Tips for Breastfeeding and Milk Supply
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Category: Support
Forum Name: Infant/toddler feeding
Forum Description: From breast/bottle feeding and starting solids, to fussy toddlers, discuss it here!
URL: https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=6351
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Topic: Tips for Breastfeeding and Milk Supply
Posted By: fattartsrock
Subject: Tips for Breastfeeding and Milk Supply
Date Posted: 25 March 2007 at 8:37pm
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I thought I'd start a new thread, where we could all put down our tips for helping all you new mums with feeding and supply.. A few of us on here have had some real problems in the past with feeding, but sorted it out one way or another. Lots of us seem to have expressed and bottle fed as well as breast fed, so I thought we could pass on some inspiration...
FYI: My problem (really edited version) was Jacob could feed, but refused to, and also, I got no milk in. With the help of Domperidone and expressing, I was able to feed him my own milk, until I got him on the breast finally at 6 weeks, with the help of a lactation consultant and perserverance. Have had no problems at all this time around, and have had more milk than I knew what to do with. Lactation consultant said it was perserevering with feeding Jacob that laid down receptors for milk making for this baby, hence being able to feed without the help of drugs and pumps! Anyhow. My big tips Oatmeal and almonds and loads of water for milk production. Also brewers yeast, or, even a beer. There are lots of natural aids you can take as well. Alot of supply problems are percieved, your body actually makes most of the milk after you have started feeding. Make sure you get lots of rest. Dosent have to be sleep, just rest. Don't forget to eat If you can, spend a day in bed, just you and baby, feeding all day. The best breast pump is your baby. ------------- The Honest Un PC Parent of 2, usually stuck in the naughty corner! :P |
Replies:
Posted By: mum2paris
Date Posted: 25 March 2007 at 10:01pm
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the more baby feeds the more is stimulated, if baby has a crappy feed when sick.. express off the rest to keep up the supply otherwise you'll find that it drops to what baby currently is taking. If you are really having issues with supply and can't get baby to drink more often, then express in between, any milk you express of is replaced within an hour or so usually, so this for a day and see what happens, usually within 24 - 48 hrs milk supply will have increased.. but if baby wants to feed in the first early weeks - let it, the reason it wants to feed so often is so it increases supply and grows. Newborn tummy only holds 20 mls.. so is full quick and empty quick.
Someone pointed something out to me the other day.. how many adults go for 6 hours or more without food, or drink.. even during the night we wake and have a drink or something, usually people eat no less than 8 times a day, some have up to 14 - 15 snacks and drinks etc.. why on earth do we expect our babies to "sleep through the night" or withold their feeds in the hopes it might work.. when they are trying to double their birthweight by 6 mths of age, lol. adults eat far more often and i'm pretty sure none of us are trying to grow at all, let alone as quickly as what they are. I found that very interesting. The other thing i found was i got low blood sugars alot when feeding and would feel funny and get the shakes some times while feeding. so started having a barley sugar to suck on while feeding, and would have toast and milo with nearly every feed in the early days too. Most supply problems are usually caused by poor latch meaning baby doesn't stimulate the breast enough.. if in doubt check it out and get help to make sure they're on properly. I wish i knew this stuff when i was feeding my babys ------------- Janine and her 2 cool chicks, Paris & Ayja 
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Posted By: SuziE
Date Posted: 26 March 2007 at 8:46am
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Im finding power shakes help alot - complan, banana and an egg with milk in the blender - I have one for breakfast and sometimes afternoon tea if Im feeling 'drained' ...
I agree on the Lots of water too ... if I forget to drink I really notice the difference .... ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: Andie
Date Posted: 26 March 2007 at 10:06am
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Drinking plenty of water is easier if you somehow measure how much you're drinking - that way you can see when you haven't had enough some days and know to gulp some back. I used a dish in the kitchen with shells in it (random, I know!) - each morning I'd empty it out and for each glass of water I'd put a shell back in. Quantifying it helped me keep my intake up. And eat lots! I get the low blood sugars thing Janine described too - by the time it gets to that point, you're left feeling crappy for about half an hour after you've eaten again. If that's happening, try not to let it get to that point (and it doesn't take much with the amount us breasfeeding mum's need to eat!). Keeping dried fruit (dried whole bananas look hideous but taste good and work a treat) or a meusli bar in the nappy bag is a good idea. ------------- Andie |
Posted By: daikini
Date Posted: 26 March 2007 at 1:01pm
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Crackers or pretzels are good to snack on too. A bit of protein can give you a kick if you're starting to feel drained - scrambled eggs were always my favourite.
Lightly beat an egg with 1/2 eggshell of milk or water, tip into a normal bowl and microwave for 1 min on high. Beat lightly and repeat if there is any liquid in the bottom of the bowl. ETA: When cooking beyond the first minute, do it for shorter periods (20 seconds is ideal) or risk having the whole thing go "pop!" in your microwave, making a big mess! ------------- Becca, mum of 2 girls & 3 boys |
Posted By: mummy_becks
Date Posted: 26 March 2007 at 3:40pm
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I have to say for me it has been drinking a heap of water has kept me going with BF. I have found that expressing a bit off everyday has kept us going at night when the supply hasn't got as much "fat" in it. ------------- I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived! |
Posted By: nikkitheknitter
Date Posted: 27 March 2007 at 12:35pm
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The background to my feedings probs with Han (many of you have heard this all before!)
After having a huge and hungry baby, I was devastated to find that I had little to no colostrum and definitely no milk. The midwives I had up at the hospital were fabulous and we ended up having to express a few drops of colostrum and feed that into a tube into Hannah's mouth - and then ended up giving her formula top ups. I maintained that the top-ups were just that - to keep her from starving until my milk came in... but that also required keeping Hannah on each breast for 5 minutes every 3 hours to help stimulate milk production. This hurt like a mo' fo' but was absolutely essential. Anyway, finally on the 3rd day my milk came in! Over-freaking-joyed at finally being able to feed my babe and ditched the formula - must to the Lactation Consultant's delight. And the tips - having baby on the breast is the best way to stimulate milk production - psychologically and physically. While a breastpump does a great replacement job, if possible - get babe on boob. The pain does go away. I promise. Eating scroggin mix is a great way to spend time while feeding. Get Sky Digital - it's the only thing that kept me sane while feeding at 3am. Normal TV just doesn't cut it. 
