Advice/Consolation re: breastfeeding

B&K706

I hope you all don't mind me posting one more time. I would love to post more, but my husband works 24s and I'm usually on my own with the babes.

Backstory: b/g twins born 34w6d
Dd: 4 lb 9 oz
DS: 5 lb

I started pumping/trying to nurse just after they were born. Because they were in the NICU, I was on a 3 hour schedule. Once they were home, I nursed and pumped, pumping after every feeding to try to up my supply. I just wasn't producing enough for both and they weren't strong enough for a full feeding at the breast.

2 month stats:
DD: 7 lb 12 oz
DS: 9 lb 6 oz
4 month stats
DD: 9 lb
DS: 10 lb 12 oz

At 3 months, we were finally able to stop supplementing and the babies seemed content and happy. As you can see, they both only gained a little over a lb in the two months between appts. Their ped is an IBCLC, but was obviously concerned about their weight gain. We decided to nurse constantly for a week and see what they did. There was no weight gain. So now we are back to supplementing after every feed

I have tried every single thing I could to increase my supply (160+ oz of water, fenugreek, mothers milk tea, power pumping, even domperidone), but I guess I just can't keep up. Has anyone else been in this position? It kills me that so many women can successfully breastfeed their twins, but I can't. I would love to hear from others who were in this position or any suggestions or advice. I'm guessing this means there is no hope for EBF.

(Sorry this got so long)

10-4LilBuddy

I haven't delivered yet and never breast fed, so no technical advice. However, I have done lactation coaching and have a sister who is a pediatrician.

Can you switch to exclusively pumping? My sister did this to ensure they could track how much her boys were actually getting. Can you schedule an appt with a lactation consultant?

You sound like you are doing everything you can to increase your supply. There is no shame in supplementing. Stress can reduce your supply (yes, that doesn't help). If with supplementation, your babies get what they need and are healthy, then that's what is important. Breast feeding is not a measure of how much you love your babies. You love and care for them all the time. Good luck.

rac717

Sounds like you are doing everything you can - do NOT feel any guilt about not being able to EBF.  Every bit you can give is great but don't worry if you have to supplement.

I posted on the other thread but initially when I came home, I pumped and gave them the bottle first so I knew how much they were getting and then BF after.  Maybe do that? It's a pain to BF and pump though, I know.  Has your ped given you a ballpark estimate of how much they should be eating?  EIther quantity or frequency? 

BabyCarryingVessel

Yep, I was there. I did the best I could to try EBF, but there were times I just knew I had to supplement. I was disappointed, too! What made me feel better is knowing that they were getting mostly breast milk. You are doing great! I think you've done wonderfully!

B&K706

Thanks for the support guys

I'm have one more person to contact about doing a weighed feeding. I feel like we need to find some middle ground between EBF and feeding 3-4 oz after every feeding. If they have gone two months with slow weight gain, I'm not sure they need essentially another full feeding after nursing.

I could try to pump, but I generally haven't responded well to it. The days my husband is home it would be doable, but on his 24 he shift days, I'm not sure how I could work it out.

I appreciate all of the suggestions, but like you know the guilt is just about to kill me. It's easy to say I'm doing my best, but I'm not sure if I'll ever be ok with not EBF. It's partly a pride/mommy thing and partly because it is so much more convenient to tandem than give separate bottles

sunkiss674

I'm a first time mom and I'm still pregnant so I pretty much don't know what I am talking about but somewhere someone posted a link to a video about getting maximum amounts of breast milk from pumping here is the link I guess its worth a try https://newborns.stanford.edu/Breastfeeding/MaxProduction.html

I have no clue how to make it clicky and remember I have no clue about BF either 

Brummy14

Do you have a hospital grade pump? I never responded to anything (oatmeal, fenugreek, domperidone, etc) -- the only thing that worked for me was supply and demand. I pumped every 2 hours during the day and every 3 at night while the girls were in the NICU (including at least one power pump session during the day) -- and got my output up to 50oz a day. That said, that was do-able because I didn't have babies at home with me. I have no idea if I would have been able to do it if they had been born near term. I was able to freeze a ton during that timeframe, since they took in so little for so long, but they have since completely burned through all of that (at 10.5 months), and we're now to a mix of 70%BM/30% formula -- sometimes more BM, depending on how much they're eating. Not perfect, but it's still something I'm proud of being able to do!

so72409

Go easy on yourself, mama!   I remember dealing with very similar feelings with EBF didn't work.  I eventually went to exclusively pumping, but it wasn't until I let go of the guilt & stress of trying to make EBF work that my supply actually increased (apparently the stress of it all was hindering it more than anything!)  We, too, did a mixtures of BM & F-most days it was a 90%BM/10%F.  Be proud of what you've been able to accomplish--you're feeding TWO babies and that's amazing!  Find what's best for all of you.  Good luck.

artichoken

stress can inhibit milk production. have you looked at kellymom.com? it is a fantastic site. also know that milk production works on supply and demand. yes you might have to nurse around the clock 24-48 hours, and yes there might be a weight dip. but the more you supplement and miss feedings the worse it is hurting your supply. Also, are you block feeding?? make sure those babies are getting enough hindmilk, that is where the fat is at. 

cailinmeister

Whatever happens, please don't worry about supplementing!  The reason BFing is good is that the babies get a balance of vitamins and micronutrients that are hard to imitate.  You're giving them that whether or not they need some extra calories!!

B&K706

I don't respond well to the pump (even when I feel full and try all of the tricks), so I was trying to save EP as a last resort. We may be there though.

I knew stress can have a negative impact, but for a month and a half we were EBF and I thought things were going great. It was during this time that they stopped gaining weight.

Thank you all for your support and ideas! It's given me some stuff to think about.