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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Breast feeding advice?

20 replies

Mummasdiary2021 · 30/06/2021 09:44

Posting here for traffic

.. Mums I need some help!

I have a 7 week old baby. When she was born she was EBF. I stopped shortly after as I didn't know how to latch her properly and ended up really sore and bleeding. I turned to pumping but my supply wasn't great so I had to top her up with formula.

I have now learnt abit more and am trying to go back to EBF but my supply still isn't great. I use nipple shields as her latch is even worse now after having a bottle (we are working on it). And I bf her every time she is hungry and then top her up with formula if she comes off after a feed and still seems hungry which she often is. I pumped just to see what my supply was like and I only get about 2-3 ounces total. I am taking fenugreek tablets too. I have been working really hard to build up my supply but it just doesn't seem to be happening and I am finding it really disheartening.

Has any one been through this and can offer any advice?

OP posts:
Mummasdiary2021 · 30/06/2021 09:46

Just to clarify, she will drink about 6 ounces per feed of bottle fed so it isn't enough with just my supply

OP posts:
Garman · 30/06/2021 09:48

Are you in touch with a lactation consultant? How much you get when expressing is no indication of your actual supply, as a baby (latched correctly) will be much more efficient at removing milk than a pump. Lots of skin to skin and pumping between feeds will help. It does take time to rebuild a supply so don't get disheartened, but definitely speak to an LC if you haven't yet.

PoppyFern · 30/06/2021 09:51

Check for tongue tie

Hopefully you have help so that you can just concentrate on feeding?

It's exhausting.

And yes, ask a health visitor about a lactation expert

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 30/06/2021 09:51

Are you hydrated enough, eating porridge oats with milk?
I would also try and reduce the formula, the idea that your baby has one breastfeed and is full for a while is a myth- there’s a lot of cluster feeding whilst your baby builds the supply, you will feel like you sit there for hrs (you will), they will pull on and off- adding formula may hinder your baby building that supply themselves

yoyo1234 · 30/06/2021 10:03

Have been there and now have a BF (partially weaned as older than 6mths) baby. Check for tongue tie. If very painful baby may not have enough nipple in their mouth (does nipple get a ridge after a feed-midwife told me to check for this as can indicate not enough in the mouth).I combatted this by using my pump to make my nipples stand proud so baby could get more in. As baby gets older they may drool more (I reckon this helps create a seal ). I now feed easily and pain free . It was painful when I started and at about the age you are talking about I was exhausted and mixed feeding/pumping.

yoyo1234 · 30/06/2021 10:04

I drink litres a day and loads (pints) of milk for calcium etc.

yoyo1234 · 30/06/2021 10:07

Is the bottle wide necked (eg "closer to nature"). I think this really helped as makes baby open their mouth wider.

yoyo1234 · 30/06/2021 10:08

Please PM me if you wish. I really have been there Flowers.

CopperBear · 30/06/2021 10:13

DS was on breast milk exclusively for around a year and a half - we never needed formula. But, I stopped breastfeeding and solely expressed from around 4 days old because feeding directly from the breast just didn't really work for us. He was also a greedy one so would have about a litre a day of breast milk.
My tips for increasing and maintaining a supply would be:

  • Express every hour if you can when trying to build your supply
  • Drink a glass of water before and during expressing
  • Take a multivitamin
  • Try to build up a couple of days buffer so you're not stressed or pressured - stress will reduce your supply.
  • Your supply will vary depending on things like your menstrual cycle and your calorie intake - so don't worry if you're a bit low one day, it's why you've built up a buffer.
The biggest thing for me was just expressing as much as you can, as often as you can, for a few days - and keep the pump going for a few minutes after you've stopped getting anything, there seems to be a second supply sometimes that you can tap into. Good luck!
shreddednips · 30/06/2021 10:15

I was in your position OP except my baby was mainly formula fed and I started EBF again, can't remember how old he was but probably around 10 weeks.

What worked for me was taking my baby to bed with me for a couple of days and having him skin to skin as much as possible. I took my top off and just let him latch on whenever he wanted and it got my supply up again quite quickly. If that's not practical, could you have your baby in a sling skin to skin? I think it's the skin to skin and allowing them to feed constantly that works.

Also, I wouldn't be too worried about the amount you can pump. Some women seem to be able to pump loads and others can only get a little bit, a pump isn't as efficient as a baby. My supply was fine as baby was gaining weight but I still didn't ever get more than 2 ounces from the pump on a good day.

Good luck!

NigellaSeed · 30/06/2021 10:24

Try pumping after a feed, and topping her up with that in a bottle. (And nothing wrong with topping up with formula, but make sure to pump)

I found that my DS fed constantly., I know I expected it to be more like, have a neat little 20 mins feed, then sleep for 2 hours. But it was more like, feed for an hour, sleep for 40 mins, feed for an hour.

Find a boxset (mine was desperate housewives) and just get comfy and feed, feed, feed :)

Youdiditanyway · 30/06/2021 10:32

I have BF 5 DC now and low supply is incredibly rare, there’s usually another issue at play. For you I’d say the formula is hampering your supply because you aren’t feeding on demand, you’re topping up with formula which is diminishing your supply. Our bodies produce the correct amount of milk for our baby so the more you feed, the more you produce basically. If you swap feeds for formula, your body will produce less. Basically I’d strongly advise dropping the formula if you want breastfeeding to work. Get tongue tie checked too and maybe call la leche for further advice.

