Expert: ruth kraft - 2/7/2010

Question
I have been nursing my baby girl now for 10 months.  In the last few months she has been getting more and more fidgety and pulls off even during letdown.  She nurses very frequently during the day (every 2-3 hrs) because because I feel she has become a snacker and because of that I feel my supply has reduced drastically (or that my supply is only giving what she takes every few hours.)  In my hours of doubt, I have occasionally given her a bottle of formula, and have sadly watched her drink this more consistently and steadily (even though she'll still take only 2-4 oz on the bottle).  She has started crying when being put down at night, and now sometimes at her naps.  I wonder if she's still hungry and I have related the crying to that. Shouldn't nursing take longer than a few minutes each time?  I have been taking fenugreek tincture to boost my supply up and I think it helps a little, but I don't want to be on that forever.  I'm not successful with the pump, otherwise I'd pump my milk and give it to her via bottle, and I've tried nursing her in a dark and unstimulating place.  She still pulls off shortly after letdown and literally starts climbing over my shoulder.  Do I just live with this until she weans herself or is there something I can do to get her to settle in for a good feed?

Answer
This isnt a milk supply issue. It is a developing baby issue :) At this age babies struggle often between what they want for food and what they want t explore and learn. Hence the fidgety and climbing upside down to nurse. She knows she wants to nurse but she wants to PLAY!  so they go through this crazy stage. Yes, she is getting enough even when not latched long. She may nurse more frequently for shorter periods. but as time goes on, she will always get what she needs.Because you have nursed this long, there is no reason milk should go down without a reason like giving too much formula and such. The not wanting to nap or go to bed is also because she wants to stay up and learn about the world. She doesnt want to miss a thing. It isnt about food. She wants to be a little girl not a baby :) She wants to stay up with adults and not miss a minute of the bliss that she thinks we have while shes asleep. If she is otherwise acting normally, peeing regularly and growing well she is fine. It sounds to me like she is developmentally normal. The formula isn't going to helpand actually might make her more fidgety.  To stop some of the figietyness you can try to put off nursing a little longer so she gets more hungry to nurse instead of smaller snacks. it may work. But it sounds definatly like developmental stuff that is all normal to me. The on and off constantly is about her needing boundaries from you. that may stop some of the chaos. ;)

I hope that helped!