Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Infant feeding

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

Flip

Original poster

Can i produce more milk?

18 replies

modsaluk · 04/01/2006 19:53

Please could someone advise if there is anything i can do to produce more milk. I feel as though i am not producing as much milk as i used to. I give him a bottle of aptimel formula when we go out for long periods and i know i am not going to be able to breastfeed him, but this is not very often at all, maybe once a week. For the first month i was able to express milk for these occasions but i am now unable to express even three ounces and this is when my breasts feel full. For the last couple of days my son has been very crabby at the breast, he starts to feed and takes himself off as though there is nothing there, he has started to clamp on my nipple which hurts. I have been placing him on to both breasts but he seems to react the same, as though there is nothing coming out. He is having lots of wet nappies, and once he has stopped having a paddy seems to be happy, but i just worry i am not making enough milk for him. Should i start to give him purees, i know the minimum age is four months but could this be why he is acting like this if he is not getting enough? Please Help !!!

OP posts:

SenoraPostrophe · 04/01/2006 19:58

well first, remember that the amount of milk you can express bears no relation whatsoever to the amount of milk you produce.

It is best not to give solids before 4 months and in fact before 6 months for a breastfed baby.

the behavious you describe is what both of mine did every now and then (they'd go through phases of it), especially when they were having a growth spurt. is your son around 6 weeks old by any chance?

the solution i found was to simply feed and feed. for ds (who was especially bad, but who was exclusively breastfed til 5 and a half months) I used to go and lie down in a darkish room to feed and just persevere. do keep trying!

SenoraPostrophe · 04/01/2006 19:59

ps I suppose I could be wrong, and you do need to produce more milk, but if you do then the best way is to feed your son more (more feeding = more milk).

Original poster

modsaluk · 04/01/2006 20:02

No my son is 14 weeks old. Could this just be growth spurt.

My husband thinks that if it continues we should put him on formula to make sure he is getting enough.

What does ds mean?

OP posts:

suzi2 · 04/01/2006 20:02

How old is your DS? Around 2-3 months? I've had a lot of times that I have felt the same. But I know from wet nappies and weight gain that he is getting everything he needs. The fussing and reacting like there's nothing there could be simply because he is not hungry. This happened to me with DS VERY suddenly. he went from feeding loads to feeding for 10 mins 5 times a day. If I offered at other times he would latch on and then scream because he was getting milk and didn't want it! I found out that he wasn't hungry by simply not fighting him on it. If he pulled off and had a paddy I just didn't offer again for a while unless he kept crying.

As for the expressing thing, mine got worse as my milk settled down. I can now express about 6 ounces a day in 2 pumping sessions but I have to do it every day or I don't keep it up.

Don't worry, trust your body and him that you are making enough. These pulling off, clamping down things they do are developmental or because they don't really want it in my experience. It's not linked to hunger.

Hope that makes sense... very tired tonight!

suzi2 · 04/01/2006 20:05

At 14 wks I would bet it's either a growth spurt or that he simply doesn't need to feed as much but still likes to suck.

Is he happy at other times? Sleeping well? Gaining weight? If so, don't worry. he is fine. No formula necessary.

DS = Darling Son

SenoraPostrophe · 04/01/2006 20:06

ds= darling son.

growth spurts usually happen at 6 weeks and 12 weeks as i recall so it may be that there is too much milk for him at the mo like suzi says.

really - there is no need to give formula as long as he has wet nappies and is growing.

Original poster

modsaluk · 04/01/2006 20:07

Thank you, I am just a paranoid new mum and want to do the best for him.

If i was to start to express everyday and gained two to three ounces could i do this twice and mix them to get around six ounces for one feed?

