Help!! Fear I am not producing enogh milk.

winsett · Sep 25, 2008 4:02AM

My baby is 11 days old today. I really want to breastfeed but my baby will spend forever on the beast and then come off crying again. He won't settle unless I give in and give a few onces of aptimil. I really don't want to do this but I am not getting enough rest, especially at nights.

I am feeling very disappointed not being able to provide what my baby needs. One breast sems to be producing more than the other. Right now, one is flat and the baby has been sleeping for 2 hrs now after giving in with aptimil.

I bought a breat pump on Monday. I got 3 onces after 30 mins. On Tuesday i got 4 onces, but Wednesday to today, I just don't think there is enogh to express, especially because after expressing on Monday and Tuesday, the breasts seemed to take forever to produce milk again.

Anyone knows what I can do. Yesterday I bought fennel tea, milk thistle and fenugreek from Holland and barret.

hollysmumbump · Sep 19, 2008 11:23AM

Hi there,congratulations on your baby and for choosing to bf!It may not seem like it at the moment but if you stick at it its really worth it!no bottles to sterilize etc!Anyway just wanted to say that what you are describing sounds completely normal in the very early days,i thought id not got enough milk for grace as she was constantly feeding,she also had alot of growth spurts in the first few weeks.Maybe your lo is going thru one?Its also a way of baby building your milk supply up by the constant feeding.It does settle down though i promise.Id say the first 6 weeks is the hardest and if you can get through them you'll sail thru!!I can never get much expressed in between feeds,alot of people cant so i wouldnt let that worry you.If you are worried have you tried speaking to your hv??If you use formula alot then your milk supply may decrease but im sure it wnt hurt to use the odd bottle to get you through a growth spurt,dnt beat yourself up about it!You have already given your baby the best start to life,well done!!We r all here if u need 2 chat,dnt know what id have done without this site!!hanna n baby grace xx[/color

winsett · Sep 19, 2008 11:50AM

Thanks. It helps to know others go through the same thing and succeed in the end.

I just woke him up to feed him cause he was sleeping after a bottle for two long and I want to keep stimulating the breast. Thought of expressing to make sure the breast are empty but he won't even settle in my hand an keep searching for the breast.

I would not mind if he would settle on his own for an hour then feed again.

Team_Blue_aka_doublebubble · Sep 19, 2008 2:30PM

Hi

This is what was recommended to me when i was in your situation and it worked so im just passing it on, good luck with what ever you decide to do and remember the fact you have breastfed has done wonders for your lo.

Send dh up shop for easy to eat food, n drink and get some dvds/ rifle through your collection. Clear your diary for next few days.

Stop giving any formula (i found this impossible and still gave one bottle last feed at night) and demand feed baby. dont worry if he is latching on every hour or if each feed takes over a hour, he is stimulating your milk suppy, just sit in front of telly (I watched endless repeats of ER as im in love with Luca lol) when (and if in my case) he sleeps you sleep, you do not use that time to clean up etc this course of action should sort out your milk supply and after a few days you can start planning/doing more.

I found it hard to do this but it did work, I also did the same when babies were going through a growth spurt ended up watching so much ER I started dreaming i was a doctor but I was really pleased to have mastered breastfeeding.

Im sure lots of people manage without this drastic action so dont let it put you off im just saying what worked for me xxDBxx

hollysmumbump · Sep 19, 2008 3:39PM

i also ended up giving in and giving grace a dummy at 9 weeks old and sure enough she settled into a fab routine with sleep and feeding after that!i think she was also using me as a dummy at times to settle her off 2 sleep,hope all goes well xxx

karen130770 · Sep 20, 2008 3:15AM

In the very early days, I used to express off my breasts after each feed. This really got my supply up, so although it was a pain to do,it did work. Even if you don't get any milk out, don't worry because it is still working in that it is requesting more milk to be made iykwim.

Make sure you're eating enough - I drank a pint of full fat milk when I needed to get my supply up as it is easily digested and broken down into what's needed.

Other than that, everyone's given great advice.

Good luck (p.s. I kept giving with my last ds to top him up and it diminished my supply so much that I had to stop bfing altogether. Don't mean to scare you, just to advise you.)xx

winsett · Sep 20, 2008 8:38AM

Thanks all,

I am going to try to try resting, drinking and feeding him as much as possible etc.

