Will my milk production pick up?

[Vixann]

Bit of a long story to explain my situation so please bear with me!

I am breastfeeding DD1 who is 7.5 weeks old but have had a bit of a nightmare up until now. It's been extremely painful and I've had cracked nipples that just didn't want to heal. I was so close to giving up (almost every night of the last 6 weeks) but eventually came up with a plan to heal the right boob's cracked nipple which was the worst. One week ago I stopped feeding off the right boob and made the hard decision to feed her formula/expressed milk from a bottle. All went well but I found that I was expressing from the right boob less and less. I started feeding her properly from both boobs yesterday as the crack is much better but am now worried that I'm not producing enough milk on this side for DD1. I'm supplementing with formula and wish I wasn't really. I had a 'generous supply' before messing around with it - do you think it will pick up again and how can I encourage it?

The best way and really only way is to feed or express a lot. You really need to speak to a breastfeeding counsellor.

to up your supply you need to do lots more breast feeds. feed feed and feed. your body doesnt know your baby had the formula so thinks she isn't very hungry, she isn't asking your body to make more so your body is cutting back. have a look at kellymom.com for lots of helpful info.

ITA with previous posts but would also recommend eating lots of oats as well as feeding/expressing loads. Eat porridge in the morning and at night and also snack on these:
No Bake choc cookies

2 cups sugar 1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 cup milk 1 stick butter

Boil the above ingredients for 2 minutes, remove from heat and mix the below ingredients in. Spoon onto wax paper and allow to cool.

1/2 cup peanut butter (if wished or replace with raisins)
3 cups of oats initially, add extra oats until mixture is very stiff
1 TSP vanilla

ALSO, please ensure that your latch is perfect as this is likely the reason for the cracked nipples. Here are some numbers for support lines:
LLL: 0845 120 2918
BFN: 0870 900 8787
NCT: 0870 444 8708
ABM: 0870 401 7711

these are FANTASTIC for healing sore/cracked/damaged nipples

Good advice here Vixann.
Just adding a wave of moral support.
Feed feed and feed some more.

Thanks very much for your messages and support. Things seem to be picking up again however my nipples are just as sore as ever. I really think I'm going to have to change to bottle feeding. I don't want to give up but there's only so much pain a girl can take! Perhaps I can introduce some bottles and still do a couple of breast feeds a day too. Thanks again.

Vixann,
If you really want to continue BFing please try the Silverette Cups for the pain.. they are truly amazing, i honestly can't praise them enough.. i was COMPLETELY healed within 2 days and had no pain again.

if you want to carry on breastfeeding please ring the nct or la leche league. it really sounds as though your latch isn't right - once you get this sorted the pain will go away and your nipples will heal within a couple of days. are you doing tummy to mummy, nose to nipple, bring her to your breast not your breast to her mouth, don't hold back of babys head, try and make sure your nipple is as high in her mouth as possible - it's your nipple rubbing on the hard pallette of her mouth that makes you sore. you've done SO well to feed her for 7 weeks, you don't have to quit if you don't want to, the problems you're having can be resolved with specialist help. is there a bf support group or anything at your local hospital?
hope you get the help you need

Vixann, please, please phone one of the bf helplines. They really will be able to help you and keep you bfing. I saw an NCT bf counsellor a couple of weeks ago when my bf was going a bit pear shaped and she was amazing. My latch seemed fine because I had no pain or cracking but she adjusted it ever so slightly and it made a HUGE difference to my feeding. I honestly can't recommend them highly enough.

You've managed for 7.5 weeks with problems that would have defeated most other women - please don't give up for the sake of a 5 minute phonecall.

Here are some numbers for support lines again:

LLL: 0845 120 2918
BFN: 0870 900 8787
NCT: 0870 444 8708
ABM: 0870 401 7711