I have been breastfeeding my 2nd son who is now one month old. From the time he was 3 days old we have been supplementing with formula as instructed by the dr due to the fact that he had lost over a pound. I have had issues with extremely low supply (only making half an ounce total every 3-4 hrs) from the beginning. I know this beause we go to the lc and she weighs him before and after letting him feed until he pulls away. My lc has had me try everything, pumping, different herbal supplements, an sns, everything. I still am only making half an ounce and it seems to be decreasing. I just feel like I am a failure because the one thing that I should be able to do as a mother is feed him. Anyone have any last minute advice? Thanks!
Quoting Mom2Boys0709:I have been breastfeeding my 2nd son who is now one month old. From the time he was 3 days old we have been supplementing with formula as instructed by the dr due to the fact that he had lost over a pound.
How much did he weigh at birth? Because the loss MAY have been normal for HIM.
I have had issues with extremely low supply (only making half an ounce total every 3-4 hrs)
That's normal and is NOT a sign of a low supply. Pump output tells you diddly-squat.
from the beginning. I know this beause we go to the lc and she weighs him before and after letting him feed until he pulls away.
That's still not a very accurate assessment, I'm afraid.Must be done for ALL feeds for a couple of days....no one eats the same amoutn at every meal.
My lc has had me try everything, pumping, different herbal supplements, an sns, everything. I still am only making half an ounce and it seems to be decreasing. I just feel like I am a failure because the one thing that I should be able to do as a mother is feed him. Anyone have any last minute advice? Thanks!
Tell me about the original weight loss. Tell me about the dipes. I want you to STOP thinking "I'm only making half an ounce." Might be that's ALL baby needs at the weighing time.
I want you to go back to the SNS and not use bottles. I want tyou to slowly reduce the formula amounts, half an ounce a feeding a day. Conrtinue to count dipes. 6-8 changes a day means your supply is FINE.
You cannot increase supply till you get the formula out of the picture, but I suspec you're looking for the wrong things.
We don't allow the word failure around here. If you have a living baby who got ONE DROP of breastmilk you're a roaring success. Got that?
Quoting Mom2Boys0709:
I have been breastfeeding my 2nd son who is now one month old. From the time he was 3 days old we have been supplementing with formula as instructed by the dr due to the fact that he had lost over a poundBabies are soppouse to loss that much weight. they well gain it back.that is normal for one pound, its sad he told you to use formula. I have had issues with extremely low supply (only making half an ounce total every 3-4 hrs) from the beginningFrom the start it is enough a half ounce. what you pump IS NOT how much milk you have, the formula feeding also well lower your suply you need to breastfeed often and drop the formula, by giving less and less and more breastmilk. I know this beause we go to the lc and she weighs him before and after letting him feed until he pulls away. My lc has had me try everything, pumping, different herbal supplements, an sns, everything. I still am only making half an ounce and it seems to be decreasing. I just feel like I am a failure because the one thing that I should be able to do as a mother is feed him. Anyone have any last minute advice? Thanks!less formula more breastfeeding. your doctor should have never told you to formula feed. There is a pill you can take to get more breastmilk, but as i said you need to gradually take that formula AWAY :)
A Proud Attachment Parenting Mother. Cloth Wearing(Most Times) Sling/wrap Wearing, Anti Formula, Anti Abortion, Co-Sleeping, Co-Bathing, Gentle Discipline, Breastfeeding till Self wean, Selective Vac's, Child lead weaning, Delay Solids, Mostly Homeschooling, Breast Milk Donor, None Cry It Out, Anti War, Space/Star Trek Junkie, Stay At Home Mom, Old Fashion, Believe In Science, And Truth.
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Quoting gdiamante:
Quoting Mom2Boys0709:
I have been breastfeeding my 2nd son who is now one month old. From the time he was 3 days old we have been supplementing with formula as instructed by the dr due to the fact that he had lost over a pound.
How much did he weigh at birth? Because the loss MAY have been normal for HIM.
