When I had piper on thursday she latched almost immediatly but had a very weak suck. She was also being stressed out by nursing. So I started supplementing formulia. I am pumping every 2 hours as well. Our schedule is like this:
We try to nurse, she latches, but either does not suck or if she is super hungry she will get frustrated. So then I offer her a bottle of breastmilk and then if she is still hungry I offer a bit of formulia. I am pumping every 2 hours for 1/2 each session. I worry that I am going to dry up. I want to eventually get her onto the breat 100% but right now it is just not working. I am going to keep trying, and I am going to keep pumping like crazy but I still worry.
So my question for exclusive pumpers is how do you keep your supply up? How did you manage to increase production?
I also want to clarify that when I say nursing stresses her out, she gets frustrated and her heart rate drops and that is why they wanted me to suppliment. To me that is fine, I dont have an issue with it simply because I would rather her not be stressed. Eventualy I would like to not have to use any formulia.
She was born at 36 weeks weiging 5lbs 9oz and when we left the hospital she barely weighed 5lbs.
I just needed to vent, I guess. I am frustrated, but we are going to keep trying and trying. I know that I should just not offer a bottle but I cant do that because of the stress factor. I would rather just pump then stress her out. I am determined to get her to the breast eventually. It is keeping my milk supply up and increasing so that I can keep up so that we do have the chance to get there. I refuse to give up! My goal right now is that by next week I can try to nurse her without her being stressed out. I am doing alot of skin to skin in hopes that she will find it more relaxing so that when I put her to the breast she relaxes. We are going to test her with the moniter on friday. One week at a time right now.
Quoting shymom24:
When I had piper on thursday she latched almost immediatly but had a very weak suck. She was also being stressed out by nursing. So I started supplementing formulia. I am pumping every 2 hours as well. Our schedule is like this:
WHen you suppliment are you using bottles? If so stop doing that, it will make BFing harder and make her more stressed out by the breast..Pumping every 2 hours is good though if baby is not really nursing much.
We try to nurse, she latches, but either does not suck or if she is super hungry she will get frustrated.
well yeah thats because bottles are easier and have immediate flow, the breast does NOT and I bet shes been overfed from the bottle so yeah the breast doesn't feel like much.
So then I offer her a bottle of breastmilk and then if she is still hungry I offer a bit of formulia.
don't base how much to feed LO by how they act, this leads to overfeeding. A BF babies tummy is about the size of a marble til your milk stretches it, at his age it SHOULD be only 1 oz or so in size total, but I bet his bottles are bigger than that even after nursing.
I am pumping every 2 hours for 1/2 each session. I worry that I am going to dry up.
As long as milk is removed on a regular basis you will not dry up, now supply could go down, and it could get where its hard to pump BUT you'd still have milk.
I want to eventually get her onto the breat 100% but right now it is just not working. I am going to keep trying, and I am going to keep pumping like crazy but I still worry.
Get baby to the breast 100%, use a syringe and medical tubing and make a supplimental nursing system. Use pumped milk to get baby to stay latched til letdown and then nurse that baby..when milk starts to slow down and baby fusses again use the milk in the SNS. Gradually back off using the SNS and then baby will be at the breast 100%. NO MORE BOTTLES no matter what. SYringe feed, finger feed or use an SNS if you want baby back to the breast you have to DO it.
So my question for exclusive pumpers is how do you keep your supply up? How did you manage to increase production?
pumping 8-10 times a day is the wya to maintain supply, gradually milk will go up, with your LO being so young she may need 16 oz or so a day..MAYBE, bet shes taking more than that though
I also want to clarify that when I say nursing stresses her out, she gets frustrated and her heart rate drops and that is why they wanted me to suppliment.
THEY as in doctors?? Yeah doctors are BFing idiots, they should've referred you to a LC and she could've helped you get baby to nurse and be relaxed and not have issues BFing. If supplimenting was really necessary then using bottles was NOT the way to do it.
To me that is fine, I dont have an issue with it simply because I would rather her not be stressed. Eventualy I would like to not have to use any formulia.
She was born at 36 weeks weiging 5lbs 9oz and when we left the hospital she barely weighed 5lbs.
She lost just at 10% of birthweight, that is normal btw.