The problem is, I have got 2 other children and will need to start doing the school run as of Monday when daddy goes back to work.

I was scared that dummy would make him more gassy and cause him to demand the breast less. Anyway I might have to try.

Since yesterday, he gets distressed when on the breasts cause he is not getting enough especially after I have expressed.

karen130770 · Sep 20, 2008 2:49PM

Try to stop the ff altogether if you can. I would feed off one breast only and express off the other immediately after a feed. That way, when you come to feed an hour or so later, there hopefully will be some milk there again.

I know it's difficult when you have other los, but try and hang in there cos they'll be at school soon so you'll have a little bit more time to concentrate on lo.

Good luck honxx

winsett · Sep 21, 2008 3:12PM

I have been trying to express after feeds but the milk supply just takes forever to build back up. With baby screaming it is difficult not to give formula. I can deal with him feeding often if he is contented after each feed but when he yanks on my breasts and cries in frustration there is little else I can do.

Is there anyone else who has been in my situation and got their supply back up after a week of extreemy low supply. I read that domperidone and mother's milk plus does help. Can anyone say about their success?

I have tried milk thistle and fenugreek but no success yet.

Feel like I will have to give up but disappointed as I had hoped for more success with this baby.

winsett · Sep 22, 2008 8:41AM

I have just returned from mw to weigh baby. Today he is 14 days and his bith weight was 6 lbs 14 ozs. He now weighs 7 lbs 10 oz, which I think is brilliant although he doesn't look like it.

This morning I called breast feeding councillor and she also recommended 2 days in bed with Shane when the older children go off to sch. I cannot start today cause of the many appointments; mw and hv plus school pick up but plan to do so Tomorrow and Wednesday.

I hope this works as I am trying everything at this point except expressing cause when I do it just seems to take forever to be replaced. will start again later but right now I have only got the energy for a few initiatives at a time.

karen130770 · Sep 22, 2008 5:17PM

Wow - that's a great weight gain for two weeks old! Well done - he's obviously getting more than you thought I guess.

Good luck for the bed in with him - will keep my fingers crossed for you.xx

winsett · Sep 24, 2008 5:37AM

I tried the in bed thing yesterday and because he was feeding and resting inbetween it was not as stressful on both of us. I managed to not give formula until half 10pm when nothing would get him to settle, even lying beside me with the breast in his mouth.

I planned to do 2 days but today my 5 year old had to stay home from school cause he is sick. That's it for resting so will try again tomorrow. I will not give up though.

karen130770 · Sep 24, 2008 3:14PM

It's so tiring isn't it? I'm a little worried about my milk supply as lo is weaning (he's only 4 mths) and takes everything I give him and still wants to feed all the time. He's started to wake up at night as well for 2 or 3 feeds.

I'm going to Holland & Barratt tomorrow to get some Mothers milk stuff. I'll let you know if it works! I've also just sterilised my expresser (damn thing - thought I'd seen the last of it!)

I'm also going to try and lay down with lo in the afternoon after lunch so I can get a little sleep with him (she says crossing fingers and toes!) while 4yr old at school.xx

winsett · Sep 25, 2008 4:02AM

Hey Karen 130770

I can understand what you are going through. You did well to stick it through. last night i had to give Shane a dummy for a little, against my better judgement, but he was driving me crazy. The nieghbours must think I am neglecting the baby.

I had to give in a give a bottle cause hubby is complaining that he is falling asleep at work. After the bottle, he settled for a little but refused to fall asleep in his coot and still needed the (dummy):\? breast to sleep.

My main concern is my left breast that is simple not responding much to all I have tried. the right one is doing a litle better but far the baby is fetting frustrated with the other one. Don't know if i should go back to expreessing off the left one, but that can onle be done of Shane sleeps and where does that leave time for my sleeping.

I am trying the mothers milk together with fenugreek but can't say if it is making a difference. I think my main probem is lack of rest cause baby wont sleep in the night. Last night I was so tried thought I could not go one more day of breastfeeding. Hope mother's milk work for you.

I think the difference between this time and the other babies was that I had my mother come over to help. this time I am on my own and it gets too much at nights. My poor body is doing overtime.

Wish I could go 4 mths like you or at least to be sure he gets full feeds and settle on the breast even if I have to give the occasional bottle.
Sorry for rumbling on. Just the state of my mind.

Help!! Fear I am not producing enogh milk.

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