Want to breastfeed but have no milk - any advice?

[Hoonette]

I gave birth ten days ago and started off exclusively b/f. When ds was 4 days old we were sent back to hospital because he'd lost too much weight; the problem turned out to be my milk supply - I just don't have enough.
We've been discharged from hospital on a mixed feeding plan where we top up with formula.

I really really want to get back to exclusive b/f, but I'm still not producing anything like enough milk. Have tried breast massage, am regularly expressing, and am on Maxilon tablets, but nothing seems to be working.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Will sound very obvious, but have you tried putting your son on the breast ever two hours for a few days - day and night (yes you'll be knackered - you need to go to bed with him to do this and stay there, with snacks).

Someone else will come along in a mo, don't fret

Congrats btw!

Put the baby on the breast as often as you can possibly manage - your baby's suckling is the best thing to encourage milk I think.

Congratulations!

are you on any meds /hormone stuff?

Also it may be worth trying different feeding holds, your baby may latch on better in a different position. There MNer who are better qualified than me who can probably give you the best advice.

do nothing but bf, eat, drink and sleep when you can. also have you tried try skin to skin whilst you bf?

I'm assuming from the fact you weren't in hospital long you didn't have a section - but if you had an epidural it can affect your milk supply (well it did with me anyway). I was really concerned I didn't have enough to start with and it took six weeks to build up my supply (with constant feeding) but it did get there.

Breast pumps are just inefficient little torture devices which depress me - they did nothing for my supply issues. I hope you have better luck.

Thanks, WMMC. Yes, I was intensively feeding in hospital to try to increase supply. I've given it up now I'm at home, but perhaps I should think about restarting...

Congratulations on the birth of your baby!

Have you spoken to a breastfeeding counsellor?

The numbers of the various support lines are in my profile. Ring somebody and get some proper advice re latch and feed frequency. Topping up isn't likely to be the way back to exclusive breastfeeding.

Congratulations on the birth of your ds!

I take it that an expert (ie breastfeeding counsellor, not just a midwife or doctor) has observed you feeding and it sure that your latch is good so that your ds is taking in milk efficiently when he sucks? If it's not good then it doesn't matter how much he sucks he might not get enough.

Are you on any medications that might affect your supply? Do you have a thyroid problem as apparently after pregnancy your thyroxin levels can need tweaking and affect supply if this is an issue with you?

Sorry - that's all I know. Hope someone can help!

Thanks for all the advice. I didn't get a section or an epidural, and I'm just on the Maxilon.

I was really lucky to spend lots of time with a b/f councillor, who helped with my technique, so I will try some different positions.

It looks as though all the advice is for some intensive feeding, so I think I will take a few days out and give it a go!

It is the best way (although hard). When I got home from hospital I bf every 2 hours for about a week which was really exhausting - then it tailed off to about every 3 hours where it stayed for at least a couple of months. You need to prioritise looking after yourself - eating enough good food, drinking heaps of water and getting plenty of sleep when baby is sleeping.

So, don't stress about all the other things in life (ie. cleaning etc) - don't worry as your ds grows you will gradually have to incorporate all that other stuff back into life, but give yourself a break and concentrate on just you and your baby!

Good luck!

hoonette - what do you mean by intensively feeding? Newborns feed almost constantly. If you're imposing a schedule so early on your dc it's bound to go wrong. I would do what the others suggest - feed every 2 hours minimum. Try fenugreek capsules they helped me increase my supply when dd2 was 6 mo. Good luck!

Stress can affect your milk supply too, so try to make bfing a really calm experience for both of you - find a place in your house that is really relaxing - listen to calm music that you like, or just enjoy the silence and quiet, dim the lights, read a favourite feel good book, etc etc. Whatever relaxes you tbh!

Oh and one more thing (and then I'll leave you alone ), remember to let your baby feed for as long as he wants to - he will come off of the nipple when he is finished, so don't be tempted to get him to stop because you think that he is done. So as I said, get out some favourite books....

Hoonette - what a difficult start

Your baby losing so much weight by day 4...this means not that you don't have enough milk, but simply that he was not transferring what you had. Whoever watched you feed in hospital and told you all was well was not doing their job properly. Ditto for whoever told you you 'just don't have enough'

The only way to turn things round is to feed your baby frequently, and to ensure he is removing the milk effectively. If he's not removing the milk effectively yet, then you will need to express.

Breast massage will do nothing. The tablets may help, but not if you are not feeding frequently and effecticely.

Skin to skin with your baby, as much as you can, day and night...that way you won't miss any feeding cues, and your baby's instinctive feeding behaviour will be stimulated.

Oh, and don't worry about stress. Despite the myth, it will not affect your supply

Good luck and report back!