2month growth spurt? (kinda long...)

[wonders_of_nature]

Hi Everyone,

Is this a growth spurt or low supply??

DD is 2 months old. For almost the past week, she has been on the breast for about an hour at each feeding (7-9 per day). She will fall asleep or just let go of the nipple by herself and seems satisfied. When I go to burp her, she starts making the hungry cry/sucking on fists frantically. So I put her back on. We repeat this for the whole hour until she is content. I just got finished with a 2 hour feeding session, she kept falling asleep and was still doing the crying when I would go to burp. I just kept going back and forth at each breast. The last time I took her off, she still didn't seem satisfied, but DH started to play with her and now she seems fine.

When I feed her in the middle of the night, she eats pretty quickly for her (30 min) and there is gulping and she is definitely happy afterward with no problem going back to sleep.

I just started taking Lecithin supplement, as for the past 5 days I have had at least 1 plugged duct per day. Right now a quarter of my left breast is all hard (even after 2 hours of nursing!) :nono:

DD's latch seems good; she has always been an enthusiastic eater. She's making wet and dirty diapers, but it just bothers me that she doesn't seem satisfied after most of her feedings. Is this typical growth spurt behavior?

[Amy_G_]

probably growth spurt. could be reaction to the lecithin I guess, anything is possible. if her wets and poopies are good and her growth is good, there isn't anything wrong with her latch or your supply. do you feed on both breasts at each feeding, or keep her on one side for a whole feed? switching back and forth will fill her up on foremilk, when she needs the hind milk to feel full longer and grow at her potential. also a bit of a squeeze on the boobah will get the flow going stronger to see if that helps fill her up faster.
but like I said, it could just be a growth spurt..

[wonders_of_nature]

do you feed on both breasts at each feeding, or keep her on one side for a whole feed? switching back and forth will fill her up on foremilk, when she needs the hind milk to feel full longer and grow at her potential. also a bit of a squeeze on the boobah will get the flow going stronger to see if that helps fill her up faster.
.

I do feed on both, always have. She will spend 10-30 min on one side until she stops suckling (but still may suck). Should I just offer 1 until she's done??

I have been trying the breast compression; it does keep her suckling sometimes, but not always.

But I still don't get what's up with all the plugged ducts. I guess that maybe I'm just prone to them. "rant" Since she was born, I haven't gone more than a few days without one....

[kbearmytai]

Sounds like a growth spurt. 2 months is a typical time for growth spurts. She is able to gulp more in the middle of the night because your body produces more milk during the night.

I would offer the one breast until she is done. She will surely get the hind milk then and also help to empty out your breast which might help with plugged ducts. (is advice that my LC gave me in the beginning of breastfeeding to avoid plugged ducts) At the next feeding offer the other breast.

[wonders_of_nature]

I would offer the one breast until she is done. She will surely get the hind milk then and also help to empty out your breast which might help with plugged ducts. (is advice that my LC gave me in the beginning of breastfeeding to avoid plugged ducts) At the next feeding offer the other breast.

Ok, i will give that a try. Thanks for the advice!

[Nipple_nectar]

Are you wearing underwire bras? That will sometimes contribute to it. It sounds like you are giving ample time for your breasts to be emptied, that would be another culprit. So, you have already found out that lecithin helps, you are on your way to eliminating them anyway.

Your milk supply is definitely compromised by clogged ducts so she could be spending more time because she is actually getting less. But mostly, newborns are so connected to mom and nursing that they really want to do it non~stop!

Only mom can figure out if it is true hunger or just what is called comfort nursing. Count your diapers and as long as you are seeing a minimum of six wet in a 24 hour period then you are doing fine!

When I try and slide my 16 month off after 45 minutes of nursing, she panics and roots just like a newborn. I know from experience that she just wants that nipple in her mouth as she slumbers, she is sleeping and not actively sucking that is how I gauge her true hunger. As long as she is actively sucking, I let her have it and yes, some days it lasts two hours!!

[wonders_of_nature]

Are you wearing underwire bras?

Nope, I read that those can contribute to the clogs, so I avoid them like the plague.

I know from experience that she just wants that nipple in her mouth as she slumbers, she is sleeping and not actively sucking that is how I gauge her true hunger. As long as she is actively sucking, I let her have it and yes, some days it lasts two hours!!


Yeah, sometimes I think it IS comfort sucking. What you describe sounds like what we have been experiencing. It's good to know that I'm not the only one experiencing this! (Although the 2 hours of power can be tiring....:p ) Thank you for your reply!

[Amy_G_]

when she isn't actively sucking and you want your nipple free, stick your finger in the corner of the mouth gently, remove the nipple and be sure to push up on her lower jaw to close her mouth and hold it closed for a few seconds. this greatly reduced the searching for that something to suck on reaction.

[wonders_of_nature]

ooh good tip. I'll try that... ;)