was ready to throw in the towel the first few days after DS2 was born (he is 2 weeks) when my milk came in, my breast hurt so bad, I thought I was going to die, but also was determined to fight through it. With my DS1 I gave up too soon, I nursed him for a week and then gave up because of the pain.

Right now we go through nursing for 10 minutes, every hour. I hope this is ok. He has been gaining weight and getting enough wet/soiled diapers.

I seem to have a fast flow though, because he seems to need to catch his breath, or pulls away, and fusses at the breast sometimes.

 

Originally Posted by Mama2ChicknLil 

Absolutly!!! I was just so determined to see this BF thing through, I nursed him through bloody nipples, extreme pain, and continuing on through the fatigue. Growth spurts are evil. Two things keep me going...the sense of calm and peace I feel about 30 seconds into nursing him, and that smile he gives with the nipple still in his mouth :) Oh yeah, and the health and economic benefits aren't bad either...oooh, and being allowed to legally flash people!!

[Pjf72312]

My 8 week old eats 5-7 oz every 2 hours. I feel your pain...ive read everywhere that 30you oz is normal...hes eating 60-72 oz!

[Bokonon]

Originally Posted by Pjf72312 

My 8 week old eats 5-7 oz every 2 hours. I feel your pain...ive read everywhere that 30you oz is normal...hes eating 60-72 oz!

Is your baby formula-fed or fed breastmilk?  That is an excessive amount of either for a newborn to eat either way.  

[Quinalla]

You've gotten some great advice, I just wanted to tell you that my DD was still waking that frequently at night and nursing that often at 3 months. Hang in there, it will get better, but man do I feel you. I'm pregnant again and I'm NOT looking forward to the no-sleep times when they are little.