Not sure baby is getting enough milk breastfeeding
Hi all, as title suggests, I'm not sure if I'm failing at breastfeeding and starving my baby. She's currently 5 weeks old.
I'm combi-feeding. Breastfeeding between the hours of 6am-10pm, with one bottle at 10pm and another around 2/3ak when baby wakes for feed. I had to introduce the bottle as I was getting zero sleep as she wanted to cluster feed all night and I was falling asleep with her. When I say all night, I mean constantly and will cry when she stops. I pump whenever she has her bottle so I dont miss feeds. I'll pump between 2-3oz in 20 minutes.
She cluster feeds constantly through the day and won't nap. I cant put her down for a nap as she starts screaming. Hunger cues begin as soon as she de-latches.
I can't get anything done, ever. I'm stuck to the sofa all day and just have to let her cry when I go to the toilet.
Sometimes when she's feeding, she'll start screaming and refuse to latch. There is milk there when I try to manually express it.
I went to a breastfeeding support group for help with all of this, there's no lactation consultant in my area (NHS UK), and they said she seems content and feeding well.
Is all of this normal? I feel like I'm failing her. I see other mums with babies her age that are able to put theirs on play mats, etc, but I've got no chance. Also means her dad struggles to get cuddles out of her and I can see it's affecting him too as she just cries.
Posted Apr 6, 2026, 1:22 PM UTC