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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

help! not producing enough milk...

44 replies

XenaWP · 26/10/2004 21:23

looking for advice, pls. Am bf, dd is 19 weeks today (4.5 months) & growing! Am drinking loads of water, eating (loads - another thread...) am expressing 1st thing in morning as dp gives that feed - have loads then, but no so good later in day...
very little left in freezer
help please?
what are top tips for becoming best dairy cow in the herd?

OP posts:
hercules · 27/10/2004 16:47

It makes me grr when i hear about more crap advice from hvs. . You must need a special backward qualification to be one.

tiktok · 27/10/2004 16:54

Oh dear, useless health visitor time again.....no, I know they are not all useless, but really.....telling a mum worried about her milk supply to top up with formula is just senseless unless the baby is clearly in urgent need of more food.

emz31, breasts do not empty. When bf is going well, they do not overfill between feeds (except when there has been an unusually long time between feeds, say overnight) and the sensation that they are empty is an illusion - there is always milk there, and as the baby feeds, he is 'ordering' more milk. So if the baby whimpers when he has 'done' both sides....stick him on side one again, and then on side two....and then again if you want. The breasts are like a very responsive restaurant which never runs out...yes, sometimes the baby's appetite takes a jump upwards and he needs to feed more in order to make more, hence more frequent feeds and wakings.

Drinking more water and eatng more food makes no difference to most people. The key to feeding is feeding

LIZS · 27/10/2004 17:00

emz31,
iirc it is a myth that they are "empty". Your boobs will feel softer as the feed progresses but that doesn't in itself reflect a lack of milk. You produce milk as and when it is required especially after the supply is established. The more you feed the more you can make so if you use formula as an interim measure you are missing an opportunity to create the extra. You are following the better option in inadvertently ignoring your hv's"advice" ! Good luck

NotQuiteCockney · 27/10/2004 18:19

I'm probably a bit spoiled, as my ds1 is three, so easier to entertain ... but the easiest way for me to nurse ds2 is to do "reading and feeding". We all lie in a bed, with ds2 in the middle, and I nurse and read books to ds1. He loves it.

I was really expecting to need to use telly (I hate telly), but haven't really, so far.

Original poster
XenaWP · 27/10/2004 22:45

oh big hairy b*ocks, went out tonight to do a course, left dp to do last feed, had just defrosted the LAST of my expressed bm & had some fresh too,
he only went and gave all the f**kin fresh to the baby, having heated up the frozen to de-frost it
GRRRRRRRR
nearly wept when opened fridge to see lonely little bag of milk which is now COMPLETELY USELESS and I have NO frozen milk left. sob sob
and he's (dp) so knackered & really sorrry & I still want to do something really horrid to him and I can't
[really really loud scream]

OP posts:
Original poster
XenaWP · 27/10/2004 22:46

and am now doing a final express as I type and bugger all is coming out

OP posts:
Original poster
XenaWP · 27/10/2004 22:47

OK, about 1 1/2 oz of bugger all - so all is not completely lost

OP posts:
hercules · 27/10/2004 22:51

How much you can express has no bearing on how much milk you are producing. I found that I could express loads in the am and at lunch time but barely nothing in the evening. It says nothing about your milk supply!

Have you looked at my link below?

Original poster
XenaWP · 27/10/2004 22:53

yes, meant to say a specifice thank you , so will do now
it's a fab link & have bookmarked it.
Thank you, Hercules!

OP posts:
Original poster
XenaWP · 27/10/2004 22:54

I know I don't normally produce much at night anyway, but was just moaning cos dp wasted the last of my frozen. Must go and be nice to him now!

OP posts:
hercules · 27/10/2004 22:54

I always had those carton things in the cupboard of formula in case i ran out of frozen milk. Saves any panicking.

hercules · 27/10/2004 22:55

It's liquid gold

Original poster
XenaWP · 27/10/2004 22:57

I have got a couple of those if worst comes to worst, Idon't know why, but I just really don't want to give her any yet. sounds silly, but I feel like I'll crack & before I know it she'll be fully on formula or something. not very logical, I know, but there you are. also I know that if I have a bit of a lower milk supply at the mo it's not good to supplement with formula as that just means the supply keeps falling.

OP posts:
hercules · 27/10/2004 22:58

I know what you mean. It is a really good feeling to make it to 6 months exclusively breastfeeding.

Original poster
XenaWP · 27/10/2004 22:59

OMG as I've been typing have had express machine attached to left boob & just looked down & there's loads!! (well, 3.5 oz, anyway)
hoorah!

OP posts:
Clayhead · 27/10/2004 23:01

for you XenaWP!!

Original poster
XenaWP · 27/10/2004 23:01

am off to bed now, thanks Hercules, feeling much better

OP posts:
Original poster
XenaWP · 27/10/2004 23:01

thanks clayhead,

OP posts:
Clayhead · 27/10/2004 23:09

XenaWP, the image of you expressing and typing has really made me smile; my youngest is 14 months now and we just have a night feed now. It doesn't seem like 5 minutes since I was you, desperate to express and doing the one handed typing! I actually found a little bag in the freezer the other day and had to chuck it !!

I agree with hercules, if it is something you want and can manage, getting to the 6 month point is a lovely feeling. Good luck!!

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