OP posts:

kiskidee · 04/01/2006 20:10

it sounds like you are doing an excellent job. babies pull off and fuss like you describe at various stages so don't let that make you think you are not producing enough. I found that when baby was fussy, I would walk around while feeding and humm or shush. Switching breasts to keep her sucking until letdown worked as she would get crabby if she had to wait.

expressing is a skill you teach your body. the reason you are no longer getting out anymore is that your supply has fine tuned itself to your baby's needs and has stopped making more than enough - but if your baby starts to consistently demand more (ie a growth spurt), it starts to consistently make more.

seach for a thread called "the expressing clique" where you can glean lots of expressing info if you would like to get the hang of it. just being nosy, why don't you bf while out? I found only by doing it do you build up the confidence to do it.

suzi2 · 04/01/2006 20:12

Not paranoid! I can't actually believe I'm saying all this advice - I was asking the same things just a few months ago!

I find it easiest to express at the same time each day so my boobs don't get confused . If you don't bottle feed much, try expressing once a day. Freeze anything you get and then simply add them together to make up a feed when defrosted. I think breastmilk keeps for a few months in a deep freeze and 24 hours in the fridge. once defrosted in the fridge you have to use it within 24 hours. You can defrost at room temp or in warm water but need to use it straight away.

Original poster

modsaluk · 04/01/2006 20:13

At the moment i only have the confidence to breastfeed if i know there are changing facilities that include this. I have quite large breasts and dont feel i could hide the fact i was feeding. Not that i should hide the fact but i dont really want to have people having a go at me or leering. Not that confident yet, wish i was though.

OP posts:

kiskidee · 04/01/2006 20:21

i started out bf in public by going to a nice café like the one in debenhams after the lunchtime rush and sit in an area where people would be less likely to walk by and get started. taking a friend along who can provide moral support and block away others may also help while practicing ... a nice shawl/muslin that you can strategically place if needs must.

ps, after 8 months, no one's leered at me yet - or I haven't noticed it.

suzi2 · 04/01/2006 20:21

Modsaluk - public confidence will come with practice. I used to feed DS in front of a mirror to see how much was exposed. I have a very large bust too and have found it harder. But when out, I simply find a quiet seat in a cafe with a wall next to the side I want to feed from. Crossing one leg over the other to raise DS up helps hide things too. I've only ever had 1 comment when feeding in public and it was a positive one. Give it a shot when you find yourself in a quiet place and work up to busy places.

Original poster

modsaluk · 04/01/2006 20:25

I it great to find other mums who have been in the same boat.

I find everyone i talk to has an opinion but have not been in the same position so how can they possibly give advice.

I feel a lot better now, i am going to continue to breastfeed, try to feed in public and try to start expressing and freezing it for whenever he needs it.

Thank you all for your help and advice.

OP posts:

NotQuiteCockney · 04/01/2006 20:27

There are breastfeeding support groups, and NCT coffee mornings, etc, where you can practice feeding in public, but in a supportive (generally woman-only) environment.

The fact you can go out of the house without needing to bring anything but the baby is one of the things I really like about BF.

Original poster

modsaluk · 04/01/2006 20:28

How can i find out about these meetings?

OP posts:

NotQuiteCockney · 04/01/2006 20:30

Where are you located, more or less?

The NCT has a good web presence, you should be able to find out the name of your local coffee morning organiser from them ...

There are Baby Cafes and breastfeeding support groups all over the place, too - your local health visitor might know. Breastfeeding support groups aren't just for people having problems, they're also for support, chat, and social stuff.

kiskidee · 04/01/2006 20:34

go to their website and it has links to the local groups all over the country.
nct

then make email/phone contact from there.

PrettyCandlesAndTinselToo · 04/01/2006 20:51

Looks like you might be a candidate for this thread too .

Honestly, you are doing fine. Because babies seem distressed when they are hungry, we often assume that they are hungry when they are distressed. But it's not so, and your ds could well be trying to communicate something different - even if it's only 'Had enough, Mum. Want to look at the world now.'

If he's generally well, happy, developing, and has plenty of wet nappies and as many pooey nappies as you would normally expect from him, then you're producing as much milk as he needs - whatever it may feel like to you.

Flip