Should i pump - 5.5 mth baby nurses only for <5mins

fennho

fennho

Registered User
Lately, my baby has not been feeding well. She would latched on for only a few minutes, sometimes even just 2-3 minutes, and then she would unlatched. I'd thought she needs a burp, but after that, when i attempt to put her back to my breast, she would struggle and cry. So i have to let her go. I know at this stage (she's nearly 6mths old) it is common for babies to be active and curious of the world, but even when i bring her to a quiet room, draw the curtains and make it as boring as possible, she still refuses to nurse. This makes me wonder if she is truly full?

I'm worried my supply will dry up if this continues. In the morning, when my breasts are the fullest and hard, she will just suck for not more than 5mins, and then refuses to have anymore. So, my breasts gets a bit soft BUT still feel full of milk (but not uncomfortable). Should i pump this out or leave it? If i leave it, will this means my breast will keep making less milk?

I would really love to BF her as long as possible but have heard of other mommies milk supply "drying up" this way and gotta stop at 8-9mths. :frown:
 
hi,
just to share my experience - my baby was the same when he was abt 5.5 mths as well. i didnt pump, and yes, my milk supply gradually dried out. my friends did suggest putting baby to breast when he's a bit sleepy and more incline to suck but i didnt do this religiously though.

so, if u plan to bf as long as possible, pumping would be a good idea although nothing beats baby's sucking to promote milk.

hope this helps!
 
my son now 16 months was like that. He started to wean himself off around 5.5 months but i just let him latches on even if it is for 5 minutes to get ride of as much milk as possible and I do pumping as well until he was like 7 months, well establish in solid then I stop pumping and totally wean off around 8 months. No pain no sweat and it was very smooth. I know my baby when he is well established on solid, he will just latch on me 2-3 times a day, 5-10 minutes each time, he is full and sleep for 2.5 hours.
 
My baby was like that too, esp when I started her on solids at 6 months. I think breastfeeding was too boring. She would take a little milk, then start twisting and turning, and arch her neck and scream when I put her back on. I did pump more because I got engorged when she did this. You can keep the milk for later, e.g. in the fridge if she gets hungry or freezer.

BTW, after a few weeks of refusing breast, my baby started to nurse quite enthusiastically again. I think it is just a phase. Now I am thinking about weaning her cos she is 8 months already, but a bit reluctant to do so, since she likes nursing again so much.
 
thanks all

mscheerful
i dont want to wean her off so early. Would like to BF her till at least 1 yr. :)

noc
yup, mine also, arch and scream if i attempt to put her back at the breast. Im worried shes not getting enough during the day hence will wake up more often during the night. Or worse, not thriving. WHy ru weaning your gal at 8mths if she's nursing enthusiastically again? Aft all, she's oredi 8mths, so the nursing is very minimal by now rite? how many times a day is she nursing? I dont mind it so much if it's jus 3-4times a day. It's good cos they're getting all the benefits from the breast milk. :)
 
It is common for babies around four or five months old to be very efficient at drinking the milk from the breast. They manage to get lots of milk in just a few minutes. As always look at the baby and her output to know if she is getting enough milk. The length of time she feeds tells you nothing. You are looking for at least six wet nappies every 24 hours and weight gain over a period of time.

Don?t worry about losing your milk. Once the milk supply is well established, as yours is, it is actually very hard to lose it. One estimate is that you will continue having milk for six weeks after the last feed you give. So long as you baby is still drinking (even two minute feeds) you will still continue to make milk. Try to relax and have faith that your body and baby are working together.

Best wishes,
SARAH
 
I noticed that she's not gaining weight as rapidly as when she was younger. As for wet nappies, she's wearing those disposable diapers, so how to gauge?
 
My little girls been feeding for only 3-5 mins since she was 2 months old and my milk supply is fine. i think they just get very efficient. also weight gain does slow down as otherwise they'd be huge. babies are meant to double their birth weight by 6 months. the one feed that does seem to last for a lot longer is her bedtime feed, but i think that's partly for comfort.
as for the nappies, go by how heavy they feel. compare a new nappy with the morning nappy, and during the day it should be somewhere in between.
hope this helps.
 
Actually, at 8 months, she still takes in about the same breast milk as she has for the past few months. There hasn’t been much decrease at all from what she took at 5-6 months, because she doesn’t take that much solids yet – just one meal of fruit or vegetables in the morning and one meal of oatmeal or rice in the afternoon. Both meals are followed by breast milk.

I am thinking about introducing formula, because I am a bit tired of pumping at work and also worried that she is not getting enough nutrition, esp. iron. But I have not given her formula yet – I‘ve tried many types, but cannot find one that I would like to give her.

Now, I think my baby is teething, because this week, she again is refusing to nurse. This time, she will even refuse to open her month when I try to nurse - crying, rolling over, screaming. It is quite worrying!
 
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