breastfeeding getting worse again

[bakedpotato]

things seemed to be getting better, i was weaning myself off the nipple shields (old thread) and feeling OK about stuff.
the last few days i've started struggling once more. it hurts, can't work out what's gone wrong, but i'm using the shields/lanisoh more again -- will try to get hold of BFC again on monday.
the shield use is making me worry incessantly about my supply. i'm expressing in the evening (so DH can give a bottle of EBM while I get a bit more sleep: last night i got 3 oz quite easily) and 2ce in the morning, which isn't so productive (2 oz first thing, then 1 more oz after mid-morning feed). i'd have expected to get more in the morning.
DS looks better and seems to be growing slowly according to MW, though i still haven't encountered the HV's scales. but he isn't pooing that often, once every 2 days, which doesn't seem right. wet nappies seem normal though. he was unsettled yesterday but seems a bit better today.
i'm feeling so low. lots of weeping this weekend. why is this so hard. half of me longs to stop b/f so i can stop crying and feeling rubbish and just enjoy being with poor DD again. why am i putting us all through this. of course b/f is best, but it's taking such a toll. feel so useless.
DS will be 3 wks on tues.

hello BP

Tongue-tie can prevent baby from getting good latch therefore causing pain and trauma to nipple. If he has one you will see that the tip of his tongue is heart shaped when he cries because the tag of skin (frunelum) prevents the tongue from protruding.
Let us know what HV says. Take each day as it comes

Hey BP! Let's see, I remember that I initially expressed every 3 hours to keep my supply up. And that was around the clock! dh was really good about helping out at night. I would express and if ds was asleep at the time, I would leave it out and dh would get up with him. You can leave out bm for about 6 hours at room temp without worrying about spoilage.
Once I felt my supply was well established I was able to back off to just one time at night. When I went back to work I expressed just before leaving and at morning, lunch and afternoon breaks. Then again soon after arriving home and another time at bedtime. After a few months I dropped the nighttime session. When he was about 5 or 6 months old, I went down to just 4 times a day and did that until about 1 or 2 months before I stopped. At that point I very slowly cut it down so that I didn't have any engorgement problems.
Sorry this is so long, but maybe there's something useful in there for you!

i've been using shields again all day, DS is so much more settled if he gets his sucking done, and the pain is lessening. HV checked for tongue tie, said he's fine, no probs. however according to her scales he's only put on 6 oz since birth 3 wks ago. sod it all. she's not bothered, but after all this effort, and since i know my supply is good... it's very demoralising.

JW, thanks for that. will hang on to that in case pain comes back.

BP - do you mean 6oz over his birthweight? That is very good. There are a number of babies whos have not regained birth weight by third week where there are feeding problems. Babies lose weight after bieth and then regain to birthweight before gaining again. The way you posted though, perhaps he was not weighed inbetween?

mears, he did drop a bit in hospital, not a great deal but i can't remember how much. but the last 3 times MWs have weighed him with their scales-on-a-hook he did seem to be growing in fact i think he had got back to birthweight quite soon so this just doesn't seem very much.

emotionally i can't keep up with myself, it's exhausting

BP - scales on a hook are fine for weighng for fun or for interest, not when there is any clinical need for accuracy, and should only be used when there is no real concern about weight gain....so I'm assuming no one is making a fuss about his weight gain, which is good....6 oz above birthweight is fine at 3 wks

I hope it's all settling down for you again, BP. I have to say, I'd have been mightily impressed if any of my four had put on 6oz over their birthweight at 3wks!! Istr they were struggling to get back to birthweight by then. Good luck and don't think twice about what any of us here think - you and your family are the ones who are important, not us.