3 month old not eating as much

Quiet_thought

Hi,

I'm just wondering if this has happened to anyone else. In the past few days it seems like my little guy is not eating as much. Now he was never one for 20 minute feeds, but has always thrived and put on plenty of weight.
I'm breastfeeding, but he gets one bottle of formula at night. He's taking the same amount of formula but he just doesn't stay on the breast for more than 5 minutes most of the time.
He's been getting a formula bottle for a month now, so I doubt that's causing the problem...maybe it is.
Could it be a case that he is getting more efficient on the breast and getting more milk faster?
He is totally fine, no change in personality or anything. I've been documenting his feeds now for the last few days and I'll get him weighed next week to be sure. But I just wanted to know if this happened with anyone else to put my mind at rest for now.
Thanks

How Strange

Yes he's just getting more efficient at feeding.

Squiggler

Same has happened here with our 9 week old. He used to take at least 30-40 minutes for a feed, sometimes up to an hour. Now it's 5-10 minutes, but he's got plenty of energy, still gaining weight and growing well... it's nice not to be forced to spend as much time on the sofa, especially for night feeds.

Gee_G

I posted on the newborn thread about this the other day. My little man is the same, but I'm formula feeding. He is teething and the nurse today said that is why, his gums are too sore!

Quiet_thought

Thanks for the replies. He has been teething the last couple of weeks, so it could be that. He took very little from the breast today and then at around 3 he was screaming and screaming, I kept offering the breast, I tried both sides, held him different ways but he just got more upset. In the end I gave him a bottle. He guzzled it and fell asleep.
I never had any feeding problems with him, I'll pop to the breast feeding clinic next week I think.

pushkii

My lo was like that about 2 weeks ago too and she's now 14 weeks. I thought she was starting to teethe and it was hurting her but she took expressed milk fine from the bottle. I think the reason she was coming on and off the boob was because she was Getting distracted. and basically becoming more nosy .So now i give her the bottle now and then so she can noses about when feeding and if she's coming on and off alot i space out her feeds so she's quite hungry. as long as they have plenty wet nappies its normal the phn said to me :-)

Mink

I'm not a breastfeeder but definitely sounds like he's just gotten more efficient.

Quiet_thought wrote: »

Thanks for the replies. He has been teething the last couple of weeks, so it could be that. He took very little from the breast today and then at around 3 he was screaming and screaming, I kept offering the breast, I tried both sides, held him different ways but he just got more upset. In the end I gave him a bottle. He guzzled it and fell asleep.
I never had any feeding problems with him, I'll pop to the breast feeding clinic next week I think.

Yes definitely go to the BF'ing place. My 3 mth old is doing the exact same thing as this but with the bottle. He's obviously hungry and I keep offering the bottle but he's too upset to even realise I'm offering it, then goes mad for a while and when I get him calm enough, he'll eventually take it (after getting initially upset). It's such a guessing game. I would try offering the breast again after calming him down and waiting a while.

Squiggler

Quiet_thought wrote: »

Thanks for the replies. He has been teething the last couple of weeks, so it could be that. He took very little from the breast today and then at around 3 he was screaming and screaming, I kept offering the breast, I tried both sides, held him different ways but he just got more upset. In the end I gave him a bottle. He guzzled it and fell asleep.
I never had any feeding problems with him, I'll pop to the breast feeding clinic next week I think.

Did you try giving him a teether or a finger to chew on before trying again? Our little guy is teething too and sometimes he is in too much pain to feed (I'm breastfeeding as well). I give him his keys (they're gel filled and cooled in the fridge) or my finger to chew on for a little while and, if it's evening, a sachet of Teetha Crystals and when he's soothed offer the breast again - and he'll feed.

Quiet_thought

Well he kept refusing the breast at bed time so i gave him a bottle and for the first time ever he slept nearly the whole night!
I spoke to the PHN about it and she said baby led feeding is fine and to continue with whatever works for us.
So he's getting bottles by night and breast by day.
He's sleeping well and full of giggles and fun during the day. And he's putting on plenty of weight. So all is good.
Thanks for all the help