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Infant feeding

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

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Original poster

Scared my milk is on it's way out :-( sorry long

22 replies

weepootleflump · 08/02/2009 20:19

DD2 is 8 weeks and just over 5lb, she was just under 4lb at birth.

I get 2 visits per week - 1 from HV and one from NICU sister for weighings. Whilst dd2 was in NICU I was advised to express and give her top-ups to try to get some weight on her so we could take her home.

I thought once she was home I could stop this but both HV and NN have pressured me to keep it up as dd2's weight gain has not been as fast as they'd like. At one point I stopped top-ups without consulting them and she'd still gained, though only a couple of ozs. They weren't very happy with this and told me to bring the top-ups back.

The trouble is, I was really struggling to find time to express, and was never quite sure when I should be doing it so have been using formula for about the last 4 weeks.

I just never feel 'full', I remember with dd1 being ready to burst by the time she was due a feed but have never been like that this time.

I've started expressing again to try to boost things, I express after dd2 has gone to bed at 7pm and can't get more than 30ml (1oz). This past week she seems to be feeding more often and taking larger top-ups - usually about 50ml. Thing is, I let her feed as long as she likes- when she refuses to feed any more (seems to've had enough) I give her the bottle and she necks it .

I feel like I'm going round in circles and don't know what to do next .

OP posts:

kd73 · 08/02/2009 20:37

Congratulations on your new daughter.

Whilst I have no real advice, I would recommend that you contact La Leche or similar for breast feeding advice and assistance.

I have an 8 wk old boy, who weighed much heavier than your daughter. He is being exclusively b/f and doing really well, despite this I was asked to consider topping up. Also I too never feel full.

My understanding is that the top up will interfere with the b/f and therefore, I would recommend that you seek advice from La Leche.

Original poster

weepootleflump · 08/02/2009 20:48

Thanks kd, I've actually just been away googling LaLeche in my area but I know I'll keep putting off phoning as I'm not very good at explaining myself .

OP posts:

madmouse · 08/02/2009 21:11

Hey congrats and sorry about all the hard stuff.

To start with can you get him weighed by either the nn sister or the hv not both? Just to save a bit of stress.

Formula top ups will not help your supply. As your dd is small she may get tired from bf (it is hard work) but still be able to take some from a bottle which is much easier.

Agree that you need some real life help focused on the way you feed and how best to express and not just on the weight issue. Your dd is gaining, I assume she was a preemie so weight gain can be a bit slow.

7pm seems a difficult time to express as you will feel pretty tired after a long day. Can you try to express after feeding her a few times a day so she and the pump together tell your breasts that there is a hungry baby around?

Don't put off calling LLL any longer. They are quite good at dealing with women who struggle to express themselves. I hazard a guess that more than a few of them are in a bit of a state when they call.

Keep posting.

madmouse · 08/02/2009 21:12

do excuse me, get her weighed of course

fishie · 08/02/2009 21:20

do call the bfc weepootleflump. in the meantime, lots of skin to skin and feed feed feed. can you get some help with dd1 so that you can concentrate on feeding?

what a lot of supervision you are having. and little help.

fishie · 08/02/2009 21:23

i was really daunted about calling bf helpine, initially got someone very far away and i really needed face to face help. i persevered and found a lovely woman (who is also a midwife) who came round several times and helped me tremendously.

just ring and keep ringing, they have all trained to help us.

Original poster

weepootleflump · 08/02/2009 21:34

Thanks madmouse, everything you've said is spot-on. I definitely think I need someone to watch her feed and help with latch etc.

My hv is a man and doesn't get too involved with the b/f and the nn sister just sits looking a bit vacant tbh .

I had initially been expressing after most feeds during the day but when dh went back to work I found I couldn't do it as dd2 has silent reflux (taking Ranitidene) and doesn't like to be put down so is either being held by me or in sling on my front.

I'll definitely give La Leche a ring tomorrow, thanks for your help.

OP posts:

madmouse · 08/02/2009 21:40

does your dd sit in a bouncy chair at all? Can help keep her upright too?

Original poster

weepootleflump · 08/02/2009 21:43

x posts, fishie. What you said about 'so much supervision and such little help' is so true . HV has never actually offered any advice with any of my worries, all he does is sympathise with me and tell me how well I'm doing . The NN sister just sits there in her own little world and is more interested in chatting to dd1.

We don't live near any family so have no help that way but dd1 usually goes to pre-school in the mornings and dh works 4 on, 4 off so is around a fair bit and does help.

OP posts:

Original poster

weepootleflump · 08/02/2009 21:51

madmouse, I think she might like a bouncy chair when I get round to getting another- I've tried her in the one I had for dd1 (very expensive m&p one that is absolutely crap) both of them hated it. I think a cheapy is the way ahead.

OP posts:

Alibabaandthe40nappies · 09/02/2009 12:25

Posts like this make me so - why are HVs etc so rubbish in this type of situation?

I would agree with everyone else that you need to speak to and preferably see a bfc asap, but you also need to stop the formula top ups because they will interfere with your supply.

