Four months...loss of appetite?
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ajzmann
Posts: 147 Member
Hi ladies. This isn't weight loss related at all, but I thought perhaps some of you could help me out.
I've had a pretty great nursing relationship with my baby girl who just turned four months. In the past few days, however, she seems to not be eating so much. She's very distractable at the breast (which I understand is to be expected at this age) and doesn't nurse much. She doesn't seem to be eating as much from the nanny during the day either.
She has slept through the entire night (from around 7-7:30 to around 5 a.m.), so I am missing out on that usually good feeding session between 2 and 4 p.m.
She doesn't appear overly fussy or unhappy.
Is this normal? We are seeing the pediatrician on Friday, so I definitely will bring this up there, but I'm kind of freaking out about it now.
I've had a pretty great nursing relationship with my baby girl who just turned four months. In the past few days, however, she seems to not be eating so much. She's very distractable at the breast (which I understand is to be expected at this age) and doesn't nurse much. She doesn't seem to be eating as much from the nanny during the day either.
She has slept through the entire night (from around 7-7:30 to around 5 a.m.), so I am missing out on that usually good feeding session between 2 and 4 p.m.
She doesn't appear overly fussy or unhappy.
Is this normal? We are seeing the pediatrician on Friday, so I definitely will bring this up there, but I'm kind of freaking out about it now.
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Ive heard milk changes around that time so maybe she just needs less? I wouldn't worry about it, a 4 month old wouldn't be starving herself! And since she is sleeping through the night I would say she is getting plenty even though it might not seem like much. I would bring it up with the pediatrician but I wouldn't stress!0
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Ive heard milk changes around that time so maybe she just needs less? I wouldn't worry about it, a 4 month old wouldn't be starving herself! And since she is sleeping through the night I would say she is getting plenty even though it might not seem like much. I would bring it up with the pediatrician but I wouldn't stress!
Thank you! I figure the fact that she isn't overly upset is probably pretty telling, but I am paranoid about not being able to continue to nurse, especially since she gets most of her milk via the nanny during the day when I'm at work.
(I feel crazy for actually worrying that she IS sleeping through the night!)0 -
Mine did the same thing. Still nursing well at nine months. But unless it's for a nap or night time he really hardly ever nurses more than 3-5 minutes any more. Started around 4-5 months as well. And he still doesn't sleep through the night and nurses twice at night typically. I would not worry if weight gain is good.0
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Ive heard milk changes around that time so maybe she just needs less? I wouldn't worry about it, a 4 month old wouldn't be starving herself! And since she is sleeping through the night I would say she is getting plenty even though it might not seem like much. I would bring it up with the pediatrician but I wouldn't stress!
^This, andMine did the same thing. Still nursing well at nine months. But unless it's for a nap or night time he really hardly ever nurses more than 3-5 minutes any more. Started around 4-5 months as well. And he still doesn't sleep through the night and nurses twice at night typically. I would not worry if weight gain is good.
^This
My son did the same around six months when he started STTN.
As long as you and your nanny are feeding on demand, she'll eat what she needs to. If she's STTN, lucky you! She'd be waking to eat if she weren't eating enough during the day.
As long as she's gaining, it's cool. Next week she'll probably be a bottomless pit!
My dad's a pediatrician, and when I was worried about this with my son, my dad said that if he was STTN, he must be eating plenty during the day. He said they need to eat at least a certain amount every day. It may be clumped or spread out during the day/night. It doesn't matter when, just that they do.
Also, if she's peeing and pooping plenty (especially peeing because BF babies can go several days without pooping, and that's normal and healthy), then she's eating plenty.
If she's acting normally (not fussy, etc), then don't stress. Talk to your pediatrician about it, though, so s/he can reassure you. There's nothing like hearing it from your own trusted doctor :flowerforyou:
Edited for typos0 -
Thank you so much for your responses, ladies. I feel somewhat better knowing that this isn't completely weird.
Hopefully the pediatrician confirms this!0 -
The pediatrician described this as potentially a nursing strike?
It has gotten worse, as my poor baby had her four month shots on Friday. She's been beyond fussy and will openly reject the breast when I turn her on her side as I usually do. She will eat really well when she gets up in the middle of the night, and occasionally did well this weekend (not without a little struggle at positioning), but we did end up having to give her a bottle a couple of times (and I ended up having to pump a bit over the weekend---annoying!)
Anyone else have some words of encouragement for this nursing strike/getting over these shots. I really feel down and out about this. When she rejects me, I just feel like I'm doing something wrong, or something is wrong with her.
Pediatrician didn't seem too worried.0 -
I know its easier said than done but don't stress! Your baby will pick up on the stress, your milk will change flavor a little, it could decrease your supply. Keep offering her the breast whenever you can, even if she just ate. If your baby fusses, stop and try again when she calms down. Just keep trying and hopefully she will calm down again and start eating!0
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This happened to us when my son was 3.5 months. Most of the time he just turned away, but sometimes he would arch his back and scream. The ped said reflux and once he was on regular zantac, everything went back to normal. Not saying that's the case here, but just sharing my experience. He's still nursing now at 14 months, so once you figure out what's going on, hopefully things will go back to normal!0
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Actually I went through this as well right around the age of your LO. I started freaking out thinking I'm having a nursing strike. And it probably was a bit. He would still nurse well at night and before naps, but not other times and would openly reject. I just used nighttime and nap time for productive nursing and within a week or a little more it started to get better. Don't get discouraged. The fact that your LO is nursing at night well is encouraging and I am sure they know how much milk they need. It will be fine.0
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Thank you for all of the encouraging words, gals!
She has been eating well before bedtime and has been waking at least once (sometimes twice) in the past couple of nights and getting a good nursing session in. She just doesn't nurse in the morning right before I drop her off and will wait to nurse til she's winding down for the night.
I'm not totally discouraged, thanks to your support. 0
