Quality of my milk

I am starting to get a bit worried about the quality of my milk. The reason is Keira has woken two out of the last 3 nights really hungry and needing a big feed. She is feeding her same sort of frequency during the day so I am sure the amount is fine so I am starting to get a bit paranoid that the quality isn't there meaning she needs an extra feed. Is this possible? Am I just being ultra paranoid?

Thanks

How long has this been going on hun?

It sounds like a normal growth spurt to me, do you keep her on the same boob until its totaly drained?

Btw, I think your being paranoid

Thanks Tasha, just a few days but it is right after her having a dodgy tummy with diarhea for 8 days which has meant she was waking once (or more) a night with dirty nappies. I was feeding her after changing her just so to help settle her afterwards, but she wasn't taking that much.

I am feeding her on one side until she really fusses (keeps latching on, pulling off, latching on pulling of and getting fustrated), I then change sides, and she is feeding a lot from the second side. The combination mean that she has only slept through twice in the last 2 weeks. I got really used to a full night sleep again.

Sounds like she may have liked getting mummy milk at night again ,its really easy for them to get back into the habit. Up to you how you deal with it ,you can either go with the flow or refuse at night & keep putting her back to bed saying no milk at night.

Thing is Keira is only 5 months old, Charlotte will go through stages of sleeping through and then like now wakes 3 or 4 times at nearly 8 months.

Its perfectly normal, prolactin levels are higher at night and babies tend to get a better feed during that time.

I wouldn't deny her milk, theres a reason she is feeding more often. If she was throwing up a lot after feeding from being a piggy then id reconsider the situation.

I would say that she is very likely to be going through a growth spurt, especialy as her feeding is similar through out the day, and as shes had a dicky tummy she might be compensating for that time.

I honestly don't think it would be anything to worry about, its hard waking in the night after they have been sleeping through, so I can fully sympathise with you as im going through a similar thing.


You sound like your doing everything right Nicky. Growth spurts typicaly go on upto a week in some cases, so if in a weeks time you see no improvement or your concerned still then please let me/us know and we can have a look and see what else it could be.

Thanks Tasha,

No I wouldn't even consider refusing her a feed, I like my sleep far too much for that. Once she is fed she goes straight back to sleep - only takes 20 -30mins max. She did actually sleep through again last night BUT today she has been feeding every 2hrs to make up for it, so it must be a growth spurt, I just didn't remember one at around this age with Ellie - though I had started weaning Ellie by now maybe it made a difference. Ellie was definitely showing signs of being ready sooner. She was sitting up unaided at only 4months - Keira isn't doing that yet. Ellie grabbed my drink of water out my hand and drunk it at just 4.5months. Keira again is doing nothing like that. They are all completely different aren't they.

Yes I agree it sounds perfectly normal Probably a growth spurt. I doubt there is anything wrong with your milk, sounds like your baby just wants more of the good stuff

Yes Charlotte and Olivia are very different too.
Im sure it will settle soon x

It has nicely settled down. I got Keira weighed at she only put on 2.5oz in the last 3 weeks - however that covered the period she had the diarhea for (8 days in total), so I (and the HV) are sure that is why. So I guess she was making up for that week when she was waking. Thankfully she had plenty to lose, she has dropped from half way between 75th and 91st percentile lines to just below the 75th.

thats great news hun

Great news. I really wouldn't worry about milk quality. If it's boobie juice it's the best quality milk you can get.

Owen started night waking again when he hit 5 months. I still haven't figured out why, but I'm happy to feed him whenever he wants - I figure he's still tiny really.

If he was over 1 and on proper solids I would probably reconsider, but at the moment I'm going with the flow ..... he has only ever slept through from 11.30 - 7.30 and never longer. It's so hard when you are used to a full night's sleep, but you kind of get used tonight feeding again too. x