Supply gone during hospital stay

[OneForTheRoadThen]

My son is 7 months old and has been fed EBM since birth. He was born early and had a tongue tie so has never latched on.

I'm currently in hospital with pancreatitis and it took over 30 hours for the staff to arrange access to a breast pump. I became very engorged and when I did get to pump couldn't manage to get much out

I now how my pump from home and have been pumping every 4 hours but my supply is still very poor. It's really painful and my nipples are covered in milk blisters and possibly thrush. The breastfeeding counsellors are too busy to see me and the doctors won't confirm thrush. I'm really unhappy and upset.

I know I might be able to get my supply back when I'm feeling better and am nearby my son but I'm not sure what to do. He's never latched on so it's not like I can just keep feeding him to boost supply.

Does anyone have any advice? Shall I just give up now? Is it worth carrying on? Can I improve supply of EBM? I've found it really difficult before to do so. Thanks x

[GarrulousGrimoire]

Will you feel desperately sad to give up?

I'd say 7 months pumping to feed is bloody superhero status to be honest, you should be proud of yourself and can probably give up with absolutely no qualms as you need to focus on being well for your baby now.

That DOESNT mean I don't think the hospital have treated you fairly shoddily for you to get in such a mess, it really is t good enough.

[OneForTheRoadThen]

I would be very upset. I've been proud of us getting this far and had recently taken the decision to try for 9 months.

I'm very tearful and feel very low but I'm not sure if it's because the decision has been taken out of my hands rather than one I made. It just feels like another thing I've failed at.

[Mungobungo]

Try La Leche League. They have lots of information on feeding issues and you can also contact them for help.

I'm the meantime, make sure you have plenty of fluids and keep trying. The more you stimulate your breasts the more likely it is that supply will increase. If you're not getting much off with the pump, maybe try going back to basics with massage, warm flannels and hand expressing for a little while.

[Mungobungo]

Also, fenugreek capsules may help too

[OneForTheRoadThen]

Thanks mungo. I will try those things as soon as I get home

[oneplus2is3]

Superhero pumping- I pumped for this long with my DTs and its HARD. Good supply starts with your nutrition. I found if I didn't eat I had hardly any milk. It hospital its difficult, mainly because they don't feed you enough for a normal person let alone a breastfeeding mum, so get as many people as you can to bring a good supply of food in for you. Keep up the liquids and the pumping- it should come back.

[ALongTimeComing]

Keep drinking. Try not to stress out! I know that's super hard though. Can someone bring you something that smells of your baby? Can you watch videos and look at pictures of your baby to help?

At the same time though, your body's been through trauma and then engorgement which will have an effect too. I'm shocked at how poor the hospital were at looking after a Breastfeeding mother and would be looking in to making a complaint.

[HopelesslydevotedtoGu]

I'm sure you can get your supply back when you are recovered from your illness

You must be really poorly with pancreatitis

30 hours for a Breast pump - appalling - but do you have one from home you could use?

I would continue to express to keep the stimulation up, but not expect to produce the same milk volume until I was recovered

Will your doctors arrange for your nipples to be swabbed?

[OneForTheRoadThen]

Thanks for the advice. Good point about nutrition, I've been on water only for 3 days and only just started eating again so I'm hoping that will make a difference.

I definitely am going to contact PALS. Not necessarily a complaint but it's shocking that hospitals can't cater for breastfeeding mums and they should try and improve this.

[NewIdeasToday]

Whatever you decide to do re feeding you need to ditch the idea that this is another thing you've failed at. It sounds like you've done a great job so far. Relax and concentrate on getting better.

[ZZZZ1111]

How long have you been in hospital? 7 months in your supply should be well established. Lots of bf mums go away for the weekend, go to work etc and still have plenty of supply when they're back. Remember pumping isn't a good indication of supply anyway, and like others have said your stress is likely to make you pump less anyway. When are you likely to go home? Has your baby been visiting to feed?

[GarrulousGrimoire]

Hope you are doing ok OP and remember if your baby is well cared for and loved then you have failed at absolutely nothing!

Sometimes boobs just won't damn well do what we want them to