If it helps at all, I found (and still find) expressing at the end of the day no use at all. When I was expressing I used to have all my pump bits in some Milton in a container in the bedroom, and then as soon as DS had finished his first feed of the morning I would pump from the other breast straight away. Takes only 10 mins and I found I got loads more.

Alibabaandthe40nappies · 09/02/2009 12:29

Have just realised that your DD is being weighed twice a week!! What sort of bonkers idea is that? Is it on different scales?
Regardless of scales, a weight difference over only a few days can be hugely influenced by the size of wee/poo the baby has or hasn't done in the run up to the weighing.
As long as you feel that your baby is healthy - lots of wet and dirty nappies etc, then tell them that you will only have her weighed by either the HV or the NN nurse and once a week maximum.

Let us know how you get on.

tiktok · 09/02/2009 12:48

weepootleflump, it will really help to speak to someone/see someone in real life about this.

It sounds as if there are issues with the effective transfer of breastmilk.

Without knowing how much formula she is having, no one should be telling you to stop the top ups - if meant as a longer term plan, and that would be fine, but simply dropping them could be risky.

I hope you get the help you need. The professional support for bf sounds useless.

At 5 lbs and 8 weeks, with only a 1 lb gain since birth, however, this is one teeny l'il baby, and the usual things (nappies, does baby look healthy?) may not be appropriate as sole signs of well-being, and it may well be important to have her weighed more often than weekly.So it's good you are at least in touch with people who will recognise a major health problem.

Original poster

weepootleflump · 09/02/2009 20:27

I spoke to a lovely lady on the La Leche helpline this morning. For boosting my supply she suggested:

Get dh to do everything else whilst I just feed feed feed for 2 days.
Switching; swap dd to the other breast every 5 mins which she said is good for supply as it effectively makes your body think it's feeding twins.
Expressing whilst feeding. I ruled this out before as I thought it'd be too difficult but I've done it at every feed today and it's been fine- getting 50ml very quickly.

So, I haven't had to give dd any formula today - at the end of the feed I've bottle fed her what I've just expressed.

I just don't understand why she refuses the breast as though she's had enough but will then take the bottle no problem. She never feeds really hungrily (as I remember dd1 always did) just seems to go through the motions - although she does cry to be fed.

Alibaba, two different sets of scales being used but it's been cut down to one of them this week so hopefully it'll carry on like that.

Tiktok, when you say 'effective transfer' do you mean the latch? Ideally I do want to stop the top-ups but I won't while I don't feel she's feeding particularly well. But then again, could she be feeding lazily just waiting for the easier option of the bottle?

Thanks for all your replies .

OP posts:

tiktok · 09/02/2009 22:37

WPF - all that stuff from LLL sounds good

'Effective transfer' means 'is the milk getting from A (the breast) into B (the baby) effectively?' and yes, it can have something to do with the way the baby attaches to the breast.

Hope all goes well

madmouse · 09/02/2009 23:20

wow so glad you called and got good advice

and the expressing sounds good too. Imagine an extra 2oz of goodness into her wow.

You are doing amazing!

TinkerBellesMumandFiFi2 · 10/02/2009 00:00

Sounds like they don't know much about breastfed premature babies! I have always been told 1-2oz a week at this size (my first was 4lb 2oz at 31 weeks and second was 4lb 8oz at 35 weeks, now 5lb 1oz at 5+3 weeks) and when I saw the chart they were plotting my first on at the hospital she followed it nicely. My old HV was a panicker, she doesn't know much about the growth of a small baby and gets stressed when they're doing just as they should, it led to me giving my first formula I've had a genuine problem recently where she has lost weight (2oz in 2 weeks) and I'm so glad the old HV isn't around!

I can't give you much advice on the breastfeeding side, but I hope that helps. Have a look at the WHO website, you can tailor a growth chart that might help.

Alibabaandthe40nappies · 10/02/2009 11:48

Weepootle I'm so glad you got some good advice, and I'm glad that all the weighing will be on one set of scales from now as the last thing you need is inconsistancy

You are doing so well, good job on the expressing

Original poster

weepootleflump · 13/02/2009 12:09

Well, it's going great! I'm managing to express whilst feeding a few times a day so haven't had to use formula at all.

I'm actually getting that nice full feeling again when dd2 is due a feed which is great.

DD2 was weighed yesterday and had gained 8oz this week!!!

Thanks to everyone for your help.

OP posts:

madmouse · 13/02/2009 12:12

8oz in a week on your milk woohoo

well done you!

bubbleymummy · 13/02/2009 12:27

That's fantastic! Well done

TinkerBellesMumandFiFi2 · 14/02/2009 00:09

How many weeks was you when your daughter was born?

The reason I ask is that I've had a really bad day today, ending in Mum taking Fifi out to get formula and a bottle. I spoke to the BFC this evening and she said that she had seen me feeding this afternoon (at group, she's not stalking me ) and she is feeding well. She told me that I have to stop thinking I have a 6 week old but to remember she is only a week old and if she was feeding like this at one week (without the five weeks of prematurity) I wouldn't think it was a problem as she is acting like a one week old. Problem is I've had a one week old for six weeks so it feels like she should be further on.

I hope all that makes sense, my head is still hurting from all the crying I've done this evening and I'm not sure I'm expressing myself properly.

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