choosing the pascifier over eating.

by Victoria Biggs
(Paradise Ca)

My baby is not eating like he used to. I am told so many different things about breastfeeding that I am very confused. I was first told that I need to have a schedule. So I think that was going well. Someone else told me that I should not have to keep a schedule and that the baby will know when he is hungry and full.

So I stop timing his feedings and the space between the feedings and now he has lost 8oz in like a month and a half. He is a little over 12 pounds and is almost 6 months. I am very worried. I sometimes forget to feed him when I need to because he sleeps a lot.

And He won't always eat more then ten minutes. It's hard to get him to eat for 15 min. But I get different answers on how much and how long to feed. After 10 or 15 minutes he just wants his pacifier. He wants his pacifier a lot it seems. I hope he is not taking it instead of finishing eating.

He doesn't seem to know when he wants to eat either. I have to get him to initiate the feedings sometimes. When he first latches on he gets upset and gets off after 4 or more times of me putting him back on he finally eats, but then will only eat for 10 or 15 minutes.

He never eats longer then 15 minutes. He also gets distracted easily. With my daughter throwing fits he screams and detaches or if it's just talking he gets off and looks around a lot.

I am wondering if part of the problem is something I am eating? But when I give him a bottle he eats it like crazy and doesn't know when to stop. He eats until I stop him. He eats until he spits up A LOT!!!