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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

Tiktok or anyone - need to increase milk supply urgently - any advice

61 replies

tortoiseshell · 05/05/2006 12:14

Ds2 was born Monday, is feeding well - good positioning etc I think, but as with my 2 previous babies has lost a fair bit of weight (just over 11% birth weight I think) - I always seem to take a while to get milk going, and mw is coming again tomorrow to weigh him, talked about admitting him but given that he was a homebirth, I really really don't want that - any tips? Am feeling a bit discouraged, and am trying to feed as often as possible. Mw said to try expressing and topping up with expressed milk, or to top up with formula Sad to perk him up a bit.

TIA!

OP posts:
throckenholt · 06/05/2006 08:17

just a word about expressing - it is much better to express for 20-30 mins and then have a break of about an hour or two and then do it again. I don't think it really helps to keep pumping away long after the milk has stopped (I expressed for 9 months by the way).

tiktok · 06/05/2006 09:47

mrsbang - all wet nappies show is that your baby is well-hydrated and not in imminent danger of dehydrating.

Mothers and midwives need to look at poos, too - colour and number!

That's a good way of assessing whether enough is going in the top end :)

tiktok · 06/05/2006 09:49

TS - I think from what you say that everythiing will be ok, though you're right it's all getting off the ground a bit slowly. You're addressing that, though, and taking the initiative, so my expectation would be that it will work out well.

:)

tiktok · 06/05/2006 09:50

throckenholt - I agree with you about expressing.

Original poster
tortoiseshell · 06/05/2006 10:07

quick update - had a greeny/yellow poo this morning. Is lying on my lap atm, looking very intently at what I'm doing! He seemed to take the EBM well from a bottle - no probs with nipple confusion!

Thanks for all the help so far - I'm sure I'll be back!

OP posts:
QE · 06/05/2006 10:12

tortoiseshell - congrats!

With ds4 he was very sleepy and quite jaundiced and lost about a pound within the first few days which worried the mw. When he was about 2 days old he went 10 hours without feeding. She sent us back into hospital where I was put in a side room where I was able to strip off my top and take ds's clothes off and just sit cuddling him skin to skin next to my boob. I expressed a drop of milk onto his lips now and a gain to keep his interest up.

One mw wanted me to express to spoon feed and threatened that he would be tube fed if he didn't feed within the next hour. Then another mw came in and said there was no need for that and sat with me for ages helping me to get the latch right - depsite me thinking it was fine, it actually wasn't at all,once I'd been properly shown it all fell into place and ds sucked away like a good 'un!

Great advice so far. Hope you get sorted soon.

mrsbang · 06/05/2006 11:17

That's good Tortoiseshell. I understand how you feel about being lost in the system.

Tiktok, you have more experise in this area. I had only the experience of feeding my first son (successfully). Also medical practice/feeding advice changes. And of course, no MN in those days either, lol.

My recall of events is hazy because it's 10 years ago, it wasn't a straightforward birth and I was on medication, but in the first few days there was no indication that there was a problem - he latched on, he fed - but was sleepy, we did have poos as well as wet nappies.

My mw was with me throughout all three of my pregnancies. It's quite possible that I may have avoided hospital with a different mw, alternatively I may have ended up formula feeding (not what I wanted). I did question various things at the time but have come to the conclusion (having gone over things in my own mind and with my dh) that for us, it was just one of those things we had to deal with.

He turned out to be a poor feeder for several months.

He now eats me out of house and home, but is a skinny lad. (Don't know that that's relevant lol)

Original poster
tortoiseshell · 07/05/2006 11:35

quick update - ds2 had put some weight back on yesterday, so no threat of hospital yesterday! My life feels like it has been taken over by feeding/expressing etc. Am basically feeding every 2 hours, with expressing after every feed to top him up with. Milk supply feels like it is slowly increasing, but will be glad once we are off this bumpy beginning!

Thanks so much everyone for help and support!

OP posts:
starlover · 07/05/2006 21:10

that's good news tortoiseshell!

Original poster
tortoiseshell · 09/05/2006 16:46

Well, ds had lost 40g today Sad - don't know what to do now - I'm feeding him every 2 hours or so, expressing after every feed, giving him that - feeding now takes upwards of an hour, and then it's time to start again. He's quite alert and his nappies are wet, and he's had a couple of yellow poos, but still lost weight. Any magic suggestions? I'm feeling very discouraged, as have been feeding non-stop.

OP posts:
tiktok · 09/05/2006 16:50

40g over how much time, TS?

And (my usual Q) how was the weight done, and clothed or naked?

Enid · 09/05/2006 17:07

I would stop expressing personally and keep on with the feeding

he was a big big baby and I don't think instinctively its a problem if he loses a bit of weight

dd3 has only just remade her birthweight and she was born before your ds

honneybunny · 09/05/2006 17:19

Please don't feel too discouraged Tortoiseshell! Feeding as frequently as 2 hours is quite common in babies as young as yours, i think, but this will settle over the next couple of weeks. Like Enid, i would drop the expressing: if your ds is alert, positioned well, and feeding frequently, he should be able to increase your supply, surely!? (i am not an expert though..)

