How much BM for baby to get the benefits?

butterbrickle

I've been giving DD mostly formula and feeding her BM that I am able to pump. It's not all that much, and I know BM is best for babies, but how much for her to "get the effects".

I'm wondering if it's worth continuing to pump when I get so little. I took a BF class before DD was born, but I wish I had known more - just how much dedication it takes. Looking back, I wish that when we got home from the hospital that I called a LC right away..it might have helped. So, now I am struggling with the guilt of not producing enough BM and wanting her to receive the benefits, while thinking of giving up pumping altogether bc of the stress (when I only get a little BM, it gets me down). I know this is my doing.

But anyway, if anyone has any info or links to share, I'd appreciate it.

Mrs.Rose

I am totally in the same situation.  I cried every day the first week over not producing enough.  I am just assuming that some is better than none.  I started taking reglan to increase my supply and hopefully that will work in the next couple of days.  I am still only pumping about an ounce or less every few hours.  

Try Kellymom.com for info if you have not already been there. 

JARbaby

Anything is better than nothing esp during cold and flu season, you are passing along immunities to the baby each time she gets BM.

samfish2bcrab

Personally, i think we're too hard on ourselves when it comes to breastfeeding.   You fed her the colostrom, that's fantastic.  You're kept going, that's good.  

Now, if it's still stressing you out, I say take it day by day.  Tomorrow when you wake up, if you still feell good about pumping, then by all means do so.   If you don't don't beat yourself up.  I refuse to believe that a stressed out breastfeeding mother is doing something better for her child than a relaxed formula mom.

I give my daughter 2 bottles of formula a day and the rest of the time she breastfeeds.  i beat myself up a lot over even doing that, but I am SO much happier now.  If in the next little while I find i'm still stressed out, i'll go to 100% formula.

can_can

I'm in the same situation... I can only give DS about 1/4 to 1/2 of what he needs each feeding from BM that I pump. I saw an LC to see if she can help me increase my supply, and she helped me rent a hospital grade pump and I'm taking fenugreek (3 capsules 3 times/day). So far, I've only seen improvement by about 1/2 an ounce... so I'm still depressed that DS won't latch and help with the supply situation. I can't see how I can continue this when I go back to work at 8 weeks pp, and it tears me up. I did so much research about how breastfeeding was awesome, and it kills me not to be able to do it because of supplementation in the hospital So I don't have an answer for you, but I totally feel your pain

linzpinz14

I had lots of problems with bfing, so when DD was about 7 weeks old, I decided to just EP.  At that time I would pump 8 times per day and get 3 oz. - TOTAL.   Now I pump 7 times per day and at the end of the day I get 10 oz. total.  It sucks to make so little and have to supplement with so much formula, but it is worth it right now for me.  Any amount of bm is better than nothing.  But that being said, EPing is super hard and if I didn't have TONS of help with the baby from DH I would give it up, because I believe that spending the time with her is more important. 

It is very hard to be a low producer.  Especially when I spend time reading about other women who are able to pump oodles.  Or who exclusively bf and just pump for a freezer stash.  I would love love love to be able to get a freezer stash.  Don't be too hard on yourself though, we are all doing what we think is best for our babies!  GL!

MEJ2008

I'm there with you too. DD gets 6-8 oz of BM a day, and DH just dumped 3 oz out thinking it was formula that was old. When that happened I was about to give up. Like PP said if you are stressed out then take it day by day and don't beat yourself up.