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Posted By: fattartsrock
Date Posted: 27 March 2007 at 1:25pm
Roger that on the sky digital, Nikki, although I am almost ready to ring them and tell them to stick it as there has been nothing but crap on during the day... Even nat geo/discovery/history/documentry and my beloved E...  ------------- The Honest Un PC Parent of 2, usually stuck in the naughty corner! :P |
Posted By: nikkitheknitter
Date Posted: 27 March 2007 at 1:27pm
| DVDs? |
Posted By: fattartsrock
Date Posted: 27 March 2007 at 1:31pm
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meh, who can be bothered fannying about setting it all up when baby is gasping for a drink. I have a big supply of books and mags next to my feeding chair, but often, I just sit and gaze at my feeding piggy.. ------------- The Honest Un PC Parent of 2, usually stuck in the naughty corner! :P |
Posted By: aussiegirl
Date Posted: 15 August 2008 at 11:26am
I thought I would BUMP this up for us new mums  -------------  Mum to Hayley **30.6.08
http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: first
Date Posted: 15 August 2008 at 4:12pm
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This is a fantastic resource. Thanks all you experienced mums. I'm just going through the ouch that hurts stage but haven't had any problems so far which I am so thankful for. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
http://pregnancy.baby-gaga.com/"> 
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Posted By: weegee
Date Posted: 15 August 2008 at 8:01pm
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Hi ladies! Personally my background so far is it took an agonising week for my milk to come in (after a c section and being separated from bubs who was in SCBU), but no real problems since then except we got to about 4 weeks and I started having issues with oversupply (too forceful a letdown), which are coming right now.
Anyway I posted this link in the July babies thread but I found this website really helpful for breastfeeding info: http://www.kellymom.com/bf/index.html - http://www.kellymom.com/bf/index.html ------------- 
Mum to JJ, 4 July 2008 & Addie, 28 July 2010 |
Posted By: lizzle
Date Posted: 15 August 2008 at 8:13pm
| my main tip would be, if it is getting in the too hard box - ask for help. there is quite a bit of support and help out there, but generally they won't approach you, so approach them |
Posted By: kiwikid
Date Posted: 15 August 2008 at 9:43pm
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This is a brillian thread, like weegee my milk took about 5 - 6 days to come in after my c section, I tried expressing collostrum in the hosp but didnt get any results so after 24 hrs we gave Hayden fomula top ups but still put him to the breast hoping his skill was better than the pump lucky his latch was good but I still got a bit of nipple cracking (use a lanolin product for this, one that you dont have to wipe off before feeding).
We continued to put him to breast and gave formula top ups for a few days at home and then was advised that the best thing you can do for your milk supply is to stop the top ups and go to bed with your baby for a day or two. Put baby to the breast any time he fusses, rest rest and rest, skin to skin feeds are lovely and stimulate something or other, lots and lots of water, three meals and three snacks a day (go the cheese on crackers and choc nesquick snacks). Those 24/48 hrs will be exhausting so make sure you have some support at home, there were lots of tears for us but DH fetched and carried for us and baby and I just stayed in bed I read magazines when he was sleeping and let him have the boob whenever he wanted. Blimmen hard work in that first week or so but so worth it, was really tempted to give in and go full time on formula and that would have been fine as its always more important to have a happy baby but I['m really really pleased I didnt as in the end it only took a few days for things to come right. Now he feeds on one breast for 30 mins has a nappy change and play then back on same breast for 10/15mins and off to bed for 2/3 hrs during the day and 4/5 hrs during the night (most of the time!!!!) We do our night feed lying down in my bed and I find that less tiring than getting up and sitting in front of the tv, Hayden goes back to his bed easily afterwards. Oh and I started taking Fenugreek as they dont have Blessed Thistle here in the UK. ------------- 
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Posted By: mum2paris
Date Posted: 15 August 2008 at 10:50pm
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Weegee - i too had that problem - i think that was what was the beginning of the end when i had paris as i didn't click. Yeah i had a few probs early on but the main problem started after the 6 week growth spurt when she had greatly increased my milk supply and began coming off and choking when i let down, so to remedy that she then learnt to come off just as i was about to let down to stop herself getting overwhelmed with milk. So of course it turned to a source of huge stress for me and constant battles to get her back on amid streams of milk everywhereand a screaming baby!
I learnt after i had ayja and things began to go that way again despite having been great up till then. I kept a towel handy, if she came off just as i was letting down or began to splutter and choke, I would pop a towel over the breast for a minutes to let the force slow down, then pop her back on again - no probs. funny thing - hindsight.   ------------- Janine and her 2 cool chicks, Paris & Ayja
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Posted By: aussiegirl
Date Posted: 20 August 2008 at 10:29am
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My milk supply is ok, but not great, so Ive started taking naturopathic drops, making sure I drink a glass of water at each feed, having protein at each meal, having a banana or nuts and raisins to snack on while feeding and generally ensuring I rest, drink, eat and sleep enough. We will see tomorrow if all is well when Hayley gets weighed!
How is everyone else going? ------------- Mum to Hayley **30.6.08
http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: 11111
Date Posted: 20 August 2008 at 12:51pm
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Just want to say fantastic thread Annie. I am not loving the BF thing, but really wnat to give it a good go. So this kind of thread is jsut what one needs to get tip's. thank you. ------------- Deborah Mum to:   
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Posted By: Mazzy
Date Posted: 20 August 2008 at 3:17pm
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Great thread Annie!
I found getting into the habit of having a glass of water before or during the feed and a glass of water right after helped me make sure I was drinking it enough. These cookies are often recommended on another forum I visit, I've made them several times myself and found them pretty good - easy to munch on while feeding, anyway! You can use rolled oats instead of the ones indicated, and apparently adding cocoa is yum too. Housepoet's Famous Lactation Boosting Oatmeal, Chocolate Chip & Flaxseed cookies ™ Ingredients : * 1 cup butter or marg * 1 cup sugar * 1 cup brown sugar * 4 tablespoons water * 2 tablespoons flaxseed meal (can use LSA) * 2 large eggs * 1 teaspoon vanilla * 2 cups flour * 1 teaspoon baking soda * 1 teaspoon salt * 3 cups oats, thick cut if you can get them * 1 cup or more chocolate chips * 2 tablespoons of brewers yeast (be generous) Directions: Preheat oven at 375 degrees F. Mix together 2 tablespoons of flaxseed meal and water, set aside for 3-5 minutes. Cream (beat well) margarine and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, mix well. Stir flaxseed mixture and add with vanilla to the margarine mix. Beat until blended. Sift together dry ingredients, except oats and chips. Add to margarine mixture. Stir in oats then chips. Scoop or drop onto baking sheet, preferably lined with parchment or silpat. The dough is a little crumbly, so it helps to use a scoop. Bake 8-12 minutes, depending on size of cookies. Serves: 6 dozen cookies Preparation time: 15 minutes ------------- Mum to two gorgeous girls! |
Posted By: Alianasmummy
Date Posted: 21 August 2008 at 8:04am
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I find gingerbeer works really well. It tastes better than nettle tea but that is amazing at increasing your milk supply and iron levels too.
