Increasing milk supply

[Jodiesmum]

ANyone got any tips? I would like to breastfeed dd2 exclusively but have never had enough milk so have to give her regular bottles to top up - usually 4 small ones in 24 hours. I know it's a vicious circle and that I should ideally cut the bottles out but am finding it impossible as dd2 is really hungry and goes mad with frustration when sucking on an empty breast. Also as dd1 is 2 and very demanding I can't spend all day sitting on the sofa. I know where things went wrong - dd2 was premature and spent her first 2 months in hospital unable to feed at all (was fed intravenously. During this time I expressed every day but I guess my heart wasn't in it sufficiently to keep things going. I really thought my milk would increase when she came home but it never really has. Because of everything's that happened, it's especially important to me to be able to feed her myself to help us both get over her bad start. Also she has gained weight so fast it's got everyone at the hospital worried (how ironic) and I'm sure it's because formula is more fattening. Any tips would be much appreciated.

minnied - I had a panic in the early weeks when it appeared my dd had lost weight. I just went into a feeding whirl. Feeding every 2 hours during the day, and spending lots of time resting and snoozing with dd snuggled up in my bed. When I had her reweighed she'd gained so much that it was immediately obvious the previous weighing had been in error and my panic was for nothing.

Not saying it's a mistake for you - but lots of feeds did seem to mean lots more milk. In fact dd spent most of her time throwing it back up again after each feed!

I would also say if the baby is alert and active and otherwise healthy there can sometimes be far too much obsession with following the centiles. Some babies start on one centile and then go down until the settle on another line.

May well be worth chatting to a good breastfeeding counsellor about it.

Dd was a big baby at birth and is way down on the charts. However how i dealt with this was few weighings, ignored hvs and at a year old she is obvioulsy just meant to be slight.
She has always had bags of eneryg and was exclusively bf until 6 months. She's not a big eater but I dont worry as she is so full of energy.

If I'd listened to the advice from hv she'd have been weaned at 4 months and on top up formula before leaving the hospital.

Minnied, if the only thing that is bothering your doctor is the idea that your baby needs more calories, then simply feeding more often will do the trick (how else do human beings put in weight??!). I think the idea that this should be done with a time limit and a target weight gain is preposterous - babies don't work like that!

Your HV is talking rubbish, I'm afraid, as well. If a baby whose weight is causing concern is given solids early, the liklihood is she will take in fewer calories, not more (see loads of threads in archives about this).

Your baby is almost certainly growing as she is 'designed' to grow. Offer her more feeds if you want to, though. You won't harm her, but you could make her a bit cross!