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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

No more milk - how can I change this?

6 replies

Bloodyhellthathurts · 03/11/2011 20:34

My 12 week old daughter has been bf with a top up ff in the evenings and seems to be thriving. This weekend I had to go away for two nights and leave her with my dh - totally unavoidable family emergency. I was expressing whilst I was away but getting very very little out other than the first time. And now I have been bfing again but I don't think she's getting much at all. My breasts don't feel engorged and when I offer a bottle afterwards (done because she was crying with hunger still) she demolishes it. I don't want to stop breastfeeding yet and I am absolutely gutted that I seems to have cocked up my supply. Has anyone got any tips on how I can get back on track or is it too late?

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RuthChan · 03/11/2011 21:49

Don't worry, this is not an irreversible situation.
When you offer a bottle after her feed, how do you know the feed is finished? If she is still hungry, why do you stop breast feeding and then offer a bottle?
Why do you not simply continue breast feeding for longer?
How long are you breast feeding for?
Milk production is stimulated by how much your DD drinks. If you stop a feed and give her a bottle, the milk production will not be increased.
If you feed her for longer, your production will be stimulated and your breasts will naturally produce more to cater for her increased needs.
It can be tiring and tedious to breast feed for long periods of time, but it is the best way to meet your DD's needs.
Settle yourself on the sofa with the TV remote, the phone, a good book etc! Your breasts will produce milk for as long as your DD wants to feed.

Bloodyhellthathurts · 04/11/2011 07:10

She's pulling away (I've assumed with frustration) after about five to ten minutes, whereas last week she was quite content to stay on for twenty five minutes on one side. I don't mind the tedium (and the sofa time!) I've only been giving her on bottle feed a day for the past few weeks, until then she was ebf. I am just worried that she's hungry. Should I not offer a bottle at all then? My breasts just don't feel full at any point and when I try and express so little comes out..

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RuthChan · 04/11/2011 08:36

I understand.
Don't worry about how much you can or can't express.
I never managed to pump any more than 30ml at a time from both breasts, but my children never showed any evidence of being hungry. They are far more effective at pumping than pumps are.
When she pulls off, does she cry and refuse to go back on? Or can you persuade her to have another go?
A couple of days of her sucking more, should be enough to stimulate your breasts to increase production. Even now they are never 'empty', if she keeps sucking, they keep producing.
One factor is that, depending on the teat, bottles tend to require less sucking than a breast for the same amount of milk. It could be that she is simply used to getting the easier bottle milk. That doesn't mean that you won't be able to persuade her to work a little harder to get breast milk.

MigGril · 04/11/2011 14:09

Ruth'd given you some good advice. I just like to add that to increase your supply again should be quit easy. Just let her feed, feed and feed some more. switch nursing sounds like it would help when she gets fussy on one side offer then other then switch back again when she's finished the seconed. This will help up your supply.

Your supply at this age shouldn't be that fragile a coupld of day's of lots of feeding and things should be back to normal.

Offering a bottle is counterproductive as it'll just mean you woun't produce the milk you are giving her in the bottle.

MedicalEd · 05/11/2011 14:20

excellent advice already.
I'd just add that its worth doing some skin to skin. I used to find it really nice to strip DD off to nappy and feed her in bed in the morning.
Having her snuggle up is really nice and the skin to skin contact should stimulate milk production, even at 12 weeks.
And try not to get stressed about it, it interferes with let down.
You'll be back to ebf'ing before you know it. Smile

Bloodyhellthathurts · 06/11/2011 19:12

Thank you everyone for your advice!

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