I have had issues with extremely low supply (only making half an ounce total every 3-4 hrs)
That's normal and is NOT a sign of a low supply. Pump output tells you diddly-squat.
from the beginning. I know this beause we go to the lc and she weighs him before and after letting him feed until he pulls away.
That's still not a very accurate assessment, I'm afraid.Must be done for ALL feeds for a couple of days....no one eats the same amoutn at every meal.
My lc has had me try everything, pumping, different herbal supplements, an sns, everything. I still am only making half an ounce and it seems to be decreasing. I just feel like I am a failure because the one thing that I should be able to do as a mother is feed him. Anyone have any last minute advice? Thanks!
Tell me about the original weight loss. Tell me about the dipes. I want you to STOP thinking "I'm only making half an ounce." Might be that's ALL baby needs at the weighing time.
I want you to go back to the SNS and not use bottles. I want tyou to slowly reduce the formula amounts, half an ounce a feeding a day. Conrtinue to count dipes. 6-8 changes a day means your supply is FINE.
You cannot increase supply till you get the formula out of the picture, but I suspec you're looking for the wrong things.
We don't allow the word failure around here. If you have a living baby who got ONE DROP of breastmilk you're a roaring success. Got that?
He weighed 9'6 when he was born and dropped to about 8'3 within a day according to the dr. When I pumped I didn't even produce half an ounce. He usually will have around 3 dirty diapers a day. He was only having around 1 or 2 and then they had us put him on the formula. They had us come in within a week and he had only gained 2 ounces, which the dr said was not high enough. He breastfeeds between 30-40 min, just until he pulls away and still cries. Then he eats about 3 ounces of formula, usually through the sns. I switch sides every feeding to make sure we are getting the same time on each side. BTW, my breasts didn't grow during my pregnancy at all, which is why she had me try some supplements, including more milk special blend. Thanks so much for the support!!!!
No breast changes during pregnancy is not a predictor of BF success. When you say "dirty" do you mean poopy? We want to count ALL the diapers, wet and poopy. If there are 6-8 of those in a day, then you are fine.
Breasts not changing during pregnancy is not an indication of anything, my breasts never grew or changed appearance during my pregnancies, they dont even change in size during the nursing period. I am currently breastfeeding my 8 month old and breastfed my first one too without issues.
Whe you say dirty diapers i am assuming you are talking about BM? BM is not important, wet diapers are what count, many breastfed babies go for days without having a BM.
Throughout the world, there exists a group of women who feel mightily drawn to giving care to women in childbirth. At the same time maternal and independent, responsive to a mother's needs, yet accepting full responsibility as her attendant; such women are natural midwives. Without the presence and acceptance of the midwife, obstetrics becomes aggressive, technical, and inhuman.
Professor G.J. Kloosterman, Chief of OB/GYN, Univ. of
Until you stop the formula, your supply will stay the same. From the looks of the picture of your baby, he looks plenty healthy to me. If I were you I would take the advice that you have been given already. Stop formula, do not go by your pumped amount as what baby is getting, and nurse nurse nurse. Your supply will increase and you will be able to stop the formula in a matter of days. As someone above said, we do not use the word failure around here. If you have fed your baby one drop of breastmilk you are a roarin success. Couldn't have said it better myself!
Can you take a "nursing vacation" Crawl into bed with baby all day and drink water have dh bring you meals and nurse nurse nurse. If by the end of the day diapers are still low then supplement through the SNS.
Not changing breast size "could" signal breast hyplasia http://www.007b.com/breast_size_breastfeeding.php BUT it could also NOT. I have a really good friend who no matter what she did ended up only making around half of what baby needs in a day so she supplements the rest through a lact aid at the breast with donor milk. Breast Feeding is not all or nothing. Just because you are having to supplement doesnt make you a failure. TRUST me I know. I have unexplained low supply. Went through ALL kinds of testing and have no answers. I take Domperidone 8 a day and by 6 weeks we started EBF without supplements :) I stared the Domperidone at 2 weeks so it took about 4 weeks to see a huge difference. Now at 7.5 months Tayed is still bfing succefully! You CAN do this!!
