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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

**unless anyone can reassure me in the next 5 mins im stopping this bf'ing crap and cracking the formula out.**

113 replies

1Baby1Bump · 23/09/2006 20:07

ds is 12 days old, yes only 12 and im thinking of giving up already.
he latches beautifully etc etc, its not painful, but i appear to have no milk left for him, hence he is just screaming and i feel cruel and totally useless i cant feed my son.
this is the 3rd day that it has 'run out' and i dont know what to do?
i keep putting him on to try and stimulate supply but it just makes him angry.
as its the natural way to feed i thought it might be reasonably straightforward but its not.
[bawling my eyes out emoticon]

OP posts:
prettymum · 23/09/2006 20:08

have you been drinking a lot of water? drink more fluid = more milk

soapbox · 23/09/2006 20:09

Hi!

Firstly are you sure that he is crying through hunger and not from collicky pains?

Particularly in the evening, it can be hard to tell the difference.

Is he crying as soon as you put him to the breast - or how long does he feed for and how long between feeds?

FillyjonktheBananaEater · 23/09/2006 20:09

what exactly is he doing when he pulls off?

how are you? are you tired/stressed? are you eating/drinking enough?

Original poster
1Baby1Bump · 23/09/2006 20:10

not a lot as i have been given conflicting advice on this.
just as i feel thirsty.

OP posts:
alittlebitshy · 23/09/2006 20:10

no active advice but i wanted to say don;t give up NOW. wait, some more knowledgable ladies will be ver soon i'm certain!!!

keep bumping for 1b1b

foundintranslation · 23/09/2006 20:10

How often are you feeding?
How are his nappies (wet? pooey? how often?)? How does he seem in himself?
Does he seem to be 'refusing'? It might not be frustration at lack of milk, but because he hasn't quite got the hang of it yet and/or finds it tiring.

It can work out. ds and I struggled for 4 weeks to crack it (this involved a lot of expressing and mixed feeding) and then went on to exclusively bf until 6 1/2 months - he is now 16 months and we are still bf

Charleesunnysunsun · 23/09/2006 20:11

Sorry i don't have any suggestions as i haven't breast fed but i want to say im here if you want to vent and rant! I hope it get's easier for you.

tribpot · 23/09/2006 20:11

DON'T GIVE UP! Seriously - you have done loads better than I did (ds wouldn't latch at all) but almost certainly what's wrong with your little one is not your milk running out but just general "being 12 days old"-itis.

It could be a growth spurt, it could be colic, and if you try formula and it doesn't help, you could end up compromising your supply and having to give up bf when, long-term, you really don't want to.

Lots of more expert advice will be forthcoming but please - don't give up yet. Why do you think the milk is running out? My ds had the most horrendous reflux, and I'm sure that if I had managed to get bf started successfully, I would have been sure it was the cause. But it wasn't.

Donk · 23/09/2006 20:13

I found that the amount of sleep I got made a huge difference to my milk supply - difficult when you are feeding on demand. After feeding ds about 8pm DH took him over whilst I went to bed in the early days........so that I got more sleep, even if it was broken (ds was feeding every 2 hours. HTH

SoupDragon · 23/09/2006 20:13

question time...

Why do you think you have no milk for him? Apart from the crying.

What are his nappies like? Frequently wet? Mustardy poo?

How are you holding him? Have you tried differnet positions (thinking maybe it's the position he doesn't like, something uncomfortable)

Did he have a difficult delivery? ie was he stuck etc - cranial osteopathy can help if he's maybe got, say, a crick in his neck which makes the feeding position uncomfortable.

belgo · 23/09/2006 20:13

You've worked so hard to get bf going, and the worst is over I can assure you - please don't let all your hard work go to waste! You will have enough milk - milk is easy for the body to make, far easier then making a baby - I'm sure someone will have more expert advice then me, but make sure you drink plenty.

Original poster
1Baby1Bump · 23/09/2006 20:14

he does get pains but with these he pulls his legs up and squirms.
he feeds every 1.5-2 hours in day. he is on for about 20 mins at a time.
he cries after a lot of short sucks. 1st thing in morn for example, he does 3 short ones then its slow swallowing and i can hear the milk going down his throat.
i feel quite good.

OP posts:
DontlookatmeImshy · 23/09/2006 20:14

Keep drinking lots, not just when you feel thirsty. I really don't know whether it affects your milk supply but it can makea big difference to howyou feel.

Don't give up yet.It's early days. There were several timesin the first few weeks I was so closeto giving up and felt like I was hardly producing any milk but we came through it.

Hope you get somegood advice soon

SoupDragon · 23/09/2006 20:14

I think TIkTok often suggests tucking yourself up in bed with your baby, naked, for lots of skin-to-skin contact and feeding lots. Only get out for the toilet. Also, bathing together and feeding there.

Original poster
1Baby1Bump · 23/09/2006 20:15

now he has come off and straight away jammed his hand in his mouth and is sucking it ferociously

OP posts:
fishie · 23/09/2006 20:15

hopefully lots more useful posts are being composed right now...

anyway, i'd like to say do try to hang on, evenings are just ghastly ime and formula probably isn't going to help. being able to comfort as well as feed with a breast is one of the best things i've ever done in my life.

SoupDragon · 23/09/2006 20:16

You shouldn't need to drink huge amounts - enough to stop you getting to the point of feeling thirsty.

SoupDragon · 23/09/2006 20:16

Being stressed about it won't be helping either.

foundintranslation · 23/09/2006 20:16

Possibly a silly suggestion but could he have burps 'stuck'?
But you know, he really could be finding it tiring and a bit tricky at first. The state of the nappies and the colour of the poo (as SD said) really are a good guide, at this age, as to whether they are getting enough.

foundintranslation · 23/09/2006 20:17

try offering him the other side.

liquidclocks · 23/09/2006 20:17

1b1b - no advice but big for you, hope these lovely ladies can sort you out - you've done SO well getting this far, don't give up just yet - it really doesn't sound like you'd want to if you can get this sorted. Good luck!

SoupDragon · 23/09/2006 20:18

Can you feed lying down? If so, I'd suggest getting off MN and going to bed,. Feed your DS lying tummy to tummy with you (skin to skin preferably) and don't get up til morning.

Overrun · 23/09/2006 20:18

Its very easy to start to doubt yourself and your supply when you have a crying baby in front of you. 12 days is often when colic strikes. As long as he is pooing and weeing and putting on weight, and you want to continue, you should keep going.
it is hard at the beginning sometimes, but it is so worth it, if you can get to 3 months (know that probably feels like a lifetime away) it gets a lot easier.

Original poster
1Baby1Bump · 23/09/2006 20:19

nappies wet with orange mustard but the amount of poop has decreased.

OP posts:
tribpot · 23/09/2006 20:20

1b1b, the sucking could just be for comfort, it doesn't necessarily mean he is hungry. The pulling up of the legs etc. is classic colic, and bottle feeding won't help, may actually make it worse.

Are you still with the midwife service, can you get someone out to check your latch?