I have a little piggy and find if i dont take one or the other in a day, by night time i have a very small supply and miss piggywig gets very upset at having to suck for ages to full herself up. ------------- http://lilypie.com">  tickers" /></a>
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Posted By: Mazzy
Date Posted: 22 August 2008 at 10:13pm
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Yum Alianasmummy, I never knew that about ginger beer, I love that stuff! Good excuse to drink more. Do you make your own or have bought stuff?
I also found a breastfeeding book really helpful, both in the early days and even now. But I'm someone who learns from reading/looking at pictures. Because I was sitting down so much to feed it was easy to read through the book all the time and use it as a reference to troubleshoot. Felt really good to work things out myself! The one I found most useful I bought off Amazon after being lent a copy from my midwife with DD1. It's called 'Breastfeeding, A Parent's Guide' by Amy Spangler and has some stuff in it for Dad's to read about supporting a breastfeeding mum too. ------------- Mum to two gorgeous girls! |
Posted By: bass.baby
Date Posted: 28 August 2008 at 10:50am
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Awesome tips - thanks much! ------------- http://women.evenhealth.com"> 
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Posted By: Jennz
Date Posted: 28 August 2008 at 11:16pm
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http://www.ameda.com/breastfeeding/started/stomach.aspx - Baby stomach size
I think this helps heaps in those first few days when you think baby might not be getting enough milk. Their stomachs are so tiny- colostrum is more than enough to fill them. But since they are so small they need to feed often as they empty quickly. I also think if you're really struggling think about having a lactation consultant come around to your house- you may have to pay, but think of it as an investment  ------------- Jen, Charlotte 7 & Kate 3 
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Posted By: LeahandJoel
Date Posted: 28 September 2008 at 3:38pm
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" BUMP " Just thought I would bump this up again - am still having problems with pain, both in the nipple and also shooting pains while feeding and for a while afterwards, not nice -------------  
 
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Posted By: Maya
Date Posted: 28 September 2008 at 9:39pm
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Wow 540g! Super steroid milk! ------------- Maya Grace (28/02/03)
 (02/01/06)
The Gremlins:Sienna Marie & Mercedes Kailah (14/10/06)
Lil miss:Chiara Louise Chloe (09/07/08)
Her ladyship:Rosalia Sophie Anais (18/06/12)
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Posted By: kiwikid
Date Posted: 29 September 2008 at 9:44am
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Lisa I had exactly the same symptoms, no cracks, intense pain at the beginning of the feed, shooting pains throughout the day, piercing headache during feeding all sorts, went to the Dr and no sign of infection or thrust and then just this week the symptoms started to ease off and now are hardly appearing at all. So weird. I have been making sure baby is latching with ear, shoulder and hip in alignment and supporting his head well the whole feed (instead of being lazy and sometimes resting it on the feeding pillow with my leg/knee up resting on the foot rest.
Hang in there and fingers crossed your pain goes away soon too! And I agree wowzers on the steriod boobie juice!!!! -------------
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Posted By: LeahandJoel
Date Posted: 29 September 2008 at 1:32pm
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Thanks for that - good to know i'm not alone!! Glad its eased off for you kiwikid, and i am hoping its starting to ease here too. The evening feed last night was pretty damn sore, but the night feed and 2 feeds so far today heven't been anywhere near as bad. I'm finding its not as sore if I don't use the feeding pillow, or any pillow, and sort of let him drop into my lap a little, he seems to like it better and the latch and letdown are a lot more bearable -------------
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Posted By: caitlynsmygirl
Date Posted: 30 September 2008 at 8:55am
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I found BF hurt like the dickens at first,i grimaced everytime C latched and i was convinced she wasnt doing it right, till my friend who was feeding her baby next to me asked what was wrong , and when i said in despair," i can't do it,! her mouth isnt align etc etc " she laughed and said "look at her cheeks Kel, shes feeding fine " ...and she was , i just had this idea of how everything was supposed to be aligned etc, shortly after , i got rid of the pillow,and felt heaps more relaxed, a few weeks later, i , who thought they would never be able to do it , was walking around feeding her .
My fave bf memory is when she was 6 months and we were having a cuddle in my bed, i dozed off and woke up to find that she had lifted up my pj top and was serving herself , was so cute (a bit of a fright at first i'll admit !)
SO for all you mums that want to bf but are having probs , it does get easier , and if it doesnt , and BF is something you really want to do (cos some dont, and thats their choice) then ask for help , the la leche people are lovely ...the ones i met anyway ! ------------- 
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Posted By: Henna79
Date Posted: 18 October 2008 at 12:08pm
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bump
DH made me the biscuits they were yummy! |
Posted By: pomikiwi
Date Posted: 27 November 2008 at 9:44pm
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I BF for a year and every month my supply dropped off slighly, couldn't get a let down etc and baby was waking up in the night and feeding heaps during the day. Took me a good 6 months to realise a pattern had formed and she was trying to boost my supply by feeding more for a few days then going back to normal.
I think remembering every baby is different helps lots too. My DD was a quick feeder and was done in about 15 mins tops but all the books said 'babies should feed 20-30 mins on one side...blah blah blah' After lots of reasurance in the early weeks from my midwife that DD was getting enough milk and growing well I relaxed a bit. DD slept through the night early, but fed every 3 hours during the day up until about 8 months old when she dropped slightly. I even managed to feed her when I fell and broke my ankle very badly and needed surgery, She was 11 months old by then, but I made sure everyone at the hosp knew I was still BF. It really helps to have supportive people around you, especially your DH or partner. As for things to boost supply.... I found fenugreek (from a health food shop) great but it does make you a bit smelly under the arms, lol, like a curry! Eating and drinking regulary and getting rest. And nothing beats baby drinking lots from you if you need to boost your supply. I hated expressing and found it really hard to get a let down or I couldnt not get more than about 20mls some days. Good job I knew that it wasn't an indication of my milk supply or I would have freaked out! I agree the kellymom website was a great help! ------------- http://lilypie.com">  
DD-Carys Amelia 17.03.06 |
Posted By: FreeSpirit
Date Posted: 30 November 2008 at 12:42pm
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i find that the up and go energize drinks are great for my milk supply! with the protien and calcium its good for milk, and they taste yummy. sometimes its hard to eat as often as i should, so one of the drinks and a big glass of water work well as a snack. Water Water Water, meat at least once or twice a day for protein, and remember that most of the fat you eat goes into your milk so don't feel guilty for eating the yummy stuff you crave.
