4 1/2 month old wants to wean?

[CarolynO]

My baby is 4 1/2 months old, and I have been back at work for just over a month. When I pump during the day at work, I am only able to get 2.5-3 oz per pumping session, which isn't enough for my baby. His doctor told me I should supplement w/ formula--I just fill up his bottles w/ formula the rest of the way until they reach 5 oz. He drinks them all. My problem is that I feel I'm not making enough milk, but also, when I do nurse him in the mornings and at night and on weekends, he doesn't seem interested at all. He will suck for 30 seconds, unlatch, look around, "talk" to me, pop back on, jerk his head around, etc. It's very frustrating and also painful, as he yanks my nipple every time he lets go. I am trying to be patient, but I wonder if it's just time to start giving him formula all the time. He's sleeping through the night (8 pm to 3:30 or 4:00 or even sometimes all the way to 5 AM).

[rrodemaker]

My 4 mos. old also does this. I've found that it helps if I go to my room where it's nice and quiet with few ditractions. Any other advice from the LC would be greatly appreciated, though.

[Marsha_Bearden]

Any amount of breast milk is beneficial to your baby, so I would encourage you to continue nursing your son and provide as much expressed milk as possible.

How often are you pumping that you are getting 2.5-3oz? Most babies do take more from a bottle than if they were nursing at the breast.

Your baby's behavior at the breast could be from a number of things. You didn't mention if your son cries at the breast as if preferring a bottle.

Do you give formula when you are home, or do you exclusively breastfeed?

A 4 1/2 month old will not be ready to wean from the breast. He may have developed a preference to the bottle.

Would you be interested in increasing your milk supply? If so, email me from my website: www.motheringfromtheheart.com and ask for my Instruction Sheet on Increasing Your Milk supply. I will reply back and attach it to the email.

[CarolynO]

I pump 3 times a day at work (and sometimes I only get 2 oz), plus once right before I go to bed. I also nurse him twice in the morning and once (if he has a bottle leftover from daycare, not often) or twice before he goes to sleep. He doesn't cry at the breast, he just seems not to be interested. I am interested in increasing my supply; I'll email you. I fear you're going to tell me to pump more often at work, though, and that's just not possible.

[Marsha_Bearden]

I'm certain the instruction sheet will touch on that, but if it is not possible for you, trying other things may still make a difference for you.

Do you work 8 hours per day? If so, you are pumping at least 6 oz per day, correct? What kind of pump are you using? How long do you have to pump at work?

His decreased interest in the breast may be because he isn't as hungry. How many 5 oz
bottles does he get during the day when you are working?

My only concern is your supply may suffer with his recent decreased interest in the breast. Have you been pumping more at home since he isn't nursing well?

[CarolynO]

I work 8 hours a day but when my commute is factored in, I'm away from him for 10 1/2 hours. I pump at least 8 oz a day total. I use a Medela Pumpinstyle. Each time I pump is for 15 minutes.

while I'm working he drinks 4 5-oz bottles.

I haven't been pumping more at home--I pump once at home usually around 9:30 or 10 PM, right before I go to bed. The only feeding he really seems interested in is the first one in the morning. The caretakers at his daycare have told me he "really likes to eat." I feel like I should maybe start making his bottles even bigger, since he can finish them all.

Also I should mention he is very thin--90th percentile of height but only 10th in weight as of 2 weeks ago. That's a lot like his daddy and his doctor doesn't seem worried, but I do think he should be eating as much as I can cram into him.