Increasing supply with just breastfeeding?

[teddytoo95]

Is it possible to increase my supply with just breastfeeding and no pumping? If I let baby feed before she has her formula will this increase it or is there no way without also pumping?
For background baby is 5 weeks, was EBF until day 16 and then we went to FF with as much breastmilk as I could express for her, which since has been 3oz per day. She had her 2nd tongue tie cut 2 days ago and does seem to be latching better. I would love to get her back to some kind of breastfeeding but I cannot find the time to pump 8-10 times per day.

Pumping doesn't actually increase your supply as much as BFing does. We get told to pump as well to boost the increase, but it's not essential and the actual best way to increase supply is by BFing.

So chuck that baby on your breast as often as you can.

Baby on the breast is the best way to increase supply and if you really go for it it will happen very quickly

@UnravellingTheWorld @DinnaeFashYersel do you think it's possible we could get back to EBF without thr pump?

Definitely

Baby feeding is far more effective than pumping. Baby will get much more out of you

I suggest that you find a great box set and sit in front of the tv breastfeeding all weekend.

Get your partner to do everything else and wait on you and you just let baby latch as much as possible.

@DinnaeFashYersel thank you for that. This really is our last attempt so fingers crossed it might work!

With or without the pump, it will be a lot of work. But yes, it's absolutely possible!

FWIW I never used a pump. My son as a newborn fed 45 min EACH SIDE every feed. I got 30-45 min break, then on to the next feed. I literally never had a chance to pump once, never mind 8 times a day. And he was definitely getting milk all that time (I checked).

You spend A LOT of time feeding a newborn. There's no way around it. Best thing to do is let baby completely drain your breasts of milk, have some time to let them refill (and top up with a bit of formula), then repeat. I wouldn't cut out formula too quickly because you don't want to impact weight gain.

Best of luck!

Can I ask why you changed to ff?

you can definitely get back to ebf is you want to, lots of skin to skin, lots of nursing - you make the most milk at night so might end up with some rough nights if you feed then! But it will pass and get better!
you’re coming up to 6 week growth spurt where they go nutzo for milk so just breastfeed every time they indicate they are hungry.

good luck and be kind to yourself, make sure you’re eating and drinking and resting x

Lots of skin to skin with baby
Frequent feeds and offer other side every time they finish
Drink lots and lots of water
Fenugreek supplements, double normal dose for two weeks (ie 2 with each meal)
Eat plenty of oats
Relax as much as possible - hormones are key. So yes to massages from partner, yes to cuddles with baby, choose the romcoms or comedies to watch and not the weepies or horror films

Hope it goes well for you!

@CurlewKate since day one we've had lots of issues.
Baby had a great latch but on day 5 we were admitted back to hospital because she wouldn't latch at all (too tired) was dehydrated and was at 11.3% weight loss. From there we started pumping and BF and she still gained no weight. We then got to a 12.4% loss. Tongue tie was cut on day 8 and things improved for 2 days and then were worse than ever. We spent hours with the midwife trying to latch her, try different positions, but she would just fall asleep at the breast or scream until she slept. Even the midwife couldnt get her to latch and stay there. At day 16 she was still at a 12.4% loss and I had a bit of a breakdown and the midwife told me its OK if I have had enough...and at that point i genuinely had. I also have DS who is 4 and very demanding and they wanted me to BF, Pump every 2 hours and then formula top up and I just couldn't do it. Unfortunately I've never been able to pump enough to avoid formula either.

@UnravellingTheWorld thank you for the info!

When I needed to increase supply, the best advice I was given was ‘topless tv tuesday’. Can you get someone else to be with your 4 year old for a couple of days so you can literally sit in front of the tv and let baby feed as often as possible?

You know-I'm usually a pretty militant breast feeding advocate, but in your case I would really say just switch to formula. You've given it more than a good go, you've got another child to care for-and I bet you're exhausted and have no time to enjoy either of your children or your life, have you? If you need permission from a old crone-here it is. Your baby will be fine, I promise.

Read up about fenugreek, it helped me increase my supply.

