Breastfeeding issues!! Please help!

[Leilasmum3105]

I am struggling with feeding at the moment as my daughter won't feed for long at all. 3-5mins on each boob, I try to pump after and get nothing but if I pump a couple of hours after a feed I get 3oz. I have been told that I may have to give formula top ups because she has gone from the 75th centile to the 9th. (8lb 12oz at birth to 12lb 8oz at 19 weeks... Please help! I really don't want to give up breastfeeding!

Has she been checked for tongue tie? What you can pump is not what you can produce so don't get too tied up on that. Have you been referred to a lactation consultant? Have you tried a few days of skin to skin? Turn the heating on get your bra off and baby next to you so she can feed as much as she wants. You can pop her in a sling next to your chest, turn the heating up and relaxxxxx. Kangaroo care like this can stimulate supply. Remove dummies and let her use you. Feed at night as night feeds are more calorific and help stimulate supply for the next day. Anxiety can affect let down. Can you hear her swallowing? Eating oats, taking fenugreek, making lactation cookies can help with supply. If you have major supply issues domperidone can be prescribed. Sounds like you need more support to try and sort out the problems rather than be told to feed formula. Think I'm out of tips until we know more about what you've already tried. Has your latch been checked? . Do what you can and yes, if you feel you need to give formula then do it guilt free. Xx

I've tried a lot of skin to skin but still nothing!My latch has been checked and it's absolutely fine, she is swallowing and seems satisfied after a feed. I used to feed on demand up until she was about 8 weeks old, when my family nurse advised me to schedule her feeds to 4 hourly 'because that's what bottle fed babies do and she shouldn't be feeding hourly' and as I didn't know anything about breastfeeding myself and she was a professional I went with it. We noticed a significant loss in my supply, my boobs no longer leaked anymore whereas before I had to sleep with a bra on or else the whole bed would be soaked! My boobs didn't feel heavy anymore either and always felt empty. Then she went from putting on 7-10oz a week to nothing. At this time I also introduced a dummy even though I didn't want to because my family nurse advised me to because 'she was still comfort feeding and shouldn't be at 2 months' and now it's diffult to know when she wants a dummy or to nurse. She nurses for 2-3 minutes then pulls off and gets distracted and then I keep putting her back on but in the end she gets very distressed. Her body goes all stiff and she goes on a screaming fit, then I change her over and she's fine. Then the same happens again so I have to stop and then she's happy again! Sorry for the long message xx

fluffypacman - she also goes to sleep at 8pm and doesn't wake until 6am so I can't feed through the night. She has multiple wet nappies throughout the day but they aren't overly full and when she does go for a poo (every 1-2days) it's normal and runny, although it is more brown than yellow xx

Are you under the Family Nurse Partnership? She has given you absolutely shockingly bad advise. Go back to basics, like she is a newbie again. Lots of skin to skin, have a total love in with her, just stay home, relax and let her feed when she wants. I am feeling very cross about any health professional saying a baby shouldn't be comfort feeding at 2 months old. I still comfort feed and I'm in my 40's!

I'd offer more in the day and let her 'snack' if she wants to. They get much more efficient as they get older too so don't nurse as long anyway. The advise you were given about scheduling feeds wasn't great I'm afraid.

Nappies sound fine btw.

Yes I am with the family nurse partnership and I go to college full time at the moment though so I don't know how I can realistically do this. I can't feed on demand all of the time as I am not with her all of the time! xx

Maybe she is a quick feeder if she is feeling satisfied after feeds? Both my boys would have downed a full feed in 5-10 minutes (total for both sides) by that age. Although they didn't have the big centile drops.

BF should be on demand. Not sure how that works if baby isn't with you. Can you express enough for feeds when she's not with you?

I don't think so, I can only get 3oz but that's 2-3 hours after her last feed at night and that won't even cover one feed probably never mind all day! I go down to the nursery every 2 hours to feed on my breaks at the moment though xx

At her age that's fine. On your days off just offer heaps

I do but when I offer it, most of the time she refuses xx

I can't believe you were told to feed four hourly. My 19 weeker feeds a lot and when he wants.

I really hope you sort it x