Is it my fault I’m not producing enough milk

[EchoAlpha]

Hey all

I’m still very new to the whole parenting thing (My newborn is 10 days old) and I just feel like I’m not producing enough milk.

Whenever I give my daughter breastmilk, we try both sides for like an hour and she still cries for more. I top her up with Aptamil and she takes the whole serving for a 1-2week old.

I mix feed so it’s not a massive problem but I always hoped I could rely more on breastfeeding and expressing, rather than formula.

For some reason I’ve lost a large part of my appetite since giving birth, so not sure if that contributes to this…

Any advice would be much appreciated!

Thanks so much for your advice everyone and sorry I couldn’t reply… it’s been an eventful few days. I’m definitely eating more so that’s a plus!

I have tried sticking to breast milk (especially during the day, no expressing) which has been ok but because she sleeps for long stretches of times (4-6 hours) and it’s hard to wake her up. By the time she’s up she’s v hangry. I try breastfeeding her but it gets to a point she cries and claws at the boob like there’s nothing coming out of tit. I burp her - she still cries. I change her nappy - she stops then cries again. I sing, move around etc etc - she still cries. I then result to formula to settle her and bingo

It’s really hard with this kind of pattern to believe I’m producing enough milk or ever will tbh.

Sorry I know I’m whinging…

I'm currently mixed feeding my second DC, and I think this combined with a couple of other things has slowed down my DD in establishing feeding. It can be done though! And DD is thriving now, it just took longer than when I exclusively BF my older DC.

It sounds like your DD may be getting frustrated at the breast...maybe the let down takes a while or the flow of milk is a lot slower than when she feeds from the bottle? You could always give an Oz of formula first, then put to the breast. make sure you are paced feeding when using a bottle- holding it level rather than tipped up so the milk doesn't come out too fast.

I'm a bit bleary eyed so hope that makes sense!

Have some lactose cookies. There's plenty of things that will help you produce milk (google). I think fenugreek is another. But honestly, just order yourself some lactose cookies, they work and they're delicious!

You are not whining.

It's a while ago for me but my experience was similar to yours.

I exclusively BF for 8 weeks with both myself and baby getting increasingly distressed despite multiple professional interventions to check latching etc.

In the end I switched to mixed feeding and baby (now uni student!) and myself were so much better and happier.

I think the pressure to exclusively BF can be very unhelpful in some instances.

Getting some breast milk is better than none. Many babies are exclusively FF and not always by choice and thrive.

Having an exhausted, guilty/stressed mother is not good for a baby. Please cut yourself some slack.

Honestly if mixed feeding is working for you I'd stick with it and stop fretting about it.

In my case it worked especially well as when I returned to work baby was used to taking a FF bottle at nursery and I would BF at home.

In short, you are doing great in feeding your baby and loving them. The methods by which you achieve that don't matter.

I experienced very similar to you, was determined to EBF and for whatever reason just didn’t produce enough milk despite latch checks, constant feeding and pumping: I was only sleeping a few one hour stints for days because I put so much pressure on myself to do it. Baby lost too much weight, we were both readmitted to hospital and staff insisted I start formula feeding. I combo fed for a year in the end.
Second baby I went straight into combined feeding and both I and baby were so much happier without all the pumping, stress and lack of sleep.

You need to wake her after a sleep of three hours. Don't let her go longer than that.

4-6 hours sleeping in the day is too long.

This too. This might be part of the problem. Ideally (you'll get to learn the cues), you should feed them before they cry because they're hungry. Don't stress, it's a big learning curve and you're doing a great job! Day 10 is early days, a couple more weeks and you'll be a pro!

The more you feed baby, the more you'll produce

I went through what you're going through. I got all the 'you're being silly', just eat this, drink more water' etc. My DS was screaming, wouldn't sleep, etc. was diagnosed as silent reflux, everything else except milk supply. Apparently that's not possible. I tried so hard my nipples cracked and bled so much I couldn't wear clothes without shields on. I cried trying to BF it hurt so much.

Eventually, we realised EBF wasn't worth the crying (both me and DS), and sleeplessness and we gave in and moved to mixed feeding and wow, DS became the perfect baby. Slept through, happy, and full.

Second baby I EBF for as long as possible but moved to combo as soon as it became a problem. So much happier. I actually enjoyed, and bonded with, my baby.

Do whatever you need to. EBF isn't worth your mental health. Both my DC are in primary school. Healthy, academically top of their classes, and no one could tell the difference.