Yes you can build supply with breastfeeding but... You need a plan to remove formula. One option is to do more feeding before each formula. Breast rest breast rest breast - formula. Aiming to slowly reduce the volume of formula while keeping an eye on baby's wet nappies, poos and weight.

@CurlewKate thank you, and no you are right...the last 5 weeks I feel like I've absolutely obsessed over breastfeeding and it's all I thought about. Before baby came I was very much in the mindset that I'll give it a go and if it doesn't work then it doesn't, but I am finding it's absolutely consuming me at the moment.

Google a lactation cookie recipe which contains brewers yeast, oats, flaxseed, fenugreek etc. they're yummy and really good for increasing supply. Also plenty of skin to skin, drink lots of water.

I’m sorry you’ve had so much stress about it all, you’ve been working so hard to do the best for your baby.

I think you need a baby moon. get you partner to leave you some meals and take your 4 year old out for the day and then an overnight somewhere. Do nothing except watch box sets / read / sleep and feed baby. With as much skin to skin as you can bear, topless on the sofa with baby only in a nappy and you both in a blanket is idea.

Do NO housework or any other kind of work . You deserve to relax .

@teddytoo95 Good. Now step away from this thread before you get drawn in to all the excellent suggestions and end up wobbling!

If your baby comfort feeds or suckles while sleeping then you can let her as that encourages supply too. If you can afford it then help from an IBCLC might be useful and/or a bf support group.

@CurlewKate Did you read my mind haha. Seriously though, thank you!

@AndyMcFlurry that's such a brilliant suggestion but unfortunately my other half is working lots at the moment so it's making it even harder. He's self employed and this is his busiest time of year, so that's really hard at the moment 😮‍💨

Awwww I feel for you, I’m in the same boat but we are literally at the point where we may have to introduce formula top ups and haven’t done so yet.

I’m a FTM and My DS was born 3 weeks ago at 37 weeks. He only weight 5lb 13oz. Was down to 5lb 2oz and 11.9% loss on day 5 and despite me being militant on BF he just hasn’t improved. Continuity of care has been crap and we’ve seen a different HCP every appointment.

FINALLY yesterday by pure chance the right person came along and DS was diagnosed with tongue tie and we had the procedure done there and then. How this was never picked up earlier is beyond me but that’s another matter.

Im not in a dilemma where my milk supply, whilst able to feed him isn’t exactly the best because of weeks of poor feeding. I’d introduce formula top ups today but been told to just hold off until tomorrows weigh in to see if the tongue tie revision has worked.

I currently use a let down cup (haakka) and I’ve currently got him skin to skin where I’m spending the weekend. The second he starts to show interest I’m getting him latched. Just hope it picks up now! Good luck x

It might be helpful for you to know that a baby's milk needs ramp up rapidly over the first few weeks of breastfeeding. Therefore if your top ups aren't increasing, then your own supply is increasing in the background. The more you feed the more your body makes, as long as your baby is well latched.

Focus on getting that good, deep latch - you may find reclining slightly while feeding helps your baby to stay deeply latched as they won't be fighting gravity.

You can try making your top ups ever so slightly smaller each feed, and then encouraging your baby to feed from you if they are still hungry after the top ups.

Some mums find starting the feed with the top up to be more beneficial, so that the baby associated the breastfeed at the end with feeling satisfied, and baby feeds until full, therefore increasing supply.

Having another child to take care of can make you more uptight and anxious to get a feed over with, which can inhibit letdown, so if possible try and plan some snuggly time with your bigger one too cuddling up with a blanket and snacks to watch a film.

@Thelazygardener oh bless you I really feel for you. It adds so much extra stress when they aren't gaining weight doesn't it.

I could cope with painful latch, bruised and blistered nipples, constant feeding but when DD wasn't gaining weight it was heartbreaking. I really hope that the tongue tie works for you and little one has gained some weight tomorrow.

I think the issue with Tongue tie is that most of the midwives aren't trained to diagnose it. When we had our 5 day check and were being sent back into hospital the midwife said she could look, and say yeah she has tongue tie but there's nothing that she could do past that because she isn't trained to do so. In our area the only people that can are the infant feeding team. Xx