BFing Pumping Bottlefeeding Craziness!

aeshubit

 I was just wondering what other people would do if you were in my situation where your LO was losing weight (probably due to being a little sick and not as hungry) and your supply went down a little in a week.  (I also stopped BFing for a few days and trying to feed her with a bottle, but went back to BFing today because she is screaming/doesn't want to feed with the bottle).  

As of today (the first day going back to BFing after a few days of bottle), I am going through an hour long feeding process in hopes of re-estabilishing my supply and making sure LO is well fed: 1) Nursing, 2) Pumping and playing with LO in bouncy seat, 3) Trying to feed LO the expressed BM that I just pumped.  

Here's my story: 

First 6 weeks- EPed and comfort breastfeeding occasionally.  

Weeks 6-8-  Transitioned to EBF and cut out all pumping.  Weighed feedings indicated she ate approx 2.5-3 oz.  

Around week 8 I thought I had over supply bc I constantly had rock hard breasts and a forceful letdown.  LO started crying at the breast...  Then a few days later she's still crying at my breasts but I realized that my breasts were not hard anymore...instead they felt empty!  Weighed feedings indicated she stopped eating after only approx. 1.5 oz.  So I started feeding her expressed breastmilk (which she should have been used to after the 1st 6 weeks) and she cried at the bottle too and didn't take more than 1.5 oz at a time.

 Week 9- Took LO to pedi.  She has also had been coughing a little.  He said he thinks she has an upper respiratory virus.  That could be why she has been eating so little.  Advice?  Keep trying to feed her... DUH.  Should improve on it's own within a week.  If not bring her back.  Weighing showed she lost 2 oz in 2 weeks.

 Almost week 10-  After 3 or 4 days of trying to feed her expressed BM in a bottle and having her scream even being put in feeding position, I decided to try BFing again and she latched right on, no crying at all!  (I haven't been doing well with my pumping in the last 3 to 4 days that I've been bottle feeding her, though, so I think I have decreased my supply).  However, with her weight loss I am totally confused if I'm making the right decision going back to EBFing since I can't tell how much she's getting at each feed.

What would you do?  I have thoughts about switching her to formula, or just EPing (although I did that her 6 weeks and hated it), but for now I'm stuck with BFing and hoping that LO is getting enough after I botched my supply in the last week.

 

AprilAngie

I Would fed on demand by breast and pump in between feedings. You weigh her so you can tell what she is eating or not. I think when u realized she was sick and not eating as much your mistake was not pumping in between. You might be able to fix it as you are still making milk but you need to stick to one thing instead if going bottle, formula, bf. She might be getting confussed. Good luck

aeshubit

AprilAngie:

I Would fed on demand by breast and pump in between feedings. You weigh her so you can tell what she is eating or not. I think when u realized she was sick and not eating as much your mistake was not pumping in between. You might be able to fix it as you are still making milk but you need to stick to one thing instead if going bottle, formula, bf. She might be getting confussed. Good luck

 I know..my poor baby!  I didnt know what else to do since only 2 weeks into BFing she started screaming and not eating well at the breast.  I did pump everyday I didnt breastfeed but only about 5x per day, and I didnt pump all that time she wasnt eating enough from the breast...not sure how many days that was ...which also probably contributed to decreasing supply

katiem1025

I wouldn't feed her the pumped milk right away. I would bf, then pump, then bf again when she is hungry. This will help get your supply back up. Either freeze the bm or use it for motn feedings, sine eventually you won't be needing motn milk once baby is sttn.

latnprincess

I agree with nursing on demand.  Since she's getting so little she'll be hungry more often, but it'll also help to increase your supply.  It'll take a few days though, maybe even a week, but let her nurse as often as she wants. And like others said pump in between.  If you start to get engorged and have forceful letdowns, try to lay back as much as possible and placing her on top of your boob.  Let gravity do its job and the milk won't come out all crazy.  Good luck!!