Low supply, struggling to breastfeed often enough

[Terramirabilis]

DS2 is nearly 2 weeks. Rocky start due to excruciating pain and rapid damage to nipples. (DS1 wasn't breastfed after first 24 hours for similar reasons.). I've had better support this time so have been able to persevere.

I'm seeing a lactation consultant twice a week and she's been very helpful. But I'm being told to bf 8 times daily to try to improve my low supply. However DS seems to want to feed less often but take in more than the recommended amount when he does feed. We're probably managing 5-6 feeds per 24 hours plus drinking lots of formula. He's back to birthweight already.

How do I get him to feed more often and therefore feed from me more regularly with fewer large formula feeds?

I agree the LC sounds pretty old school

Surely they should be advising as much skin to skin and feeding as possible, and suggest a plan for gradually reducing the formula?

I ended using nipple shields because of the pain for the first couple of weeks. It was either that or give up breastfeeding. Helped establish supply, and took the edge off the pain. I know they're not ideal, but I was able to wean off them very easily.

Also, are you drinking masses of water? Will help with supply.

barneymcgroo nipple sheilds do seem to work for some people, but it seems to be those with an already strong let down and/or tendency to over supply, so the breast overcomes the potential problems. The same reason why some people with tongue tied babies feed with no problem, the breast compensates for the babies poor attachment.

For those with low supply the shields tend to inhibit milk flow, and also mask poor attachment - it’s easier for the baby to grip the shield than it is the breast, but it doesn’t mean milk transfer is happening effectively. It can give the illusion of a good feed while the baby isn’t getting much milk, and therefore further reduce supply.

I’m now nervous of LCs who recommend them apart from very briefly to protect and injured nipple.

Newboot thank you - I just thought it better than giving up completely, though I was oversupplying rather than under.
What did work eventually was a whizz of a health visitor and a minute (or so it seemed) latch correction.

I agree that good Lactation consultants don’t do that weighing thing anymore! The stress hormone (cortisol) inhibits milk production and I’d bet you were not very relaxed facing this “test”. I would try to retreat to your bed for at least 24 hours with the baby, get both of you naked on the top half and feed every time he makes a feeding cue. No formula. Pump if you want but mainly feed feed feed. He might get a bit angry but then feed him some more.

A baby’s milk demands change over time, the way a baby gets your supply up is to constantly empty the breast so your breasts eat the biological feedback to produce more milk. It’s an amazing system of it works but adding formula because he’s hungry will get in the way.

Hello! I also had early trouble with getting my baby to feed enough...

I found just offering the breast more even if he didn't seem hungry helped. He was a sleepy boy because he was jaundiced and didn't have energy to feed properly.

I did supplement with formula from day 3, but never much at a time. I found when I relaxed, ate properly, slept ok(ish) and took fenugreek my supply improved enough that I could feed him most of the day with only a 120ml bottle before bed and he grew like a weed. At one point I was giving him 800ml of formula a day and managed to reduce gradually.

I think it's worth taking out a formula feed and seeing what happens. Does he feed more from the breast? Does he fall asleep suckling? Does he continue to gain weight well? Then you can try removing other formula feeds. It's not fair on him to remove all the formula feeds at once as he will be confused and potentially very very hungry if your supply isn't quick enough to catch up, but reducing one at a time will help you gauge it.

Trust the wet and dirty nappies too. They are as good as sign as any! :)

I agree with trying to take out or slowly reducing the formula and maybe putting him back on you. The more he is on you and suckle the more you will make. You are in what they call the top up trap. The more you top up the less milk your body will produce but because of this you end up having to top up more.
Bf to me works on demand so in a way saying you should feed 8 times a day isn't quite correct. To me every time he is hungry you should put him on you. Even if he had his last feed half an hour ago. This way you should build up more of a supply.
I really feel for you bf is so hard at the start I was a mess. It does get easier!