7 weeks and still struggling with BFing

laurblum

We just hit 7 weeks on Friday and I am still battling with breast feeding success. Some of you may remember me from previous posts asking advice. Quick recap: In a nutshell I have been having supply issues from the beginning. I never feel engorged if I don't release the milk, never have felt a let down, nothing. I got help immediately on here, at a lactation support group and with me pedi. I have done literally every last thing I can do with little luck. I made the decision about 3 weeks ago to try and mostly pump since I was already having to give her so much formula and pumping would be a way for me to monitor how much milk I was getting. The average was about 3oz a day until this week when it dropped severely. I will admit it has been hard to have a constant pumping schedule since during the day I am alone with my LO and she wants to be held, played with etc. So I do the best I can but it definitely isn't enough. She is currently drinking 25-30oz a day and if I'm lucky 3-4 of that is breast milk. We still nurse at least at morning and night time feedings. I don't know how much she gets but I know it isn't a ton since she still takes a full bottle at those feedings too. My question for you ladies is if there was some way I could get help for this upcoming week and try and pump on a schedule every day would it make my body make more milk again? Or at this point is it just going to keep dwindling?? I can't seem to give up on this even when I feel like I've hit my last wall. I always try again. But I go back to work the following week and I know that once that happens if I haven't gotten in a routine that works it's probably not going to happen. I really wanted this to work out. It was like the one thing I wanted. So if there's any chance of turning this around I guess I'll try once more. What do you guys think?

I'm going to post to the BFing board too as soon as my app stops being weird.

gutsysneakers

I honestly don't know the answer but lots and lots of hugs. It seems there was something to feel guilty about ever since we got our BFP. Being a mom is hard but regardless of your decision, it is the RIGHT decision.

apinkpelican

So sorry to hear that you are struggling. It is hard! When you go back to work will you have the opportunity to pump more often (every 2 hours?). Perhaps this could improve your supply? I agree it's hard to pump at home when you have a squirmy LO!
No matter what you do your LO will love you and will grown :-). I still EBF but am considering starting to supplement. I don't have a huge supply and it scares me that I go back to work in 2 weeks and I'm the only food source for LO. I keep thinking to myself that I was a FF baby and I turned out ok! I still love my mama .
(((Hugs)))

giggler25

I have no advice but just want to echo what others have said - don't beat yourself up!! I completeky understand if you're disappointed; however please keep in mind that whatever decision you make is the right one!! Happy mama and happy baby are the priority. GL!!!

laurblum

Yes, I will have the opportunity to pump at work, but I am only going back part time. So on the days I am home I'm back to bring alone with LO for most of the day. Thanks for all the support. I keep feeling like where did I go wrong?? It's making me crazy. I just need to stop doing this to myself.

jcf2133

Still working on things here too. My LC suggested several things when my supply was an issue including eating quinoa and oatmeal and drinking mothers milk tea (which I bought and didn't use much of, so PM me if you want and I'll send you the tea). None of those can hurt, and they won't take time. You might also want to see if there's a la leche group near you. The ones near me meet regularly, which I can never attend, but also have a Facebook group for questions etc. and they've got lots of experience and ideas. I know pumping suck and finding time sucks (I manage to start 2 min. Before LO decides nap time is over WAY too often) but if that makes you feel good about knowing LO is getting some breast milk, then keep on keeping on. It's so much harder than I realized, too.

Junebug060609

Honestly, the best way to increase supply is to put baby to breast. I know that would complicate things as you are anxious about output, but that's what would yield the best results.

That said, anything you can get to baby is helpful.

What matters most is that baby gets fed (however that happens) and Mom is happy. Do what works for your family.

LeeLee86

I'm so sorry you are going through all this! All PP's are right whatever decision you make will be right. DD was put on a formula 3 days after birth and it made me feel so defeated. But I will say supplementing has enabled me to keep breast feeding so don't feel bad about that at all!! I agree that letting LO suck away helped my supply greatly. I would give her 2oz formula then let her nurse pretty much every hour. It told my body to keep up and helped a lot. We are now off formula and BF on demand. I do feel empty by the end of the day tho. I try to pump after the 6am feed bc that's when I have the most. I noticed my biggest supply issues were my diet. I wasn't taking in enough calories or water. I really had to give myself a body image overhaul knowing that supply was more important than getting back into pre-preg pants. Once I started eating more(and healthier) and drinking lots of water my supply changed dramatically. Hope any of that helps you. Remember you are doing great!! Hugs!

pistolpackinmomma

While supplementing have you looked into one of those systems that allows you to still put the baby to breast while they eat from a little tube next to your nipple? I've heard of that helping a lot of women.

pistolpackinmomma

Oh and fenugreek is supposed to help. Oatmeal, mothers milk tea, lactation bars/cookies, yogurt (I think?), and some other stuff I can't remember.

laurblum

@pistolpackinmomma Yes I have heard of the tube system, that was the one thing I hadn't resorted to yet. But I do the teas and supplements already. Maybe I will look into diet as someone else mentioned. I think I am taking in enough but maybe not. 

Hallil

Diet, oatmeal, drinking plenty of water, SMS system (as mentioned above) putting baby on breast as much as possible. Look up "nurse-in" and "power pumping." Both of those may be useful! Have you gone through Dr.Jack Newmans website at all? I'd reccomend it.

springbeduk2

Hallil said:

Diet, oatmeal, drinking plenty of water, SMS system (as mentioned above) putting baby on breast as much as possible. Look up "nurse-in" and "power pumping." Both of those may be useful! Have you gone through Dr.Jack Newmans website at all? I'd reccomend it.

Agree that Dr Jack Newman's website has lots of helpful info (and my MW specifically recommended it over kellymom) just be careful because some parts/pages could bring you back to the guilt thing and like pp said so well, no guilt however it works out! So just be prepared to take the useful info and filter out some other things. Like the page I was reading yesterday that was totally anti-bottle (but was in the context of Canadian moms should have a full year maternity leave making not using a bottle potentially possible. Unlike the many moms in the US who have to send our kiddos to daycare by 2, 3, or 4 months if not sooner)

ETA my MW also listed hops among the things that can help supply and said beer is OK (in moderation of course) and safest to have while nursing or pumping (won't get into milk instantly and then will have time to metabolize by next feeding). Though alcohol baby would get from one beer anytime is negligible. Plus reducing stress can help with supply. So have a nice hoppy IPA! (Sadly I haven't convinced my dh this is a good idea yet but I think I'll just buy some next time I go shopping)