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Posted By: Mattsmum
Date Posted: 01 December 2008 at 7:40pm
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Thank you so much for this thread.
I'm going to try those cookies tomorrow. They look good. ------------- http://lilypie.com">  http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: kriss
Date Posted: 09 December 2008 at 3:18pm
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Thanks for all the great advice and tips
I may be able to add to this thread one day soon
Cookies were yum too, thanks for the recipe. Can't believe how much it makes! ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
http://lilypie.com"> 
Little Angel, April 10
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Posted By: LeahandJoel
Date Posted: 09 December 2008 at 3:35pm
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Made the cookies on the weekend, yum!! DH took some for work today, he didn't ask what was in them so I didn't tell him -------------
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!!! Made heaps though so will be using them at coffee group this week, only 2 of us feeding at the moment but the others will enjoy them i'm sure.Posted By: Mattsmum
Date Posted: 09 December 2008 at 9:48pm
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Hi
I have a question, hopefully someone has an idea on what to do. I have been bf for 14 weeks now, but have had to use formula top ups. I have managed to get the top ups down to about 100ml a day, but today he has started turning away when I try to feed him or not closing his mouth around the nipple. Has anyone else had this problem? any suggestions on how to fix it? Thanks ------------- http://lilypie.com"> http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: lisa85
Date Posted: 15 December 2008 at 5:42pm
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I have to admit I just wish someone had told me that I didn't have to do it!
I had a c-section at 37 weeks and after a month of BF my milk still hadn't come in! I tried EVERYTHING I was using an electric pump after every feed and taking these herbal supplements that were supposed to increase milk production. By the end of the first month I was so broken down and depressed, I couldn't stand to look at my babies! but the worst thing was I felt so pressured to not give up! Being a first time Mum you want so bad to do everything right but breastfeeding just doesn't happen for everyone and I really wish someone had just said to me it's O.K. you don't have to BF your babies will be fine and still thrive with formula. The day I switched I felt terrible but after 5mins I got over and never turned back lol! I actually started to ENJOY my girls But hey I have great respect for those of you that do it and do it well It's friggin hard work! -------------  
TTC #3 since Jan 2010 - PCOS MC April 2010 |
Posted By: Mamaofboys
Date Posted: 01 January 2009 at 11:45am
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Hi ladies i am using this smoothie recipe daily and its so good it also is awesome if you haven't had much to eat the complan is like formula for mummies so fills you up and is nutritional, i change the contents all the time, like more bananas, adding frozen berries, sorbet, soy milk but i always keep the complan,yoghurt, yeast and banana in.
"Tigers Milk" Recipe This "tigers milk" recipe is a great way to boost your milk supply: 1 cup full cream milk 1/2 cup acidophyllis yoghurt 1 Tablespoon complan powder (or milk powder) 1 banana honey 1 tsp yeast flakes +/- ice cream Mix in a blender makes 3-4 cups drink over the day The yeast flakes are what increase the "supply" but for anyone out there who wants to increase the "quality" of their milk then use the recipe without the yeast. |
Posted By: pomikiwi
Date Posted: 20 January 2009 at 8:35am
^^ my midwife suggested something similar with brewers yeast but it tasted  so I just did it without.
Tis filled my blender, then I just kept it in the fridge; 2 scoops of ice cream 2 bananas then fill up blender with milk wizz then serve. I had a small glass after most feeds, dont now if it really worked or not though, lol! ------------- http://lilypie.com">
DD-Carys Amelia 17.03.06 |
Posted By: Natalie_G
Date Posted: 04 February 2009 at 9:14pm
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icegirl - I seem to be having that problem at the moment. Arianne has had to have the bottle for top ups since she wasnt gaining weight fast enough and for reasurance, but this week she has been fussing with the boob.
She feeds for about 10 mins then pulls off, either cries of just moves around and doesnt bother going back on, even with the other boob. It is very fustrating, I have had to start expressing because she isnt taking enough milk out. I dont want to give her the bottle anymore, but I dont feel she is getting enough. P.S. when she feeds from the bottle she is fine and nearly drinks 100mil at a time. ------------- http://lilypie.com">  
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Posted By: Mattsmum
Date Posted: 04 February 2009 at 9:36pm
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AriannesMum, I am still BF my son, he is 5 months old now. I just kept at it and he got over the turning away thing most of the time. I do have to be careful that there is nothing else going on in the room though, but apparently that is normal.
You might want to try feeding her the expressed breast milk or formula with a tube. I got a bunch of feeding tubes from the maternity hospital and put one end in the bottle and the other end in the mouth while on the breast, that way baby gets more milk at the same time as stimulating the supply on the breast. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: FreeSpirit
Date Posted: 04 February 2009 at 10:33pm
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Just so you ladies know - some of us are "fast-flow" and baby may only need for 10min to get a full feed!!
If that little tummy feels full, don't worry over how long you've been feeding for. And other ladies are "slow-flow" and may need to let baby feed for 45min. Just go by how full they feel, and act. ------------- http://www.babysfirstsite.com"> 
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Posted By: Natalie_G
Date Posted: 07 February 2009 at 2:31pm
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Thanks for the info Flutterby, very handy to know, that could be the reason.
My flow is very good when I express and she seems to take big long sucks. ------------- http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: peanut butter
Date Posted: 07 February 2009 at 6:40pm
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And then some of us are fast flow with a baby that likes to take breaks and suck so feeds still take ages I also have a liitle one who has worked out that he can just open his mouth and in no time it will fill with milk dripping from mummy. then he swallows...lazy sod!!!
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Posted By: Natalie_G
Date Posted: 17 February 2009 at 7:27am
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I have been expressing before Ariannes feed and I am only getting 60mil from both breasts.
