Growth spurt?

[smjmekg]

Aubryana's been eating like she's been starved the last couple days. She'll be 11 weeks old on Wednesday. Could she be going through a growth spurt? She's exclusively breast fed, and my boobs feel like they're completely empty. I'm doubling up on my mother's milk tea (was only drinking two cups, now going to do four) for the next two days, today included and see if it boosts me up a little and then changing to three Tuesday and see if it helps any. She was eating earlier and I guess it wasn't coming out fast enough because she'd eat for a second or two and stop and cry, wasn't gassy or anything...when it started coming faster again she was happy. It was like I had a second let down. She hadn't had a good nap yet, and was cranky as well. DH has been home since he had surgery Thursday and between him and Elijah they've been waking her up...she only wants me and will cry when DH is holding her...so do you ladies think it's just a growth spurt or am I not producing enough? I'm lucky if I've gotten an hour and a half break, up until almost an hour ago when she finally fell asleep.

[smjmekg]

She only cried the one time. She'd already been eating, and I kept her on the same side when she started fussing a few minutes later, so I'd already had a let down, and it was like I got a second one when she started eating again. It was within ten minutes that she stopped and started again.

She was eating every hour or two today, that's why I think it's just a growth spurt too. Yesterday she ate a lot as well. She's been up 4 or 5 times Fri and Sat night but actually slept 11-4 last night. DH has been home a lot more and I have noticed the days he's home she doesn't sleep as well, I think it's cause he isn't as careful about noise as I am when she's asleep.

[Clysta]

She might just want instant gratification as well and that's why she fusses at first and is better when the milk actually lets down. Have you tried expressing before you feed her to get closer to the let down and seeing if that helps at all?

[smjmekg]

I hope so. I'm upping my tea just to help me produce more...poor thing, she looked so hungry earlier and it almost made me cry thinking my supply was dropping and she wasn't getting enough. But I don't think that's it. I haven't had any issues since she was three days old, so I've been breast feeding with no problems for almost 10 weeks.

[Clysta]

Sounds a lot like a growth spurt. Babies generally have them around 3 months (among other times) and feed non-stop for days. Just let her latch and nurse whenever she wants. It shouldn't last for too long. Max of maybe a week or so.