Liervik · 30/06/2021 10:34

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ for privacy reasons.

HBGKC · 30/06/2021 10:42

It's definitely possible, don't worry.
Breastfeeding is all about demand and supply. The more your baby feeds, the more signals to produce more milk your body gets. Every formula feed she gets, is milk she's not demanding from your body, so your supply will be that much lower going forward.

In your position, I would ditch the formula. Clear your diary, stay home for a couple of days, stay in your dressing gown to allow as much skin-to-skin contact as possible, and feed your DD as often as she shows interest, for as long as she wants, both sides if she wants. Your supply will very quickly build up (your body's on an approx 24 hr demand-supply cycle).

You've done the hard party already; your body (and your baby!) can totally do the rest, if given half a chance.

Good luck Smile There's loads of good support and advice on this board if/when you need it. You've got this.

GoLetItOut · 30/06/2021 10:56

You need to increase your supply. I would offer the breast at every feed and pump from both sides after, for no longer than 20 minutes each side. This includes through the night as this is when prolactin levels are highest. ‘Kelly’s mom’ website is a really great resource.

HBGKC · 30/06/2021 11:04

Yes, another vote for www.kellymom.com

yoyo1234 · 30/06/2021 11:29

Thinking about it I may not drink pints of milk everyday but some days. Keep hydrated, keep up skin to skin and close proximity and enjoy boxsets etc

Crikeycroc · 30/06/2021 11:43

Supply increases when you effectively remove milk from the breast. Add in some pumping sessions and have a look at doing a few power pumping sessions per day - this mimics cluster feeding and will signal to your body to produce more milk.

You are describing signs of inadequate milk transfer and issues with latch. Your baby may have a tongue tie or have an uncoordinated suck swallow pattern that requires some work. You need to see a lactation consultant to assess this (privately is always better in my experience).

Look up paced feeding - all babies should really be fed this way as it allows them to control the flow and decide when they have had enough. Babies will swallow extremely quickly if you don’t pace feed a bottle because otherwise they choke and aspirate on the milk. Many mums give a bottle after a breastfeed and assume that because baby is finishing it they were hungry but it is often just that they had no choice because of the way it was fed to them.

WeatherSystems · 30/06/2021 12:04

There is no supplement, food or herb, or tea you can drink, to increase supply. It's all woo. The only thing proven to increase supply is increased removal (so pumping as well as nursing) and some prescription medications. So stop the fenugreek asap (there's actually some evidence that that's the only supplement that does impact milk supply, it can decrease it).

The usual advice is to triple feed. Nurse, then give a bottle, then pump. It's incredibly hard work, and deeply exhausting. I did it for nine months as I had insufficient supply and it was the only way to keep a meagre supply going. It took a long time for anyone to believe me that I actually didn't produce enough milk (and nearly ended in my son being brain damaged :( ), so I am here believing you. If your daughter is still hungry after nursing then you're doing the very best thing for her in topping up, and if you're able to pump afterwards you're still doing what you can to protect/build your supply.

Unfortunately for me, even with triple feeding and prescription medications I was never able to improve my supply. Approximately 1-5% of women are unable to produce enough milk for their babies, it's not a huge number but somebody has to be in that percentage. People are quick to tell you it's rare but that doesn't really help if it's happening to you!

My best advice is to join an evidence based facebook infant feeding group for guidance. Places like Kelly Mom and the La Leche League are full of misinformation, the La Leche League for example advise women to never use formula under any circumstances as it causes cancer. Not helpful, or accurate.

The best resource I've found is called the Fed is Best Infant Feeding Peer to Peer Support Group, on facebook if you have an account. Lots of really good support and information around all feeding methods, evidence based and zero judgment whatever you feed your child. Crucially they don't judge you for using formula, or tell you to stop using it when you have concerns around low supply. I've seen a lot of really awful breastfeeding groups promote dangerous and toxic practices and behaviours such as telling parents who don't produce enough milk to simply stop supplementing, keep baby on the breast and hope for the best, and encourage women to stop supplementing when it's clear their baby requires it. I would recommend joining the group I mention and making a post, their advice is very sound and safe/effective.

Good luck, remember whatever you feed your baby now or in the long haul they will thrive and do great, it feels like the biggest thing in the world right now to be able to breastfeed if that's your goal but we're not taught that even though most people who want to breastfeed will be able to with the right support, not everyone is physically capable of exclusively breastfeeding and that's okay, that's not a reflection on you as a parent, it's a medical issue that affects some people. If you decide to triple feed then I wish you luck, it was awful and I really regret doing it but I guess at least I know I tried my best. If it feels too much then there are some major benefits to formula feeding people rarely talk about, and I hope you get time to enjoy your beautiful baby.

A fed baby is a happy baby, and fed is best. You are making sure your daughter is full and that's wonderful, responsive parenting.

Mummasdiary2021 · 30/06/2021 12:13

I can't believe how many of you replied! I can't reply to everyone but all of the supportive messages have made me feel so much more confident so thank you all!

There is some brilliant tips so I am going to make a plan when I get home and drop the formula feeds. I have my elvie pumps so I will use those more after she's finished feeding too

Thank you all so much!!! Grin

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