I have been topping her up with formula after feeding her the breast milk. I hope I can get my supply up so I can keep breastfeeding her. I will now just express it and feed that to her on a bottle that way I know how much she is getting. ------------- http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: mrshouse
Date Posted: 17 February 2009 at 8:42am
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hey Ariannesmum my supply was llike that too where i could only get 50mls from both breasts- so i cut out expressing all together just so i could build up my supply again....also im weiry about giving formula top ups because that means youre own supply wont build up to what Arianne needs....iykwim?..... ------------- http://www.baby-gaga.com/"> 
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Posted By: blondy
Date Posted: 17 February 2009 at 9:11am
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Just wanted to let you know that while some people just can't express much milk (I've only ever managed about 60mL combined from both sides), that doesn't mean the baby isn't getting a full feed. Your baby is far more efficient at getting milk out! Sometimes it helps to follow your baby's hungry signs, rather than worrying about numbers - you can always feed more often to up your supply. -------------  
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Posted By: fattartsrock
Date Posted: 17 February 2009 at 1:51pm
Also, lovey, try real hard not to get hung up on "how much" is on Mls etc baby is getting. Baby will drink as much as She wants, regardless of the Mls amount. Also know that your breasts make most of the milk baby needs when she is feeding, so what you are expressing is no idication of how much she gets. The best way to boost your milk supply is to let baby drink more! Baby is the best breast pump and your body will increase amounts of milk made in a couple of days according to how much and often you are feeding her. Skipping a feed or toppign up with formula will actaully cause your body to make less, because it thinks it dosne't need it. Good luck! You are doing a great job. ------------- The Honest Un PC Parent of 2, usually stuck in the naughty corner! :P |
AriannesMum wrote:Posted By: Natalie_G
Date Posted: 17 February 2009 at 3:51pm
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Thanks for the advice, it just really hard when she starts crying on your boob and she has only been on for a min or so.
I will keep trying because I want to be a breastfeeding mum. ------------- http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: FreeSpirit
Date Posted: 17 February 2009 at 8:10pm
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If she starts to cry because the flow has slowed down, try switching boobs for a minute, then you can switch back when you feel the next let down. Between 4 and 8 weeks was the hardest time for me, Elizabeth became all out of sorts with the way my milk supply had settled down and she actually had to work for it. It was like having to re-learn for both of us. My mantra during that time became "just for one more day" because I felt like I wasn't getting it "right", I felt like she wasn't enjoying it or getting enough. What got me through was getting her wieghed - seeing that she WAS putting on wieght made me realise that she was just fine. ------------- http://www.babysfirstsite.com">
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Posted By: Chickoin
Date Posted: 18 February 2009 at 7:17pm
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I think sometimes bubbas can get used to the bottle giving them milk at the first suck and they get impatient on the boob waiting for the let down. Maybe try not using the bottle too often?
And yes, I agree with the others about not getting too hung up on how much she is getting, if she is growing nicely then she is feeding nicely :) -------------   
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Posted By: weegee
Date Posted: 18 February 2009 at 8:51pm
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AriannesMum, I just wanted to say that it's totally natural for your flow to settle down anywhere from about 6 weeks onwards. When that happens bub often gets frustrated with you - especially if they had to get used to a fast letdown in the first place. They will get used to the slower letdown, but in the meantime you will need to really work on relaxing. When you get stressed out - like we ALL did! - and tense up, you prevent letdown from occurring which only makes the problem worse.
To quote myself from another thread: I had a bit of a panic when JJ was about 12 weeks old, because I had really fast letdown and it had taken a while for us both to work around that, but my supply naturally settled down around then so my letdown slowed. JJ got all frustrated with me then cos he didn't think it was fast enough any more. Your poor boobs, they just can't win! Anyway because I was stressing out about not having enough milk I was all tense when I was trying to feed and sometimes it would take AGES for my letdown to happen because of that. I looked up good old kellymom and did a bit of visualisation and cueing etc and that helped. Now I'm a lot more relaxed I don't seem to have that problem any more (and if it's taking longer than usual I just go shhhhhh and out it comes!). Here's the article I found so helpful: http://messageboards.ivillage.com/iv-ppbreastfeed/?msg=10852.2 - link and the referring article at kellymom is http://www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/letdown.html - here -------------
Mum to JJ, 4 July 2008 & Addie, 28 July 2010 |
Posted By: kiwikid
Date Posted: 18 February 2009 at 10:45pm
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I just wanted to add in agreement with the others the best best BEST thing you can do for your supply is to ditch the bottle top ups - I know how upsetting it is to see your baby hungry / frustrated (from personal experince ) but honestly it will only take a few days / maybe a week if you put baby to boob every time she indicates hunger for as long as she wants it your body will do its best meet the demand. As long as baby is latching and you have some milk then there is a very good chance your body will up its milk production and you can consider breastfeed long term. Its blardy hard work and upsetting and frustrating at times but sooooo worth it. Also to agree with the others do not worry about 'how much' baby is getting, feed her til she refuses the breast / turns her head away etc and you cannot go wrong, its hard to leave the 'figures/facts' aside but getting your baby weighed once a week/month and as long as she follows her growth trajectory (ie 25th percentile, 50th percentile, 75th percentile etc) then that is all the evidence you need.
HTH xxx -------------
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Posted By: Maya
Date Posted: 23 February 2009 at 8:37pm
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I just thought I'd pop in and share my 'squirty milk' secrets...
Almonds, chocolate, oats, lots of water and frequent nursing. I've just started back at work which means expressing one feed a day for the nanny to give lil miss. By day 3 I was starting to freak out coz my breasts didn't feel as full as they usually did so I had some scorched almonds (choc + almonds all in one - bonus! ) and a couple of bowls of muesli, made a conscious effort to drink plenty of water and put lil miss on the breast at frequent intervals and sure enough, the next morning I had squirty milk pouring all over the place again.
I have a lactation slice recipe too, I'll dig it out and post it. ------------- Maya Grace (28/02/03)
(02/01/06)
The Gremlins:Sienna Marie & Mercedes Kailah (14/10/06)
Lil miss:Chiara Louise Chloe (09/07/08)
Her ladyship:Rosalia Sophie Anais (18/06/12)
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Posted By: Rashika
Date Posted: 28 February 2009 at 10:18am
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Excellant thread guys!
Will be starting back to work at about week 14 so trying to work out the expressing thing, and this is all really good info to have, especially those websites! ------------- Jan 08 :angel: http://lilypie.com"> 
 
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Posted By: Natalie_G
Date Posted: 28 February 2009 at 9:22pm
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I havent used bottle top ups for a few weeks now, the only time she gets a bottle is her last feed in the night and that has been for the past 3 nights. She seems a lot more happy and sleeps through the night.
During the day we just have a small break inbetween b@@bs and she goes well on the other one. She can moan a bit but I keep putting her on and she eventually takes it and stays on for a good 5 mins. All and all we are doing a lot better. Thanks everyone for your helpful advice it means a lot. ------------- http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: Chickoin
Date Posted: 01 March 2009 at 1:07pm
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Yay! That's very good to hear, thanks for coming back to tell us -------------
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Posted By: raggy
Date Posted: 05 March 2009 at 8:59pm
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I found when I was expressing that I didn't get that much out towards the 6-7 month, so to get me flowing I had 1T brewers yeast in juice about an hour before I did it. And I was able to get more out. I just want to say one thing. I know breast is best but You are not a failure if your baby won't feed from you in the later months! Every baby is different and has different needs. I had dreams of feeding my baby until 2 years old (the additional milk), but she had different ideas and I had to deal with that. And I agree don't go by the mls as you wil only feel like a failure if you don't reach a certain amount.
