Boosting supply supply at 10 weeks - tongue tie snipped at 9 weeks

[SuperStrength]

I'm hoping someone can help, I'm at the end of my resources.
My beautiful DS3 was born at the end of Jan, a good weight and a natural delivery. He had the best start to feeding, really vigorous...I was stoked.

He was tested for jaundice, the result was that it did not need treating. He was very sleepy & I woke him every 3 hours to feed. When we were due to be signed off from the midwives, his weight had dropped by 240g. His test results were double checked & prolonged jaundice was the conclusion for drop. We topped up with formula to clear the jaundice and went back to EBF.
At 8 week check, he'd dropped again to the 2nd percentile (having started at 75th), I started topping up with formula & got an appointment with ENT. At 9 weeks his posterior tongue tie was snipped & feeding has improved, but I'm still topping up with formula. The amount varies. The difference is that now he sleeps. I now understand that he was a restless undernourished baby between 4-8 weeks.
I feel really sad that we've still not got it working. I have 2 older children who need my time and attention. All I talk & think about is how to improve his feeding from me.
I've spoken to 2 lactation consultants today & it's their view that i have probably missed the window for establishing my supply for EBF. I've never heard that this needs to be done by 4-6 weeks, otherwise mix feeding is the only remaining option.
Is that right, is mix feeding the best i can hope for?
Without wanting to be a drama queen, i am heartbroken that this has not worked. For the 1st time, I was going to have the chance to feed for a year & i'd really looked forward to it. I EBF DS2 to 7 months & really enjoyed the emotional bond it gave us. I feel that that bond just hasn't happened this time.

[minipie]

I have a friend who was in your position - baby lost weight until formula top ups started, then tt snipped at 9 weeks.

I think if you were to have any chance of establishing full supply you would need to stop the top ups. However, I can completely understand you will be reluctant to do this as it could mean leaving your baby hungry (and/or monster cluster feeds) while your supply increases. My friend never risked it and carried on mix feeding then fully FF.

Alternatively you could carry on topping up but also pump after each feed to increase your supply (assuming your boobs respond well to a pump). That's very hard work though - BF then FF then pump.

I don't think it's correct that you could never reestablish full supply - after all even adoptive mothers can sometimes lactate - but practically speaking, it could be tough especially if you have 2 other DC.

How much formula is he having ?

Hopefully someone who knows more (tiktok?) will be along soon.

[SuperStrength]

Thanks ever so much for replying...I can't tell you how sad I am that this is where we've ended up. It's partly tiredness I suspect, partly because he's my last baby & i loved feeding DS2 I really looked forward to experiencing that again.

You're right about stopping top ups, he now knows what it feels like to be full. At the end of a feed, if I have no more milk, he frets & fusses whereas before he nursed & nursed...I just didn't know that nothing was happening. If I stoppped topping up I know he is going hungry.

I hadn't thought about pumping after a feed, I'm off to reaserch a hospital grade punp. I have an electric one but I wonder if a pump with a bit more oomph would help?

[minipie]

Yes, I have experience of hospital grade pumps and boy are they effective. Definitely more so than the usual domestic electric ones. Worth a try. You can rent them for about 50p a day I believe.

[stargirl1701]

An SNS? I used the Medela one? Have you spoken to anyone on a bf helpline? I found the La Leche League one excellent.

[SuperStrength]

I tried the LLL numbers but they ring out. I heard they are volunteers so i imagine they fit it around other responsibilities.
What's SNS?

[stargirl1701]

Supplemental Nursing System. It means you can bf and ff at the same time. I got it on Amazon within 24 hours.

[Isabeller]

I don't know what can/can't be done outside the 4-6 week window but I'm guessing you want to try everything possible to get your supply as high as possible. I am also doing what I can to boost my supply - will return and write more but must now go and pump :)

You might find some useful information on this thread

Good luck!

[tiktok]

I have never heard of the 4-6 week window. This is the time within which breastmilk is calibrated, yes, but it's absolutely not a fixed thing that breastmilk cannot be increased or breastfeeding cannot be rescued after this time.

I think you need to speak to ppl who can encourage and who support. You can't drop the formula but you can work out a plan to phase it out while you boost your bf.

[SuperStrength]

Right, SNS on order from Amazon. Hospital grade pumps researched ready for phone calls tomorrow morning.
I have an appointment with an NHS lactation cosultant but the earliest she could see me was the week after next so I'll work on boosting supply in the meantime.
Thanks for the suggestions...when I started the thread I really though I'd tried everything so I'm glad there are some physiological things I can do.

[RockCrushesLizard]

The following are the numbers for the ABM helpline, and the national breastfeeding helpline.

They are staffed by fully trained bf counsellors, between 9:30 and 22:30. 0300 330 5453
0300 100 0212

I think the consultants you spoke to have missed some important bits out, as the suggestions on this thread should have been mentioned? (ie SNS and pumping). I've never heard of a magic 4-6 week window either!

Definitely not time to resign yourself just yet