New Mom needs BreastFeeding Advice...Long but really need advice

my son latched on right away in the hospital & things started off well. He did well on the colostrum.

When he was 4 days old, we took him to his first doctor's appointment & he lost weight. He was 7 pounds 4 oz at birth, 6 12 at discharge, & 6 8 at the doctors. She recommended I supplement with formula in addition to BF. After 2 feedings with the supplementation, my son did not want to latch back on! I was devasted! After many hours & tears, DH & I got him to latch back on and BF.

I met with a lactation consultant the next morning. She said my milk was in but I needed to increase my supply. It seemed my DS was getting less than 1 ounce at every feeding. She taught me some techniques, had me listen for swallowing versus just pacifying sucking.

Our plan:
Nurse every 2 hours during the day & 3 at night.

Pump 3-5 times per day

Supplement feedings with pumped breast milk and/or formula with a syrienge or dropper so there was no nipple confusion like before.

The problem is when I pump, I only get 1/2 ounce between both breasts! I was told to keep doing this and my milk supply will increase. I have been doing this plan for 4 days and my pumping has not increased.
DS is having the appropriate number of wet & soiled (seedy, yellow) diapers, and he is up to 7 pounds. I know it is working but when will it get better??? I am so exhausted & frustrated but want to continue with breastmilk. I am only supplementing every other feeding now.

Sometimes, I can't tell if he is getting enough from BF. Sometimes I have to wake him for feedings and other times he is hysterical. I just don't know how much milk I am actually producing and passing on to him. If you go by my pumping, I only get 1/2 ounce from both breasts. I wish I could pump more, introduce the bottle in a few weeks so I feel less stressed.

Sorry for the long post but any advice is greatly appreciated!

Re: New Mom needs BreastFeeding Advice...Long but really need advice

Welcome and congrats!!!!

My first bit of advice (and it's the hardest to follow) is to stop worrying about trying to figure out how much he's getting per feeding. One of the most frustrating things about BFing is fear that the baby isn't "eating enough". If your little one is gaining weight and he's got the appropriate amount of wet/dirty diapers, then he's getting enough.

The pump is NOT a good indicator of how much you are producing. The baby (even itty-bitty NBs) is more efficient than the pump in that the baby suckling at your breast stimulates the milk-ejection reflex MUCH more than the pump does.

Most babies should reach their birthweight by 10-14 days, and thats usually when you can stop waking them to eat. It sounds like he's just about there. Kudos to you for getting him back on the breast!!!!

Here's the deal though. Those first few weeks are HARD- so hard that you will likely feel like quitting a million times. But I PROMISE you. It WILL get better. Over the next few days and then weeks, you'll see that feedngs will get shorter and he'll go longer between feedings.

There are a number of us on here who BF successfully and will offer any advice/support you need. Congrats again- you are doing a FANTASTIC job.

Re: New Mom needs BreastFeeding Advice...Long but really need advice

I had to supplement both my DC until they got back up to their birth weights. Fortunately we never had issues with nipple confusion, but DS was never the best latcher, I used to cry every time I had to feed them.

If you can, I would stop pumping for awhile. I was the same as you - would only get 1/2 an ounce or so from each breast and was driving myself crazy thinking that DC weren't getting enough. I stopped pumping for a few weeks and that was the best thing I ever did. I stopped worrying about how much they were getting. I knew they were getting enough because they were gaining weight and doing well.

After I became more confident about BFing I started pumping again to build a freezer supply.

Feeding your DD every 2 hrs plus pumping is going to drive you insane. Nursing every 2 hrs will build your supply enough As long as you don't mind your DD getting some formula, I would continue to supplement with that.

You can try fenugreek or more milk plus for increasing your supply. Some ladies on here have had success with them, I tried fenugreek and it didn't work for me.