Original poster
tortoiseshell · 09/05/2006 17:46

tiktok - 40g over 2 days. Weighed naked, but different set of digital scales.

I don't mind feeding him this often, it's just discouraging when he THEN loses weight! Enid - you're right, he does have spare reserves(!) but he did get a bit sleepy and the EBM has definitely perked him up a bit, and his nappies have been wetter, so think will persevere for a bit.

TBH, the mws left me very cofused today - wasn't my normal mw, and the 2 who came seemed to contradict each other at every point!

OP posts:
HunKeRMunKeR · 09/05/2006 17:54

Is that less than 2oz? If it was on different scales and only that amount, it could be the difference between weighing before a big wee the first time and after a big wee the second?

Original poster
tortoiseshell · 09/05/2006 18:26

it's just over 1oz hunker. I know - it could be the difference between a feed or a wee/poo. He did do a huge yellow poo yesterday! And little ones today.

Thanks for your advice so far everyone. I hate this bit of b/feeding - it is always such a struggle for me to get the babies to put on weight at the beginning - all 3 of mine have done this now, and I get really worried and upset each time.

Thanks again!

OP posts:
Enid · 09/05/2006 18:53

my midwife said dd3 would have weighed 50g more if she hadn't just done an enormous poo Smile

Enid · 09/05/2006 18:54

if its any consolation, I am also stressing about bfeeding this time round - convinced I am not making enough even though baby putting on weight.

Original poster
tortoiseshell · 09/05/2006 18:56

It is really stressful isn't it. To my eyes, ds2 looks as though he's put on weight - he looked a bit 'skeletal' when he came out, as he'd shrunk away from his skin (post-dates, although only 8 days), then shrank away some more, but his hands and feet have filled out a bit in the last day or so.

Why are you stressing Enid? Just a gut feeling or is there something specific you're worried about? Is dd3 smaller than your previous 2?

OP posts:
Original poster
tortoiseshell · 09/05/2006 18:58

It doesn't help that dh is out late every night this week Angry so I have to get all 3 of them to bed on my own...which is possible but probably not desirable! Dh can't help it, it's a work thing, but it's really annoying timing!

OP posts:
tiktok · 09/05/2006 19:42

TS - I honestly don't think you are justified in being concerned about a 40g difference, truly, especially over 2 days.

With a baby who is well, showing no signs of dehydration, and who is feeding avidly and who has periods of alertness, just carrying on doing what you're doing and then weighing again in a few days, should be just fine.....hope at least one of the midwives was able to boost your confidence.

And for what it's worth, no mother 8 days postpartum should be putting 3 kids to bed by herself....can you get a sitter or a neighbour in? is there a teen nearby who can pop in for an hour to help with the other ones, including bedtime story?

50 years ago, even 20 years ago, no one would dream of expecting a new mum to be in charge this soon after giving birth.

We have gone backwards in some ways :(

mrsteacher · 09/05/2006 19:48

tortoiseshell
I am by no means a breastfeeding expert - just someone who was desperate to get it rigth second time round (and 14 months later I am still getting it right....)

DS2 fed 2 hourly and defintely lost weight in the first few weeks - he was 8lb 11oz born and I am sure he lost quite a bit - there will be a trhead somewhere on here march or april 2005

Just wanted to add my support........cant think of anything else to say - will leave that to tohe experts but shout if you want anything (its popsy - too lazy to change my name back)

HunKeRMunKeR · 09/05/2006 20:41

TS, where do you live? If I'm anywhere near, I'll come and do bedtime for you tomorrow!

Original poster
tortoiseshell · 10/05/2006 09:03

Thank you all for being so sweet! After I posted on here, ds2 did the MOST enormous yellow poo I have ever soon, so that has made me feel a bit better about everything - I think he is just taking his time. I definitely have more milk available, and he is very awake now, and nappies are really really wet.

Hunker - you're sweet! Fortunately my 2 older kids were angels about going to bed last night - ds1 got himself ready with a little bit of nagging, and ds2 obliged by sleeping through bedtime! And it's actually only 1 more evening with dh out late, so I'm feeling a bit more in control of the situation!

Tiktok - that's really encouraging. The midwives were quite sweet (well, when I burst into tears they suddenly became very caring and 'you're doing SO well'). My mw is phoning today, so I'll chat it over with her.

mrsteacher - I'll have a look in archives - thanks for support!

OP posts:
Enid · 10/05/2006 09:23

aw tortoiseshell hang in there you must be knackered putting all the kids to bed (ashamed to say I still havent done this yet Blush).

Enormous yellow poos are good! Did you ever think you would be this obsessed by poos and wees - I certainly thought by my third I wouldnt be...

(I am struggling with the fact that Bea was only 6 and a half pounds and obsessed with feeding her - if she has an unsettled night (which she did on Monday) I convince myself that I am not making enough milk. Still, bosoms are definitely fuller today and she had a good night last night, waking every 2.5 hours but much more settled.)

Keep posting!

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