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Infant feeding

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

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Original poster

Milk supply reducing - help and advice please

12 replies

hawkeye21 · 27/09/2013 20:38

Desperately seeking advice.

I have been ebf with my 11 week old ds. But the last few weeks, during the day my milk supply is pathetic. At the moment it seems to be alright at night, but I worry how long that will be true.

DS is dropping off the cential, so the advice from my hv is to introduce one bottle of formula a day , and try fenugreek. DS hates formula so he is barely getting a mouthful per bottle. The fenugreek delivery should arrive tomorrow.

Other than:

keeping my fluid intake up
eating healthily
trying the fenugreek (does it really work?)
keep trying the formula in the hope that ds breaks before me

Is there anything else I can try? Have spent most of this evening in tears with a crying, hungry baby and being unable to do anything to help.

Thanks

OP posts:

bundaberg · 27/09/2013 20:42

the more you feed the more milk you make.
introducing formula undermines that... you end up telling your body that you don't need that extra milk.

what makes you think your supply is dipping in the day? your son might be going through a growth spurt hence wanting to feed more?

the best thing you can do is feed, feed, feed! if he takes both sides and wants more then go back to the first side :)

Original poster

hawkeye21 · 27/09/2013 20:52

I offer whenever he asks, and offer both breasts. But he never seems satisfied. Plus he is dropping down the weight centials. I would rather not ff, but I am worried about his weight.

OP posts:

ExBrightonBell · 27/09/2013 21:02

Have a read of the Kellymom website pages about increasing milk supply - lots of helpful info.

When you speak to your HV next, tell her that you don't want to supplement with formula, and ask her to give you advice about how to increase weight gain by breastfeeding only.

When I had a similar issue, I fed on demand but also never let my ds go longer than 2hrs in the daytime between feeds.

bundaberg · 27/09/2013 21:03

I would advise seeing a qualified breastfeeding counsellor... have a look and see if you have any LLL groups or baby cafe or similar in your area.

how often is he being weighed? and how many centiles has he dropped?

any other concerns? what are his nappies like?

bundaberg · 27/09/2013 21:04

and offer more frequently... are you catching early feeding cues or waiting until he cries? you might notice him chewing/sucking his hands, turning his head and rooting and things like that which are cues that he's getting hungry

Original poster

hawkeye21 · 27/09/2013 21:18

Nappies are fine. Lots of wet ones, lots of well-filled pooey ones.

I do catch the early cues, but cannot always respond immediately as I also have a toddler to look after. To be honest, I suspect the stress of juggling the two kids' needs is not helping.

Kellymom looks useful.

OP posts:

bundaberg · 27/09/2013 21:35

ok... if lots of wee is coming out that means plenty is going in, so that's a good sign.

has he actually lost weight or just dropped a centile?

how often is he being weighed? it's possible he is just plateauing and finding the line he is meant to follow, if that makes sense? breastfed babies do tend to put on lots of weight quite quickly and then slow down.

bundaberg · 27/09/2013 21:37

also sometimes if your baby has had a bit of a growth spurt and suddenly shot up in length their weight gain can slow...

Original poster

hawkeye21 · 27/09/2013 21:47

Dropped a cential.

It was about 4 weeks since the last weighing. His build seems to be long and slim, and most people seem to comment about him 'having grown' since they last saw him, so he may be concentrating on length. He does generally seem happy, although he was definitely unhappy this evening.

OP posts:

NothingsLeft · 27/09/2013 22:59

I think a lot of babies are unsettled in the evening for various reasons. If he's having plenty of wet & dirty nappies, it sound like you're doing fine.

Dropping centimes isn't a concern in its self. The guidelines are more than three are seen as more concerning but one is just what some do. I would feed as much as possible. Do you have a sling?

Sunnysummer · 27/09/2013 23:13

One centile was totally fine with our Paed, DS has dropped 2 in height, then gone up 2 in weight etc - all babies have growth spurts, some more strongly than others. If you are really concerned (like if DS is on a very low percentile already and dropping), could you do a mini 'babymoon' and set yourself up in bed for a couple of days with DVDs, some toys and plenty of good and drink and just feed whenever she'll take it? That really upped my supply in the early days.

Original poster

hawkeye21 · 28/09/2013 20:27

He is on a high centile, so would still be average if he dropped a couple (although he is also on a high centile for length). Unfortunately a babymoon is something I can only dream of. I am sure it would help though, as I am fairly exhausted. The last few weeks have been a bit manic.

I have a sling, but have not mastered getting him to feed whilst in it.

He has been a lot better today and did seem to get milk when he wanted it. But did seem to drain both sides each feed. But the respite of even one good day has been a relief. I just don't want to let him down at such an important time in his life.

OP posts:

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