The Nursing Baby - Q&A

Sherry asks:
When my baby was 2months old, I was told to supplement feed him due to slow gaining. Now my baby is 8months and gaining very well, I would like to try strictly breastfeeding now. But when I try just nursing him, he doesn't seem to wet as many diapers as he does with his bottles. Does it mean he is not getting enough milk?

As long as your baby still wets 4-6 diapers a day (or 6-8 cloth diapers), he should do fine. Sucking from a bottle is definitely easier, and he may not be getting as much as he was before. As long as you allow him to nurse as often as he wishes, and his growth doesn't falter (it may not go as fast as before since growth does slow down at this age regardless of breast/bottle).

Since you say bottles, you should probably try decreasing the number of bottles no more than one a week, to give your supply a chance to build.

Keep in mind that what many moms think of as "healthy" growth isn't always when it comes to formula feeding. 4.5% of children who are formula fed from birth will be clinically obese at just 5 years of age, versus 0.8% of children breastfed their first year. That's a very significant finding, especially here in America. Growth rates for breastfed babies are distinctly different for breastfed babies as opposed to formula fed babies. You can view breastfed growth rates at ProMoM's site: http://www.promom.org/bf_info/growth.html

These tips are not intended to be medical advice. Please consult your healthcare provider if you have questions.

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