Increasing milk supply - domperidone or herbal supplements? - or just move to more formula

[Inspirachion]

Wondered if any of you can help please

Aside from the fact that my DS and I have been struggling with many aspects of breastfeeding the most obvious feature long slow almost constant feeds have been a consistent feature since birth - now 10 weeks old.

The breasfeeding counsellor suggested I consider Domperidone (precription) to increase milk supply. I know you can also get hebal supplemtnts with nettle fenugreek, blessed thistle and fennel seed in them (reading from bottle!).

Would herbal be a bad thing to try first?

(NB Have also been using techniques to increase supply such as expressing, compression etc.)

Or am I just making him work too hard for feeds when I could move to formula and at least ensure he wasn't ever hungry and forget about the additional benefits of breast milk/breast feeding I so want to give him.

Long slow constant feeds can be within the range of normal - what in partic. makes you/your BF counsellor think these need treating? (Can you give more info on feed times, nappy output, weight of baby, baby's mood/etc? :) )

Oh yes thanks

Nappies nice and wet, poos most days and mostly twice a day, now 11 lbs 5 at 10 weeks old, 8.13 at birth but dropped to only 7.10 hence why they are monitoring us. On about the 20 something percentile but always falling slightly away from the curve though still gaining.

TBH hes often pretty chilled out but lunchtime ish and evenings can be pretty unhappy with crying and sometomes arching his back, he'll refuse breast at these times though a bottle of formula will calm him. we are using infacol before feeds.

Breast feeds usually end with him falling asleep rather than unlatching himself and looking contented - which happens once or twice a day only.

So that's over 3lbs in just over 2 months? That sounds really good to me, well within the normal range from what I remember. :)

Back arching, crying/fussiness etc is normal behaviour too - just keep offering the boob. See: www.kellymom.com/babyconcerns/fussybaby.html for more info on fussy babies

The problem with offering formula is that it will impact upon your supply. Every formula feed you give you're effectively telling your boobs "don't need you for this feed" so they produce less milk.

Falling asleep at the boob is normal behaviour and one of the best parenting tools invented

So, plan of action... if you want to go back to exclusive breastfeeding I recommend lots of skin to skin cuddles/baths together. Feed feed feed as often as you can and gradually reduce those FFs 1oz at a time. Your supply will pick up where the bottles have been filling in.

If you want to continue giving FF you can, and am sure some mixed feeding mums will be able to give you plenty of advice there.

Going from what you've said though, I don't think there's anything wrong with your supply or any need to medicate. :)

I agree with jem - nothing here suggests anything wrong with the baby, his health, growth, or the breastfeeding. Not sure why anyone thinks you need to use herbs or meds, OP.

The description of what bf is like, and his behaviour, are all within normal, I would say.

OP - what would make bf a happier experience for you? Maybe work on this?

maybe I'm just loosing my nerve

I suppose since the answer to every cry seems to be to just feed him some more AND the HCP tend to frown at his smallish weight gains I have drawn the conclusion he needs more to eat

plus he has started to resist a bf sometimes but will take a bottle

a bottle of formula clearly satisfies his appetite where bf dosent seem too

I worry he finds it exhausting to bf

I get pretty stressed sitting around feeding all the time

Someone recommended to me non-alcoholic malt drinks like this one:

www.supermalt.com/

Tastes utterly foul (a bit like Guinness) but it did seem to help a bit.

I had similar problems to you, each feed took about an hour (though at least I did get gaps inbetween which it sounds like you're not getting). DS refused bottle in my case and I ended up weaning early (4 months) which did help, even though I know that's a heresy to say that on this site.

DS2 due any day now - planning to BF but give one bottle a day at bedtime.

OP what you describe seems normal to me for bf baby. I am not sure why you need to increse your milk supply?

I always thought giving formula decreased your supply, so why not stop giving those?

Or if you are really fed up with it then either mix feed or ff.

FWIW bf can be hard till about 16 weeks and is then easier and easier as time goes on. I have bf three babies now and currently on DC3 who is 17 months and still going.

Try to embrace the sitting around bf. Eat cake and I used to watch Friends on DVD (got through the whole of the 10 series with DC2) or phone friends for a natter.

Ispirachion, interesting post about what you feel about it all...."I get pretty stressed sitting around feeding all the time"

What's making you stressed? Feeling you should be doing something else?

It may be that you have an idea that the only 'proof' you ever have of your baby being content and well-fed is that he is happily asleep and in his pram or cot.

But this is misleading. Plenty of happy, healthy, normal, growing babies show by their behaviour they want to be close to their mothers and if not actually feeding, close to the food supply. Sometimes, going with the flow in this respect, and not seeing 'settling in his cot for X hours' as a goal, makes life easier.

Yes, we have busy lives and stuff to do, which you can't do from a spot on the sofa :) but what is more important than nurturing the next generation?

You say, "I suppose since the answer to every cry seems to be to just feed him some more AND the HCP tend to frown at his smallish weight gains I have drawn the conclusion he needs more to eat"

Babies do gain a great deal of comfort from bf, and this is normal. I don't understand why HCPs 'frown' at his weight gain - it sounds within normal.

"plus he has started to resist a bf sometimes but will take a bottle" - if he resists a bf, offer one a bit later, and just cuddle him and jiggle him in the meantime.

"a bottle of formula clearly satisfies his appetite where bf dosent seem too"

Formula can keep a baby sleepier and quieter longer than a bf but this is not necessarily a good thing. It takes longer to digest because of being based on a different animal's milk.

I don't know if any of this resonates with you....if you have a bf support group you can visit, other babies there would show you that bf babies' behaviour comes in all shapes and sizes, and your baby is not unique :)

I worry he finds it exhausting to bf

Sorry - the last line of my post is from yours!

I don't think he finds it exhausting to bf :) :)

"I get pretty stressed sitting around feeding all the time"

No, don't be stressed, embrace it - join a DVD film club or buy a freeview recordable box and enjoy guilt free TV!

FWIW I bought "more milk plus" from express yourself mums and i found it made a difference. But I still spent a lot of time waching TV and eating cake!

Babies who are offered a bottle can sometimes reject the breast, so if you want to continue feeding then maybe restrict the number of bottles offered.

arching back can be colic/relfux which is likely to be worse with bottles of formula. discuss this with GP as if it is reflux can be medicated.

I went through the same thing - total frustration at being sat on my arse doing bugger all. Within weeks DD started to get more active, wanting to play etc and by the time she was moving around I wanted nothing more than to be able to sit still for 5 minutes

PS. highly recommend a love film trial, or something similar. Can also recommend some great books if you want?

I can tell you all understand and I am finding that and your suggestions really helpfully and encouraging

I work from home and only took a couple of weeks off -it's needing to work but not being able that's stressful rather than the feeding but I do have all these worries about his feeding too it doesn't seem right that it should take so long. . . However since he now sleeps a bit longer at night perhaps that is contributing to it

I'm not ready to give up - as long as he is ok - was just starting to worry that maybe formula was a better solution for him

if I only get five mins to do it I will set up a few more constructive/useful things to do at the same time as feeding

thanks everyone x

What do you do? Is there no way you can feed baby and work at the same time? (I have been doing that but am a developer so only need one hand free really for keyboard.)