------------- http://lilypie.com">  
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Posted By: peanut butter
Date Posted: 30 March 2009 at 1:02pm
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bumped for Shelt
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Posted By: mummyofprinces
Date Posted: 19 April 2009 at 8:20pm
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Does anyone have any tips for feeding in public with super squirty boobs???
I want to be able to leave the house and be confident that I can feed anywhere, but at the moment I need a "boob towel" at every feed because I leak so much.... Jake has already figured out that if he just hold my nipple in his mouth he wont need to suck for a while, clever monkey. Any suggestions would be great. -------------   
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Posted By: RuthyH
Date Posted: 20 April 2009 at 12:42pm
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Sorry I can't help with the above posting, but on the subject of handy equipment to have for breastfeeding I would like to add a question of my own... I have no idea what I'll need - what creams, props, clothes do the more experienced amongst you think are really essential? Thanks so much ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: FreeSpirit
Date Posted: 20 April 2009 at 1:36pm
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Raggy - I stll have squirty boobs on occasion (only in the mornings these days)! I find that a breast pad on the other side to stop that one leaking everywhere, and a poncho or wrap or a baby blanket over bubs and my shoulder to hide the squirts. And a flannel tucked into the bottom of my bra works as an alternative to the full size towel.
RuthyH - You'll be feeding in winter so BF singlets are great for keeping some clothing on (and they hide the tummy in public). If you want time out, or dad to have an opportunity to feed, a breastpump and a few bottles (invest in the ones more like a real nipple), some nipple cream (apply this after you've let them dry out), and the number of a local lactation consultant or la leche league. ------------- http://www.babysfirstsite.com">
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Posted By: RuthyH
Date Posted: 20 April 2009 at 3:37pm
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Brilliant thanks for the advice Flutterby ------------- http://lilypie.com">
http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: RuthyH
Date Posted: 22 April 2009 at 10:18am
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Ooh actually another question I would love to ask - how do I know what size maternity bras / singlets to buy prior to starting breastfeeding? My boobs have already increased a few sizes in pregnancy and I'm just wary that they might get even bigger once the milk comes in so I don't want to be stuck with clothes that are too small. Thanks! ------------- http://lilypie.com">
http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: weegee
Date Posted: 22 April 2009 at 10:21am
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RuthyH, I think stuff that fits you now should be good. Yes your boobs will get slightly bigger still but then once your supply settles down they're likely to get a little smaller again. Most maternity bras are very adjustable and the singlets are very forgiving -------------
Mum to JJ, 4 July 2008 & Addie, 28 July 2010 |
Posted By: FreeSpirit
Date Posted: 22 April 2009 at 11:47am
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When your milk comes in your boobs will shock you for the 1st week or 3 (I went up to an E cup! Quick trip to the warehouse for the cheapest bra I could find) but weegee's right, once your supply settles you tend to go back to your late preggy cup size. In my case I was an A pre-preggy, a C in late preggy, an E when my milk came in (down to a D cup by 4 weeks, and a large C by 8 weeks), and now at 9 months I'm back down to a small C. Get sized for your maternity bra's about now, and the singlets are great, I've been able to fit mine from birth through to now (and they don't stretch horribly, they hold the shape quite well) ------------- http://www.babysfirstsite.com">
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Posted By: RuthyH
Date Posted: 23 April 2009 at 10:39am
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Thanks so much to you both, really helpful advice. It's so nice to be able to get help with all these niggly questions. I have bought some singlets on trade me already and will get a few feeding bras that have some flex in them!
------------- http://lilypie.com">
http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: mummyofprinces
Date Posted: 23 April 2009 at 10:47am
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Ruthy when I got fitted for my bras I was told that you need to be able to fit your hand inside the cup to allow for your milk coming in and a breast pad... Seems to have been spot on for me :) -------------
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Posted By: Niecey
Date Posted: 25 April 2009 at 12:56am
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This is exactly what I needed 3 months ago but I was absolutely DETERMINED to get through BF. When I gave birth to my DS, they put him on my chest and he started to feed. My colostrum had been coming in for weeks now so was no problem for him and he didn't take too long to latch (was so beautiful when he did the first time too). Anyway, I thought he ended up peeing while on the breast..silly me...it was my other boob leaking like crazy!! I had the hardest time getting him to latch on my own what with all the nurses telling me I had large breasts..but they helped me over and over again. My boy ended up waking me in the middle of the night and did the cluster feeding which kept me up for hours!! Ughhhh..my nipples were beyond sore and I was tired as cuz I was running on adrenaline the whole day thinking I didn't need my sleep nor did I want to! I felt so bad for all the other new moms cuz my kid was screaming at the top of his lungs thru the night wanting to feed and my milk wasn't yet there. Eventually it came but problems didn't end there. I still had trouble with the latch and I ended up with sore, cracked nipples and no breast pump. I persevered...and then there was thrush for god...probably almost 2 mos...but I was treated so that helped although he kept on latching on and off so that made my nipples dry and a bit sore. At least the nipple cream put an end to the intense pain when my milk came down during feedings. I just kept thinking...I want to just give up...but then I'd say...so many other women can do it and have done it in the past without any dr's help..why can't I? Same thought along with the drug-free labor (haha..that was fun!). I wanted my baby to have something that was completely natural and sooooooo good for him (the health benefits are so underrated..I think they don't emphasize enough that it IS better than formula). Well, I can now attest that--yes I can do it and so can you!! Best of luck BF--I'm so glad I'm BF him these days..a bond that I don't look forward to breaking. If anyone needs advice just let me know and I can share my knowledge. Denise ------------- Denise http://lilypie.com">  
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Posted By: Richtea
Date Posted: 03 May 2009 at 7:14pm
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Hi Wondering if any one had any advice on how long is to long for the baby to be on the breast? My little one would happily stay latched and sucking for over an hour each side!!! Not really sure what the best thing to do is. I don't have a slow flow as it squirts out and when i express I get 100mls plus . Thanks
------------- http://lilypie.com">  
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Posted By: jano1
Date Posted: 03 May 2009 at 7:27pm
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Wow your (.)s must be sore Richtea! All the advice I was given by my MW and plunket suggests that babies shouldn't feed longer than 30-45mins. However some babies are fast and some are slow so it really depends on your baby.