I STILL don't pump very much - I get an ounce or two on each side, sometimes three if I miss a feeding. I know DC have to be getting more than that or they wouldn't be gaining weight.
I did have to start supplementing DS again at 4 months because he lost weight, but DD was still gaining, so it had nothing to do with supply, it was other issues with him I won't get into here.

Anyway this was long, but I know where you are coming from. Breast feeding is so hard in the beginning, but it get so much easier, I promise!

Re: New Mom needs BreastFeeding Advice...Long but really need advice

Hi There,

I completely understand what you are going through, my milk didn't come in well and DS had lost alomst 1.5 lbs befreo we left the hospital. I also had to supplement him starting on day 4.

I bought the best (IE: most expensive) pump I could find determined to get him to EBF. For that first week I spent a lot of time crying thinking I was a failure because I counldn't give my son what he needed. Pumping was a nightmare, like you I was barley able to pump anything. I didn't make it long with the pumping, only about 2 or 3 weeks, for me it was just too stressful to always be nursing or pumping.

I was constantly terrified that he wasn't getting enough food. In the beginning we gave DS 2oz of formula after some feedings (mostly during the night), sometimes he took it all, others he didn't. For me the first 6 weeks of BFins were extremely difficult, my Mother kept telling me it would get better and I thought she was insane. But she was right, eventually it did. By 8 weeks DS took one 4oz bottle of formula a day and now at 5 months I am still BFing and DS is thriving and I only supplement for convienence.

Try not to stress yourself out too muc, if your DC is gaining then you are doing well. Talk to your PED about your concerns and he/she will tell you if there is reason to be concerned.

Good Luck and feel free to FM if you have questions

Message edited 6/7/2009 10:07:04 AM.

Re: New Mom needs BreastFeeding Advice...Long but really need advice

Firstly because i know how hard the beginning is with breastfeeding.

It sounds lik the baby may have lost a bit more weight because your milk came in a couple days after the birth.

One thing you need to do is stop stressing about is he getting enough. i know its hard because when you use a bottle all you have to do is look at the ounces. But If he gained weight and is having regular soiled diapers-hes getting enough.

Are you drinking enough water and eating enough? you need to drink A LOT of water and make sure you are getting enough calories a day.

I know when i pump it is not nearly as "efficient" as when my DD nurses.So while pumping will help to increase your seupply-because it will trigger your body to think you need more milk-the amount that you pump out could be quite a bit less than when your baby nurses.

I PROMISE you it gets better. The first month is the hardest. But everyday itll get easier. Once you build up a supply, you should be able to just nurse and not pump too (to give you a little break) and then you should be able to introduce the bottle at about 4-6 weeks (i wouldnt wait past 6 weeks bc i waited until 8-10 weeks and my baby now refuses bottles all together )

Hang in there - if you really really want to breastfeed. It does get better. Im still EBFing and my DD is 5 months, its soooo easy now. i plan to make it to a year and with how easy it is now i think i will be able to

Your doing a GREAT job!

Re: New Mom needs BreastFeeding Advice...Long but really need advice

It seems like the other ladies have already given you some great advice. I just wanted to add, that the first month is the hardest, but it DOES get easier!

I agree with what the previous posters said about stop worrying about how much he is getting, you will never know when you BF. When I was nursing I wished there was a guage on my boobs that told me how much DS was eating but unfortunately there isn't. As long as he is gaining weight and having enough wet and dirty diapers you are doing great. For peace of mind when DS was really little I would take him on the scale with me and subtract my weight, this way I had an idea if he was gaining or not.

Try and drink a full glass of water each time you pump and/or nurse. Also your supply will build up! It might take awhile but it will. YOu may not be able to tell with the pump cause as another poster said it is less effective than your DS.

Also the only thing that got me through nursing was talking to other moms who nursed. So if you ever have a question you can fm me!

Re: New Mom needs BreastFeeding Advice...Long but really need advice

Thank you so much! I really needed to hear all that wonderful advice from other moms who know exactly what I am going through. I look forward to chatting on the parenting board