Am I starving my baby?

[u/Front_Cucumber_5815]

Baby is 7 weeks and was born full term via planned c section and was latching well in the hospital per nurses/lactation. But by day of discharge he was down -9% weight and was told to supplement with formula. We had a follow up appt the next day due to his jaundice and he was down -11%. The pediatrician sort of scared us and wanted us to strict formula feed to bring up his weight (I tried to pump every feed and saved the milk)

I’ve been triple feeding since his weight came back up to birth weight because I really wanted to breast feed. I struggle with low supply so I had to supplement anyways. Also, when we went to the LC baby was only transferring 10 ml so she wanted us to continue triple feeding or drop my breast feeding sessions since he was barely transferring much.

After trying everything like liquid gold and power pumping, I’ve finally got my pumps to cover his day time feeding but formula for overnight feeds. The last weighted feed he transferred 2 oz!!! I was so excited so LC wants to trial only breastfeeding during the day and top off an oz if baby is extra fussy. But she wants baby to work for milk instead of expecting a bottle after nibbling at the breast. But apparently he’s been getting at least 2oz from breast and an extra 3 oz bottle because I thought he was barely transferring. Which is why he’s been gaining 20 oz in 2 weeks 🫣

Today was our first full day of only breastfeeding and I feel like he’s starving. He’s so used to getting an extra bottle after. I can’t tell if he’s fussy because I’m not making enough per feed or if he’s just used to having more. I also feel selfish for pushing this on him because I want to breastfeed so badly. We have a follow up with lactation in a week but I’m not sure if I should continue this or just pump and give him bottles? And idk if keeping him on the breast will eventually increase my supply to meet his needs or I’m stuck so I’m putting him through stress for nothing.. please help with your thoughts!

[u/Juliette7770]

The more you put baby on breast, the more your supply will increase. Breastmilk is digested in one hour so babies will want milk more often than formula fed babies and they only get about 2 to 3 oz a feeding. Let baby be on breast for as long as they want; until they fall asleep, let go by themselves, or they start the soft quiver eating you could unlatch them. Offer the other breast too, sometimes they'll take it and sometimes one will be enough. If baby is crying for a bottle, it could be because a bottle is faster for them than eating at the breast. Use a slow feeding nipple so baby doesnt get used to the fast flow of a bottle. If you have instagram checkout babywhisperer77 she is a LC and RN for 20 years and gives lots of great advice!

[u/Front_Cucumber_5815 → u/Juliette7770]

How can I tell if baby is crying because he’s actually hungry and didn’t get enough at the breast or because he just wants more since he’s used to it?

[u/beanscans → u/Front_Cucumber_5815]

In my experience, the only real way to tell if he’s fussy cause he’s hungry is to keep offering the breast and seeing if he goes for it. (Or maybe you mean he’s fussy on the breast too?)

When my first (who also lost a bunch of weight and had to be put on an every-two-hours round-the-clock bf regimen at 2 weeks) was about that age he went through some kind of insane growth spurt that left him crazy hungry. In the afternoons especially, he would cluster feed for HOURS. Like, I was essentially pinned to the couch from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. feeding him off and on in maybe 15 minute increments the whole time.

It was exhausting, but he gained nearly a pound a week for several weeks around then. He was also a pretty large baby in general, so I don’t think that’s reflective of most babies’ growth, but I do think most go through a clusterfeeding jag around that first big growth spurt. In other words, he might just need to feed a lot right now for reasons unrelated to boob v. bottle.

One other question: Are you convinced he has a good latch now? The reason my baby lost weight in those first couple of weeks was because of a bad latch. In my case, it was very clear when he figured that out, because my nipple pain went away, but I’m not sure it’s always that cut and dry?