Is she feeding the whole time or can you tell once she stops feeding and starts comfort suckling? Thats probably the time to take her off the breast. She might grizzle but my guess will get used to it pretty quickly. My baby is a couple of weeks older than yours and she feeds for around 10mins during the night and around 20mins during the daytime. A couple of weeks ago she was feeding for 30mins so the time for feeding is getting quicker. Hope that helps
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Posted By: Chickoin
Date Posted: 03 May 2009 at 11:38pm
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Richtea, my MW told me that when she starts doing 'butterfly sucks' - when she sorta quivers her chin - she's finished feeding and just comfort sucking.
-------------
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Posted By: Niecey
Date Posted: 04 May 2009 at 10:54am
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Richtea-- I went through the same! Feeding would take ages but as I look back I'm almost certain I was giving him too much time at the boob. It does lessen in time. You just have to recognize when he's doing the comfort sucking. Make sure he/she doesn't fall asleep!!! Keep him actively sucking by pinching their cheeks/ears or playing with their fingers/toes (which makes them a bit fussy) but essentially gives the message--get down to business. If he/she fails to actively suck, then take him/her off and play until they seem to want to suck again. If they do the same low sucks, then take em off. Eventually they'll get this message that when they're on the boob, it's for food and not too much comfort. Saves your boobs! Good luck! ------------- Denise http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: Richtea
Date Posted: 06 May 2009 at 10:11pm
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Hi Thanks for all the advice. Think I have got the hang of it now. Got feeding down to abpout 30mins now ------------- http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: mummyofprinces
Date Posted: 07 May 2009 at 11:37am
I just noticed Jake doing this yesterday, thanks chickoin! I had wondered why Jakes feeds had started taking an hour again. Cheeky monkey -------------
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Posted By: SpecialK
Date Posted: 20 May 2009 at 4:59pm
| Chikoin, the butterfly sucks thing - that is the best thing I read about BF, thank you! My baby does that at every feed and I've been thinking that maybe he is comfort sucking... but wasn't sure how to tell. Will see how I go at next feed. |
Posted By: Chickoin
Date Posted: 20 May 2009 at 6:44pm
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Yay! You're both very welcome
I don't think it counts in the super early days when you are feeding colostrum, because it's hard work for bub to suck for so long but once the milk comes in the butterfly suck gives away the comfort sucking secret mwahaha -------------
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Posted By: caitlynsmygirl
Date Posted: 07 July 2009 at 12:03am
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Sorry if this has already been asked, anyone have any tips on how to get baby to open a bit wider?
Ty doesn't open very wide and often has his tongue up instead of down , making it painful when i feed, and I know it shouldnt be , not the whole time anyway . He has plenty of wet and dirty nappies each day tho , so something is going in , but my poor nipples aren't having a good time -------------
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Posted By: AandCsmum
Date Posted: 07 July 2009 at 8:44am
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Tickle his chin with your nipple. Try it out with your finger so you can see where you need to tickle.
Some babies don't open as well, just make sure he gets on with out hurting & don't worry how much boob gets in his mouth. ------------- Kel http://lilypie.com"> 
A = 01.02.04 & C = 16.01.09 & G = 30.03.12 |
Posted By: caitlynsmygirl
Date Posted: 07 July 2009 at 10:51pm
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*sigh * , I tried the tickling his chin thing , still didn't seem to work , he opens as wide as I think he can , but it hurts, and not the usual latching on pain , it hurts the whole time he is feeding , and my whole breast itches and burns , and when he comes off the nipple is not the right shape .
I know its him latching on that is causing the trouble ,its so hard to get him to put more than just the nipple in his mouth . Im really hating it -------------
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Posted By: fattartsrock
Date Posted: 10 July 2009 at 10:24pm
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Kelly, ring La Leche. I would get my LLL book out and give you the answer but I can't get to it right now. Will grab it out in the morning, but do ring LLL. ------------- The Honest Un PC Parent of 2, usually stuck in the naughty corner! :P |
Posted By: caitlynsmygirl
Date Posted: 10 July 2009 at 11:19pm
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Its ok , meant to add on to my post, yesterday I decided I was going to feed how I was comfortable, and forget the hospitals techniques , and all the right ways , eg positioning etc .
Now, he is feeding well,its not hurting , and we are both happy , hes looking healthy and having plenty of wet and dirty nappies . I realised that both times with my babies, the problems have stemmed from this idea that im doing it wrong because of different advice I got from the hospital, once I let him find his way on , without caring for the "right " way to do it , things got a lot better -------------
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Posted By: fattartsrock
Date Posted: 11 July 2009 at 3:40pm
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ah awesome! been thinking about you all day, everytime I see my great big book of everything (its bright yellow) at my desk in my room I keep thinking must Pm Kelly! ------------- The Honest Un PC Parent of 2, usually stuck in the naughty corner! :P |
Posted By: Flutterby
Date Posted: 12 July 2009 at 11:30am
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Caitlynsmygirl that is exactly what I decided to do. When I first had Cody and was getting used to BFing I was always worried because his mouth didn't open up as much as it did in diagrams I saw, and my nipples were so sore for that first week or so. But got some of that Weleda nipple cream and relaxed.
Now I don't even need to help him get on, just need to put his head at the right level and he dives on in ------------- http://lilypie.com">  http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: ajmmum
Date Posted: 22 July 2009 at 5:16pm
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Hehehe Casper1 that made me laugh as my boy does the same thing & it's so funny when they go from being helped on to basically lunging at you! ------------- http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow">  |
Posted By: HoneybunsMa
Date Posted: 25 July 2009 at 7:28pm
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How long is it meant to take for your nipples to desensitise? I just tried feeding DD and it felt SO sore sometimes its not so sore, is this a problem with her latching I did try different positions etc. If it continues to hurt this much then I don't think I will continue bfing its soooo sore! I tried her on a bottle of ebm afterwards and it looks like she may have just been comfort sucking cos she only had 20ml of that after about 10mins I gave her the dummy and she was happy as. DP just gave her 80ml of ebm and has ended up wearing it so thinking she wasn't actually hungry. ------------- http://www.myfitnesspal.com/weight-loss-ticker"> 
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Posted By: FreeSpirit
Date Posted: 25 July 2009 at 8:09pm
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I think it varies from person to person. For me, the first 3 weeks were sensitive, then weeks 4 - 7 I would have enjoyed being bitten by a rabid dog more and I wanted to quit every day! But I kept telling myself "just for one more day". After that it just got easier and easier. The pain would have me crying while I fed sometimes during those hard weeks, but her latch was fine. Get your midwife or a lactation consultant to check your latch, and if it's good then stick with it, it does get easier and the nerves do numb off. ------------- http://www.babysfirstsite.com">
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Posted By: SpecialK
Date Posted: 30 July 2009 at 3:05pm
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Mine were awful for weeks, until the LC I saw at Plunket told me it was thrush. Took a good couple of weeks to clear up, but since then have been fine. The thrush comes back every now and again, but I know what to do now so can treat it before it gets awful.
