BF - making more milk

[nikkidale]

I have been combo feeding my boy since he was 4days old because he was in SCBU and being bottle fed. My HV has suggested that I have 24hrs in bed with him to encourage my milk flow and reduce the need for bottles. Has anyone else done this and do you have any tips? I dont really know what to expect.

Thank you

[KristinaM]

first of all congratulations on your baby and well done to you for persevering with the bf. glad to hear your Hv is being so helpful - what she is talking about is often called a babymoon - like a honeymoon only you get to spend all day in bed with your baby. and a big pile of magazines, the remote control, your mobile and plenty food of course

i don't know if your baby was premature, but there is lots of good info here on kellymom

[sweetkitty]

Agree with Kristina and your HV, what you need to do is feed, feed and feed some more. The more you put him to the breast the more milk your body will produce.

[BallpointPen]

Congrats on your baby

You need lots of skin to skin contact with the baby. This produces oxytocin, the hormone that triggers milk production. Take your top off, no bra too and get baby naked then lie back, relaxing with baby on your chest. Put baby to the breast often, him suckling will increase flow better than almost anything. You also need to drink plenty of fluids, you'll only get out what you put in so drink lots, particularly in this hot weather when you'll losing more fluids from sweating.

[SoBloodyTired]

Drinking lots makes sod all difference to your supply. Numerous reputable sources will be able to tell you this. Unless you are morbidly dehydrated your supply will be fine (and in fact in cases of maternal dehydration the fluid content of the milk actually increases because your body assumes that your baby, too, is at risk of dehydration. Clever, huh?). You might find that you are thisrty while feeding, which is normal andlogical, but just drink what you feel you need. Nowt worse than needing a pee halfway through a feed

All of the advice to snuggle up and feed LOADS is really sound though. Good luck and congratulations

[nikkidale]

Thank you, he is 7 weeks now, and i was worried that he would just give up! I am looking forward to it hoping that it will work as he is a very hungry baby! The main issue is laziness, he knows that after he has been on the breast he will get a bottle, so he doesnt try hard enough. I want to remove bottle feeding completely! unless, of course, its expresso special!

[nikkidale]

Well, babymoon was an absolute fail TBH. He is sooooo fussy I only lasted from 6am until 3pm before I caved to the wailing and gave him a bottle, after he had me in tears feeling like I was the worst mother in history, I am making more milk, but my breast pump has just stopped working so I cant judge exactly how much... I have a sling now so I can keep DS close to me and let him feed as and when, although the material is quite thick so I might not be able to use it until the weather cools down a little bit.

Thank you for the tips, if anyone else knows how I can encourage a very lazy DS to actually suck for longer than 2 mins without falling asleep I would be most grateful!

[nikkidale]

Bump

[char3mum]

okay stop! hun you are working yourself up, you are doing a great job, it can take a while for bf to become well established, your doing a great job!!! if you bambino needs a bottle now and again so be it, try again at the next feed, whats his latch like, maybe give nipple shields a go, he may be more comfortable and be able to suck better. it sounds as of he is snacking, also because its so hot your milk will adjust to quench thirst so he might want to feed more offen to get the calories, chin up, it will get better, i did the day in bed and it really worked wonders, although i didn't get much sleep because i was worried about co sleeping my milk production went through the roof and i felt rested, sometinmes the people around you however well meaning don't help with their well meaning "do you think hes had enough" and the classic, usually after a 45min feed, he looks hungry to me??!!!! ugh!!! just go with the flow, try what suits you and ditch staight away what doesn't, try to have a restful night and make syre that you are eating wellxxxxx

[Debs75]

You will produce more milk if you feed during the night. Don't use a dummy either, whenever he cries put him to the breast. The more he feeds the more milk you will make.
You could try giving him the breast before you try a bottle or if he is very fussy give him a small amount of bottle, wind him and then puit him to the breast.
Importantly just keep offering him breastmilk.

[tiktok]

nikkidale, you are having a hard time.

I think it will help to speak to someone in real life - maybe call one of the bf helplines.

I don't know what to suggest - need to know how much formula he is having, what his weight and growth are, what happens when he is at the breast.

What I do know is that your baby, at 7 weeks, is not 'lazy'. He is also not capable of deliberately 'not trying' to bf 'cos of knowing a bottle is on its way...really, he cannot figure things out that way, and he is incapable of laziness.

Hope you can talk to someone and get the support you need.

Also - pumping gives no reliable indication of your breastmilk availablity to the baby or the quantity you are producing, so it's misleading to rely on it as a measurement.
Hope things work out soon.