The problem with telling me that my baby has dropped to the 30th percentile for weight and that I might have a milk supply problem is that now I am always going to assume he is hungry. Prior to Camden's 4 month pediatrician appointment, he was eating about every 3 hours or so. Now I've reverted back to on-demand feeding, which means I'm back to over-analyzing his cues.
He just stuck his fingers in his mouth. He must be hungry.
He smacked his lips. He is starving.
His fist is in his mouth. I know he just ate an hour ago, but he must not have gotten enough.
He's never made that noise before. He's trying to tell me to feed him.
Yesterday, the poor kid either had a boob or a spoon shoved in his mouth all day long.
Now, I know all of the advantages of breastfeeding. I know a lot of pediatricians push it. I've seen the "Breast is Best" signs in the hospitals. But! I think moms that bottle-feed (whether they are feeding formula or breastmilk by bottle) have a huge advantage over moms that exclusively breastfeed: they know how much their baby is eating (or not eating). And when you've been told that your baby's weight increase has slowed down, that seems like a pretty important thing to know, right?
This isn't to say that I'm planning on switching to the bottle anytime soon. I'm not. But I do feel like I've been thrown a huge curveball just as Camden and I were getting into a groove. Such is life as a first-time mom!
2 comments:
You poor thing. I agree with you, it is easier to bottle feed in that sense. You know how much your child is taking. There is still a lot of guessing involved as they gradually eat more and more each week (and throw in a growth spurt or two) but overall it's definitely easier to let your baby hang out their crib knowing they took a full feeding than have to wonder if they are laying there awake because they are hungry, or just having trouble with their sleep transitions. When I was BFing at the beginning I was always self conscious about that especially because of the stupid scales at the hospital that would say Lexi lost an ounce eating. It scarred me for life and kind of pushed me toward bottle feeding, so I do understand your frustration. It's a constant guessing game, but I know you are doing an amazing job. I hope things get better soon.
I agree that it is rough when you can't measure the amount. I hated that in the hospital- and seeing the notches on the side of the bottle right now are great for the type A personality that you and I both share.
Hang in there.
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