2 months old baby not feeding well

I

ishaaditidhar

New member
My son has turned 2 months today. All of a sudden, I have been noticing a gradual deterioration in the milk quantity that he has been consuming. Initially, he hardly suckled my breasts as he used to get tired very quickly and did not get enough feed. So, I had decided to express my milk and feed him using a small cup.

I also used to give him top-feed at night so that he could sleep well. However, now he is not interested in drinking any more from the cup. He has started latching well to my breasts now.. but now I am not lactating enough to meet his needs.
I have also tried to introduce him to bottle feeding using a nipple. It was his first day and he drank nearly 80 ml from the bottle. Remaining 40 ml had to be force-fed.

Overall, he drinks about 5-6 times a day.. but the quantity is uncertain since I am breast-feeding him. He sleeps at times, but is restless at other times.

I am really concerned about his milk intake. Please share your experiences with me and advise.

Thanks.
 
My daughter feeds on 80-100ml expressed milk via bottle at 1 week shy to 2 months old. However she gets hungry every 2 hours. I do hear some babies drinks 120-150, but I'm not too worried as long as she's got weight gain and has soiled diapers. However I do try to keep my supply by latching her at night.
 
my baby drinks on average 120-140 per sitting, drinking every 3-4 hours, but i don't breast feed anymore, i express it so that i know exactly how much my baby feeds on at each sitting, but mostly he drinks formula now as i am weaning him off breast milk.

i think i'm a bit paranoid about knowing the EXACT amount he drinks! really not necessary - just me...just as long as your baby is showing weight gain that is good...my baby pu's 1-2 a day now and has 3-4 wet diapers. he was born 7lbs and now weighs 13lbs - don't know what that figure means, but thought it might give you a point of reference. did hear some people say babies are meant to double their weight by 2 mths? others have said 3 mths....honestly though i don't think it should be a great big deal unless there is no weight gain.
 
My baby is 2.5 months now and I have just increased his milk intake to 135ml per feed, 7 times a day ... With the aim to get him to 150ml in 2 weeks (6 feeds a day), under the advice of the pediatrician. He was born 7 lbs and is now 14 lbs.
 
If he is happy, has enough wet nappies and is gaining weight over time, I wouldn't worry. Some babies are fussy feeders but it doesn't sound like your baby is, if he happily drank 80ml at a feed then perhaps that is all he wants then? His stomach is only small and personally wouldn't pressure him to drink another 40ml because you have decided he should drink 120ml in one meal. 120ml is just a random amount that you have decided he needs not what he 'must' have.

Is it possible that he is getting all he needs when he breastfeeds, babies get more efficient at feeding as they get older so he could be getting what he wants in less time. If you're really worried about supply and want to continue breastfeeding then maybe pump a little in between feeds to restore your supply but honestly there is nothing in your post to suggest that you have anything to worry about or that he might not be getting enough milk.
 
Jvn's advice is spot on; I was not sure from your post why you thought your baby wasn't getting enough milk? How do you know you aren't producing enough? As jvn says, if your baby is happy, putting on weight and has plenty of wet/dirty nappies then he is probably doing just fine. The amount you express is NOT a guide to how much your baby is getting when he feeds from the breat - some mothers have lots of milk but can express very little. Breastfed babies volume of milk does not increase (unlike the recommendations for formula)as the baby grows and the baby does get more efficient at feeding so can suck the same volume in less time. It sounds like your baby is doing really fine, unless there is some further information that makes you concerned.
 
Agreed with jvn n TNT, as long your baby are happy and have 6-7 wet diapers a day, and he did gain his weight, then he is doing good. Do not use the quantity as a measurement, you will end up getting paranoid n forcing your LO drinking. Not everyone will get 'michelin' baby, relax and try to listen to your baby, they won't starve themselves. Probably he needs small feed but more frequent?
 
Yes, I had similar "problems"/fears when my son was the same age. My (sensible) girlfriends just told me - look at him, he is healthy and happy, don't worry! :)
 
Also, as your baby grows, the composition of your breast milk will change to accommodate his need, not the volume. Unlike formula, which ingredients stay constant and you have to keep giving more and more to fill your baby's growing tummy; the fat to water ratio and content of breast milk will keep changing according to baby's need.

As much as manufacturers try to imitate baby's sucking mechanism, no pump is exactly the same as a baby sucking. Also, with the closeness and visual stimulation of the baby while breastfeeding, your body produces more milk when baby is at your breast.

Oh, and for future tip: around 3-5 months, if your baby is still exclusively having breast milk, there might be a short period of time when your baby had no poop. Don't panic. It just means the breast milk had been digested and absorbed completely, so nothing is coming out.
 
Thank yo all so much for the definitely reassuring replies... :)) I would try and keep these pearls of wisdom in mind, next time when am feeding my LO.

Thanks!
 
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