Madison 7.1.05 Cristian 12.6.06 and Tayden 4.13.09
See there are a lot of helpful & detailed responses already listed. Kinda going thru the same, mine's 7 mo though, tough for me too!!! Hang in there mamma & remember breastfeeding alone doesn't make you a good mom. You are a good mom & the fact that you're paying this much attention proves it. Try the above tips & take some deep breaths & try to relax, the less you stress the more you'll produce. Good luck mamma!!!!
Quoting Mom2Boys0709:He weighed 9'6 when he was born
150 ounces birth weight. So he's allowed 15 ounces loss, to 135 ounces.
and dropped to about 8'3 within a day according to the dr.
131 ounces...hmm. C-section or vaginal birth? C-sec babies are allowed to lose more as they don't get fluids pushed out in the birth process.
When I pumped I didn't even produce half an ounce.
Means nothing.
He usually will have around 3 dirty diapers a day. He was only having around 1 or 2 and then they had us put him on the formula.
OK. When you say dirty, do you mean ALL changes? Because if it's three changes a day that is indeed a concern. But to be ultra sure...pour four TB water in a disposable dipe...that's how wet it needs to be to count as a changeable dipe.
They had us come in within a week and he had only gained 2 ounces, which the dr said was not high enough.
Two ounces from the lowest? Just want to be sure. Because if they're counting from lowest then the gain is two ounces less than it should have been.
He breastfeeds between 30-40 min, just until he pulls away and still cries. Then he eats about 3 ounces of formula, usually through the sns. I switch sides every feeding to make sure we are getting the same time on each side. BTW, my breasts didn't grow during my pregnancy at all,
That means nothing. Lots of moms don't have growth in pregnancy. Mine happened AFTER.
which is why she had me try some supplements, including more milk special blend. Thanks so much for the support!!!!
I want you to look up hypoplastic breast disorder. I suspect that's what you have, and if so. supplementation will be a fact of life and there's no guilt to that.
As I said before. If he got ONE DROP of breastmilk and no more, you're a roaring success. JUst the attempt makes you a success. Nothing else counts.
Your story sounds a bit like mine. My baby didn't lose quite as much weight, and all in all, I think they jumped the gun on the formula and we would have been fine without it.
I tried cutting the formula right out, but I couldn't take how upset she was at one point for a couple of hours. That was before reading about the idea of a 'nursing vacation' where you just prepare to nurse on demand for a few days, no matter how often that is. But since then, she's pretty much cut the formula on her own. I think I'd be totally done with the formula if my husband would believe me when I told him she was going through a growth spurt and expected to have days of being extra hungry. He think's I'm insisting on not using formula just to not use it, not because she doesn't need it anymore. Even still, most days, no formula, every now and then she'll have an ounce or maybe an ounce and a half.
We've used bottles, had no issues with nipple confusion fortunately. At this point, it's kind of funny to try and feed her a bottle. She gets the taste of the formula and gets this look on her face like "you seriously expect me to eat this stuff??" If she's hungry enough, she'll root for the bottle, otherwise, she'll just spit out the formula and not even try to drink any of it (which is more often the case).
I was feeling exactly like you. I'd had a c-section, because Isabelle had gone breech, so I was already pretty depressed about not even getting to go through the labor experience, and then breastfeeding "wasn't working right" and I was starting to feel like I was going to be robbed of all of the 'natural' parts of having a baby. It was shortly after that she started eating less and less from bottles, and that helped my moral a lot.
I know most of my post was me telling my own story, but I just wanted to let you know you aren't alone.
Marimaru
Mommy of Isabelle Rose, born 10/11/2009
In ER with baby
- Mom2Boys0709
on Nov. 24, 2009 at 6:52 PM