Some basic questions for you

[Icanonlytry]

Hi,
Have been breastfeeding DS who is 17 days old since he was born, we have just found out I am not producing enough milk for him and so have had to add in a few ml of formula after each feed whilst I am trying to build up my supply for him by still feeding as normal and expressing regularly.
So any tips on how to boost my supply ( I really dont want to FF as I love the feeling and ease of feeding him myself)
Also when I have sterilised the bottles should I make the feeds up straight away/leave the bottles in the steriliser until I am ready to use them or take them out of the steriliser put the bottles together with lids on and fill them when I am ready for them ( although there is always a little water left inside them from the steriliser)
Thanks

[thisisyesterday]

if you are not producing enough milk then the best way to boost your supply is to let baby feed more frequently

what makes you think that you don't have enough milk?

[TheRealMBJ]

What is making you think you don't have enough milk? Is it because of weight-gain? As thisis has said the best way to mKe more milk is to feed your baby more often. How often is your DS feeding/24hrs? Have you heard of switch feeding?

[RitaMorgan]

Icanonlytry - hope you don't mind if I link to your previous thread to give the background on this?

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/_chat/1234089-Newborn-and-no-dirty-nappies-for-4-days

[Icanonlytry]

We found i wasnt producing enough milk when we got sent to hospital because baby's weight was dropping and he wasnt having any dirty nappies, when I expressed I was only getting 30 ml of breast milk after 30 mins/1 hour of expressing from both sides. I am feeding more frequently and expressing between feeds but it still isnt enough yet. In the end he was feeding for an hour every hour and still wasn't happy so definitely wasnt getting enough.
No I havent heard of switch feeding, what is it?

[Icanonlytry]

Thanks Rita, was going to try and do that

[thisisyesterday]

ahh ok.

expressing isn't a very good indicator of how much milk you are making, so don't rely on it too much (altho0ugh obviously over time you ought to see an increse in what you get out!)

the best bit of advice i can give is to see a qualified breastfeeding counsellor (in person if you can) and talk through how often he feeds, how long for, any other pertinent issues....

[TheRealMBJ]

Thanks for the link Rita

Icanonly I am really shocked that this has been left for so long. The best way to increase supply is still to feed more frequently. Kellymom has some excellent strategies.

Have you seen a breastfeeding counsellor or lactation consultant or been to a peer-support group? Here is a list of groups or tried to ring one of the national helplines?

[thisisyesterday]

having read the other thread i think you really need to feed him more frequently

[TheRealMBJ]

A list of IBCLC lactation consultants

It would be worthwhile getting his latch assessed by a real expert in breastfeeding as well as having him checked for tongue-tie by a breastfeeding specialist. If he is feeding for an lohour every hour (with in actual fact is going 2 hours between feeds, as you count from the start of each feed to the star of the next) you should be getting 12 feeds/24hours. Is that the case?

Switch feeding is when you start a feed on one breast, feed until your DS stops swallowing frequently and then swopping and repeating. You can also use breast compressions to increase milk transfer. I'll try find you a video of breast compression snow...

[TheRealMBJ]

discussion on breast compressions

Can't link to a video on the iPad, but if you type 'breast compressions Jack Newman' into YouTube you'll get some.

[TheRealMBJ]

Sorry if I'm bombarding you . I'm going to be putting DS to bed now but will check in on the thread in a little while.

[BizzeeBee]

Has anyone suggested you use a Supplemental Neutrician System (SNS)? I had a problem with my milk supply and used the SNS to give some extra formula while bfing. Baby gets the formula at the same time as being on the breast so it helps to stimulate your supply. Problem is it's not easy to get it working, but when it does work it works well. It took a lot of patience, encouragement and some tears.

I also took a special feeding herbal tea and a homeopathic supplement to boost supply. I'm in France so I don't know if you can get an equivalent in the uk.

With some perseverance, which you have already shown, you should get your supply boosted with frequent feeding.

[tiktok]

This all sounds like uninformed postnatal care - very few women can produce by expressing anything that can meaningfully be interpreted (they might be making more, or making less, than the baby takes). Any HCP suggesting otherwise needs some training. I see from the other thread your baby was prescribed lactulose. Very, very odd :(

Your baby needs to be seen by someone knowledgable and you need to have your bf observed - and this will include someone assessing whether formula is needed or not. The most effective way to boost a baby's weight is to feed more often, and formula interferes with making sufficient breastmilk.

When the dust settles, maybe think about complaining, if you cannot get a good explanation of why you were given such strange advice?

[TheRealMBJ]

Phew!



Tiktok has posted.

[tiktok]

[Icanonlytry]

A friend of mine is a breast feeding counsellor, she has watched me feed and said his latch is perfect, he seems to be feeding really well but obviously we don't know how much milk he is actually getting. It isn't enough though, he has been like a different baby since we have been giving him the extra milk and as much as it hurts to give it to him his health and happiness are more important. Thanks for all your advice, once things settle down I will be complaining.

[tiktok]

Icanonlytry - seen from your other thread your baby is being topped up 30 mls formula every feed - this is a very large amount of formula. I really hope you are able to get some good, knowledgeable help with your bf, as the next step should be to phase out that formula and increase the frequency and effectiveness of the bf.

Glad your baby is doing well now.