please help, how long between expressing?

[cakebaby]

Hi, I have 5 day old ds1 born by crash cs. He was very sleepy and slow to feed. BF OK at first but latch issues arose & under MW guidance have been supporting limited bf with expressed bm via syringe. Crisis point today , hungry baby both overwrought he won't even touch the boob. DH bottle feeding expressed bm so we can overcome the desperation and reach even keel.

My milk seems to be in short supply, using medela swing & not getting much today. How long should I be leaving between expressing? Friends comment their DC feeds every 2 he's, but I've never had this + think I've wrecked my supply by not expressing regularly enough when things were going wrong over the last few days.

What can I do, any ideas? Feel like I've ruined it already for him. This is so, so hard. I really wanted this to work out for us

Hi cakebaby,

Don't worry, it will work out

You can increase supply by expressing more regularly (so every two hours) and having either nursing tea or taking fenugreek tablets. This will increase milk supply.

I was also expressing for the the 1st month or so and it was so stressful, as expressing can't take out as much milk as the baby can, so you are constantly looking at the ml. The nursing tea (bought from amazon - green/white pack) doubled by milk supply - I had about three cups a day).

Also, I would really advise you ring up any of the breastfeeding support lines (do you have the numbers?) or visit a local breastfeeding support group.

If you are really struggling with milk supply, try not to work yourself up. You can give top ups with formula.

Dont say that! He's only 5 days old. Bottle feeding him will be making him less willing to take the boob though so switch to cup feeding, or buy a syringe and use to squirt milk into mouth. YouTube will have videos of both feeding methods. Express every two hours and let him try suckling on a nipple with milk drops on it. Important to express during the night as this increases milk supply. Have lots of snuggles skin to skin - will help your supply. Don't give up - your doing great. Remember to drink a lot - serius amounts. Whatever you like but not too much tea/coffee. Get dyralite satchets which help replenish your mineral balance in your fluids. Eat well and get lots of rest. Cancel uneccessary activities for the next week but do have friends/family visit for support and practical help (making you drinks and food).

If supply not up within 24 hours google medication to increase milk supply and take name of medication to doctor. Insist on being given it - it truly works. But you may end up with too much milk so try the above first.

Latch may end up being your most challenging issue so get in touch with breastfeeding advisor who has dealt with latch problems before.

Should the latch never develop properly I would recommend using the medication and expressing to give in bottle for as long as you feel able. You won't need to do so as often as every other hour indefinite by the way but cross that bridge when you get to it.

You've done wonderfully so far, keep up the good work and be good to yourself. Congratulations on the birth of your beautiful baby!

Thanks ladies, sorry for delay, my amazing DH persuaded me to get out for a bit to calm down and get some air.

I'll try the nursing tea, next stop Amazon. I have the bf numbers thank you, my MW has been very helpful too, her suggestions resulted in a happier day for all of us and a much more contented baby. She is coming to see us tomorrow to help with latch. It really seems that he can't open his mouth wide enough to get the nipple in comfortably. He has a really strong suck and when he did latch he went great guns for a while. He does appear to have a heart shaped tongue though so ask he is checked for tongue.

Visitors are now banned, particularly those who arrived unannounced 10 mins after we got home from hospital.

Thank you so much for your support

Cake baby, how awful of them! It's great you've banned visitors

Yes do your LO checked for tongue tie. It's best to get that checked by a lactation consultant as most midwives are unaware of it.

Just a quick update, DS had a tongue tie missed by hospital including their lactation consultant. 2 week wait for assessment appt + general reluctance to address issue so we got it done privately. HUGE improvement within 6 hrs, every feed on boob since. Nursing tea is helping, I think, we are well on our way.
Thank you for your advice + support

Great news x