Supply almost gone - help!

[elodieari]

Nothing works, people say put him to the breast often but so little comes out that he doesn't want it. People say skin to skin, which I do a lot and makes no difference.
Now only producing a few drops when I squeeze.
What can I do that actually works?
Super sad about it 😢

How many days or weeks post partum are you?

His sucking is a LOT more effective than your squeezing. Could he be getting more than you realise?

This might be helpful. How old is baby and what is his nappy output like? breastfeeding.support/is-my-baby-getting-enough-milk/#google_vignette

I've tried a pump too. Hardly anything happens.
He's 9 weeks. I had his tongue tie snipped last week thinking it would improve things, if anything he's even less interested now.
Poops and wees normal, but that's the formula!

Have you tried fenugreek capsules? I found that they helped to increase my milk production.

Also increasing water intake, dehydration will lower milk production.

I can't pump to save my life and DD is definitely getting milk - babies are so much more efficient than a pump, so don't let that stress you out. Definitely drink lots and lots of water as suggested above. How often is he breastfed and how often is he having formula? Bottles are easier than than breast to get milk from so it could be that he's showing a preference because of that. Are you paced feeding with the bottle? Apologies for asking lots of questions, I want to suggest the most helpful ideas I can!

I used to eat lots of porridge made with milk, drink lots of water and pump at night to help stimulate - also remember the endless cluster feeding (which doesn’t happen with formula) helps increase supply, so the formula likely hindering. But honestly OP if it’s stressing you out nothing wrong with formula!

How much formula are you giving? Are you feeding or expressing at all during the night? Those are the golden hours for milk production!

The only things that increased my milk supply was getting as much sleep and rest as possible. Although I never got above 50% supply. My milk suddenly came in in quantity at 8 weeks after baby started sleeping thru the night so I was getting more sleep.
Do you have other risk factors for delay/low supply?

You can work out the proportion of formula to breastmilk - for fully formula the recommended amount is 150-200ml formula per kg body weight per day. Work that out, compare with how much you're giving and that'll give you an idea how much breastmilk there is.

If you are giving him formula he is not going to be hungry enough to take much milk from the breast, which is lowering your supply. Squeezing or pumping has absolutely nothing to do with how much milk baby will get, different beasts.

When I did a maternity nursing course this book was highly recommended:

www.amazon.co.uk/Making-More-Milk-Lisa-Marasco/dp/1260031152/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=making+more+milk&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&qid=1622314516&sr=8-1

Honestly the only thing that works consistently for supply is the baby suckling at the breast and the only way to get many babies to suck a lot is to reward them with fast flowing milk. This is where a supplemental nursing system (SNS) is useful.

Give him formula via breast, dump bottles. This means he gets milk, it no longer matters how much you’re producing which reduces stress and the frequent feeding maximises your supply.

I did this for 15 months with my son and 8 months with my DD2, by which time with solids, I had enough breastmilk for her and she’s still feeding at 2.5yo.

@Hoowhoowho

Honestly the only thing that works consistently for supply is the baby suckling at the breast and the only way to get many babies to suck a lot is to reward them with fast flowing milk. This is where a supplemental nursing system (SNS) is useful.

Give him formula via breast, dump bottles. This means he gets milk, it no longer matters how much you’re producing which reduces stress and the frequent feeding maximises your supply.

I did this for 15 months with my son and 8 months with my DD2, by which time with solids, I had enough breastmilk for her and she’s still feeding at 2.5yo.

Thankyou! I didn't know anything about these! Can you recommend which is the best one to get? And if there's one available that easy to clean/use etc? Thankyou 🥲❤️

You need professional support, not via a forum.

Go back to your midwives/infant feeding team.

If they are not helpful you can go to the free community support:

NCT/ABM breastfeeding counsellors
Peer support groups (google this + breastfeeding + area)
La Leche League Leaders
Any free groups run by lactation consultants (again google + area)

If these are not forthcoming/helpful or you can afford to skip straight to paid for support which starts at about £30 for an hour, depending on the person's level of experience, look here for an IBCLC. Most are currently also offering online support so you don't need it to be someone in your area but that is a good starting place:

lcgb.org/find-an-ibclc/

The making more milk book is also good and this one:
namelessme.wordpress.com/2019/02/07/getting-started-with-relactation/

I believe there's a facebook group associated with the latter as well.

There is a great fb group called breastfeeding younger babies and beyond which is run by trained breastfeeding counsellors who can give advice and guide you to a local in person counsellor to see.
I honestly wish you so much luck. Breastfeeding sucks at the beginning but is really worth it when you persevere. We need to start being so much more honest and supportive with each other.

Hi all. Thanks for your advice. Unfortunately, I got a sns system from medela, but baby hates it and just screams.
He screams every time I try and put him to the breast. I think I may have exhausted my options. Devastated really, I really wanted to BF even in a combination capacity.
I don't know what to do now.

@Hoowhoowho

Honestly the only thing that works consistently for supply is the baby suckling at the breast and the only way to get many babies to suck a lot is to reward them with fast flowing milk. This is where a supplemental nursing system (SNS) is useful.

Give him formula via breast, dump bottles. This means he gets milk, it no longer matters how much you’re producing which reduces stress and the frequent feeding maximises your supply.

I did this for 15 months with my son and 8 months with my DD2, by which time with solids, I had enough breastmilk for her and she’s still feeding at 2.5yo.

Hi all. Thanks for your advice. Unfortunately, I got a sns system from medela, but baby hates it and just screams. He screams every time I try and put him to the breast. I think I may have exhausted my options. Devastated really, I really wanted to BF even in a combination capacity. I don't know what to do now.