I just needed to vent, I guess. I am frustrated, but we are going to keep trying and trying. I know that I should just not offer a bottle but I cant do that because of the stress factor. I
Yes you can there are TONS of ways to suppliment besides bottles.
would rather just pump then stress her out. I am determined to get her to the breast eventually. It is keeping my milk supply up and increasing so that I can keep up so that we do have the chance to get there. I refuse to give up! My goal right now is that by next week I can try to nurse her without her being stressed out. I am doing alot of skin to skin in hopes that she will find it more relaxing so that when I put her to the breast she relaxes. We are going to test her with the moniter on friday. One week at a time right now.
YOu will get there but you need to see an IBCLC and stop bottles..you can suppliment many many other ways. The bottle is making the breast even more stressful and the longer she gets bottles the more stressful the breast will be.
Thank you, I will get a sns. She currently is only taking 1/2 oz every hour or if she does take near an ounce it gets her through 2 hours. I was told to suppliment by the LC and the doctors so thats why I was. Thank you again.
Quoting tabi_cat1023:
Quoting shymom24:
When I had piper on thursday she latched almost immediatly but had a very weak suck. She was also being stressed out by nursing. So I started supplementing formulia. I am pumping every 2 hours as well. Our schedule is like this:
WHen you suppliment are you using bottles? If so stop doing that, it will make BFing harder and make her more stressed out by the breast..Pumping every 2 hours is good though if baby is not really nursing much.
We try to nurse, she latches, but either does not suck or if she is super hungry she will get frustrated.
well yeah thats because bottles are easier and have immediate flow, the breast does NOT and I bet shes been overfed from the bottle so yeah the breast doesn't feel like much.
So then I offer her a bottle of breastmilk and then if she is still hungry I offer a bit of formulia.
don't base how much to feed LO by how they act, this leads to overfeeding. A BF babies tummy is about the size of a marble til your milk stretches it, at his age it SHOULD be only 1 oz or so in size total, but I bet his bottles are bigger than that even after nursing.
I am pumping every 2 hours for 1/2 each session. I worry that I am going to dry up.
As long as milk is removed on a regular basis you will not dry up, now supply could go down, and it could get where its hard to pump BUT you'd still have milk.
I want to eventually get her onto the breat 100% but right now it is just not working. I am going to keep trying, and I am going to keep pumping like crazy but I still worry.
Get baby to the breast 100%, use a syringe and medical tubing and make a supplimental nursing system. Use pumped milk to get baby to stay latched til letdown and then nurse that baby..when milk starts to slow down and baby fusses again use the milk in the SNS. Gradually back off using the SNS and then baby will be at the breast 100%. NO MORE BOTTLES no matter what. SYringe feed, finger feed or use an SNS if you want baby back to the breast you have to DO it.
So my question for exclusive pumpers is how do you keep your supply up? How did you manage to increase production?
pumping 8-10 times a day is the wya to maintain supply, gradually milk will go up, with your LO being so young she may need 16 oz or so a day..MAYBE, bet shes taking more than that though
I also want to clarify that when I say nursing stresses her out, she gets frustrated and her heart rate drops and that is why they wanted me to suppliment.
THEY as in doctors?? Yeah doctors are BFing idiots, they should've referred you to a LC and she could've helped you get baby to nurse and be relaxed and not have issues BFing. If supplimenting was really necessary then using bottles was NOT the way to do it.
To me that is fine, I dont have an issue with it simply because I would rather her not be stressed. Eventualy I would like to not have to use any formulia.
She was born at 36 weeks weiging 5lbs 9oz and when we left the hospital she barely weighed 5lbs.
She lost just at 10% of birthweight, that is normal btw.
I just needed to vent, I guess. I am frustrated, but we are going to keep trying and trying. I know that I should just not offer a bottle but I cant do that because of the stress factor. I
Yes you can there are TONS of ways to suppliment besides bottles.
would rather just pump then stress her out. I am determined to get her to the breast eventually. It is keeping my milk supply up and increasing so that I can keep up so that we do have the chance to get there. I refuse to give up! My goal right now is that by next week I can try to nurse her without her being stressed out. I am doing alot of skin to skin in hopes that she will find it more relaxing so that when I put her to the breast she relaxes. We are going to test her with the moniter on friday. One week at a time right now.
YOu will get there but you need to see an IBCLC and stop bottles..you can suppliment many many other ways. The bottle is making the breast even more stressful and the longer she gets bottles the more stressful the breast will be.
Wish that LC had told you to use an SNS from the beginning..1/2 oz is not bad at all, but I bet she doesn't even need that. The SNS should get her to the breast and mean all feedings are from the breast with less stress for BOTH of you.
GOOD LUCK, you can do it, you are a determined momma!
In ER with baby
- shymom24
on Mar. 22, 2010 at 6:25 AM