Also, nipple shields were great - although initially I used them to get H to latch, once he was a bit older I just alternated feeds (ie one feed with the shields, then one without etc) until I could feed without them. It does get easier... even though I don's seem to be able to do it without drugs, it's still so worth it. ------------- http://lilypie.com">  http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: rocmummy
Date Posted: 10 September 2009 at 3:46pm
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Can anyone tell me about expressing?
I have no problem doing by hand - works fine, so i went and purchased a fancy Medela electric pump, but it doesnt seem to produce the milk i can when i am expressing by hand. And my nipple feels like its getting sensitive the longer the electric pump is going? Hmm? 
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Posted By: Chickoin
Date Posted: 11 September 2009 at 6:22pm
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It took me a while to get the hang of an electric pump too. I think it just takes a wee while for your body to get used to? I find it works best for me in the morning after feeding off one side. When Jody's back in bed I read a book while expressing. I find when it's cold my nipple gets sensitive and also if I have it sucking too hard.
I hope that helps a bit -------------
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Posted By: rocmummy
Date Posted: 11 September 2009 at 8:30pm
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Great thanks for the advice!! I will see how that works for me
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Posted By: fattartsrock
Date Posted: 11 September 2009 at 9:32pm
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Some Tips for the EBM ladies...
Just remember that how much you express is NO WAY indicitive of how much milk baby is getting AT ALL!!! And don't fall into the trap of thinking that baby has to have X mls or you need to "see" how much baby is taking, your body makes most of what you need while baby is feeding and a pump woeks way different than baby does on your breast as well as other hormonal factors. Trust your body that baby is getting enough! ------------- The Honest Un PC Parent of 2, usually stuck in the naughty corner! :P |
Posted By: NovemberMum
Date Posted: 12 September 2009 at 1:00am
I agree I could hardly express any milk out yet my daughter seemed to get enough out of me ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: rocmummy
Date Posted: 12 September 2009 at 8:17am
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Thanks for the feedback. Im returning to work part time and wanted to express some for when she is at the sitter's house. So what i express may be enough for her in that respect. Great 
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Posted By: fattartsrock
Date Posted: 12 September 2009 at 2:28pm
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Awesome.
Some other tips. Express first thing in the morning when your breasts are at their fullest, and try to express about an hour after you last fed at other times. ------------- The Honest Un PC Parent of 2, usually stuck in the naughty corner! :P |
Posted By: mummymonster
Date Posted: 13 September 2009 at 7:57pm
You're kidding! I thought that it was when my breasts were running out of milk and the little guy was trying to convince them to let down some more (I don't feel this 'let down' thing). From Wed last week (6wk), he's been getting really fussy on the breast. And when I express I've gone from getting 80-100ml to getting 30-40ml and was thinking that I was running out and that's what all the fuss is about. I've just finished having him on for about 1 hr - thinking he was starving. Other than that - anyone else had this step backward with expressing? I wanted a bottle for his evening feed the other day, it took 4 lots of expressing throughout the day to get 100ml. A week ago (when he was 5wks) I could get 100ml+ in one morning express. Where's all the milk gone? |
Posted By: Mamma2N
Date Posted: 13 September 2009 at 8:10pm
Isaacsmum, your milk supply would have settled down in the last few days (usually happens around the 6 week mark) nothing at all to worry about! In the early days I could easily get 150-250mls in 10minutes, these days its more like 100mls in 10-15mins, sometimes as little as 30-40mls. ETA - and don't worry about the let-down or lack of, I'm exactly the same, only have them periodically. Just listen out to hear bubs sucking and swallowing. Also remember BABY is the BEST EXPRESSOR, not a breast pump. I often find that I can only get out a small amount with my pump then I can pop DD on there where she takes a full feed and some
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Posted By: amykt
Date Posted: 29 September 2009 at 8:23am
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Hi Guys, Jaxon is 5 weeks old and had great weight gain the first 3 weeks. However, the last 2 weeks he's only put on 80g total. He's a really regular feeder (2 hourly during the day, and 2 feeds during the night) but obviously my milk supply isn't enough despite the regular feedings.
I've grabbed your biscuit recipe and noted the suggestions of chocolate, almonds, oatmeal, and gingerbeer. Is there any other advice out there to help increase milk supply? I've started having to give him a couple of formula top-ups because he's still hungry after finishing off both boobs. I really would like to continue breastfeeding but sometimes feel like so much of my time and effort is consumed with the feeding side of things that I'm not 'enjoying' Jaxon as much as I should be. Any advice would be appreciated! ------------- http://www.TickerFactory.com/"> 
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Posted By: FreeSpirit
Date Posted: 29 September 2009 at 8:40am
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amykt, if I was you, I'd drop the formula top-ups, and leave Jaxon on the breast for longer - this will give him more of the valuable hindmilk, and stimulate more milk production. Milk is a supply and demand thing, if you're giving formula your body doesn't need to produce that milk. Your boobs are never empty (even though they will feel it sometimes), the fullness is foremilk, which is designed to satisfy thirst, and once that is finished your body starts producing hindmilk, which is rich and fatty and satisfies hunger, but you have to feed for longer to get this. ------------- http://www.babysfirstsite.com">
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Posted By: Mamma2N
Date Posted: 29 September 2009 at 9:34am
Couldn't agree more. Also are you particularly worried about his weight gains? I know that my wee girl would have great weight gains for a few weeks and sometimes she wouldn't put on anything for 2-3 weeks! She did however grow in length & head circum. She has always been happy & healthy with lots of wet/dirty naps, so there hasn't been cause for worry. |
Posted By: amykt
Date Posted: 29 September 2009 at 10:59am
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I leave him on for as long as possible - until he's totally asleep and no amount of tickling or cold flannels wake him up. Then I'll put him down to bed and he'll wake a short time later still hungry even though he was on the breast earlier for ages.
When we gave him a formula top-up yesterday after his feed, he slept for a solid good 4 hours afterwards so it looked like he was much more satisfied. I will continue to put him on my breast as often and for as long as possible to try and increase my supply, but I guess at the end of the day if he's not getting enough there's not much more I can try? ------------- http://www.TickerFactory.com/">
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