Breastfeeding

jerseygirl227

Hi ladies,

Just looking for some experiences with breastfeeding.  My LO latched on pretty quickly while I was in recovery, but she'd only suck for about eight times and then stop.  She did this about five or six times, and I was very hopeful that we would get this breastfeeding thing down with no sweat.  Well, I was wrong.

Once I got to my room, she really didn't latch on again for more than three sucks at a time.  I worked with the lactation people at the hospital.  We used a nipple shield along with a syringe of supplemental formula.  That seemed to help a bit.  I also started pumping in the hospital, but very little milk was coming.  I thought maybe that, since I had a c-section, it was just taking longer to come in.  But here we are 10 days after birth and I still am not getting much milk out.  We're talking maybe 2 ounces over the course of two days of pumping.  LO has been on formula pretty much exclusively except for a bottle of breastmilk once every two days.

Since leaving the hospital, I have met with the lactation specialist at my pediatrician's office who recommended additional manual pumping and fenugreek and blessed thistle herbs.  I'm also pumping about five times a day.  I'm going to increase that to eight times and increase my skin to skin contact, but I don't know what else to do.

I am getting discouraged since I'm not seeing much progress.  And I feel a little like failure.  I feel like all I do is pump, feed, clean bottles and repeat.  The good news is LO has a good appetite and the formula seems to agree with her (no spitting up or upset stomach or anything).  I just really want to be able to do the best for my baby.

So, any success stories out there you care to share?  I don't want to give up, but I am also discouraged and exhausted.  

Thanks!

springbeduk2

That sounds really exhausting and frustrating! Hugs and also kudos to you for still wanting to keep going!

One caution with all breastfeeding resources- don't let them make you feel guilty (about supplementing or if you have to end up just ffing) - but maybe Google Dr Jack Newman. And there were a lot of knowledgable ladies many who had struggles initially here in the breastfeeding board but I think most moved to the new forum site. Can give you that info if you want. Other thing to look into is breastfeeding personality types (of the baby) - sorry I am on mobile and can't easily throw in links.

Generally speaking - quantity you pump is not a good indication of supply. Body will respond differently to baby than pump. But it is a supply and demand system so supplementing can be counterproductive if you have a supply problem. There are mixed opinions out there about nipple shields.

Are you trying to have your baby nurse before giving a bottle? Also - check this with a lactation consultant but maybe pump s little (to try to get letdown started) then put baby to breast since LO is used to bottle and getting the goods right away so may lose interest nursing waiting for letdown.

It sounds like the PC at your person office is maybe more rreally pto-breastfeeding than the one at your hospital, maybe, but maybe see if there are any others in the area you can consult with? And any breastfeeding support groups?

Also drink lots of water!

Good luck!

mindaa

I went through something similar. LO hardly ate anything the first night in the hospital, but once milk came in, he started latching better. Also had to use nipple shield. Hopefully they helped you get that on right, since its not straightforward. Anyway, LO was still was on and off the breast alot for a few weeks, which led to some loong nursing sessions.
We supplemented a little bit for a couple weeks, as he was jaundicey and slow to regain birth weight. Had to quit when he had a sensitively to it, which meant very frequent bf-ing, to keep the supply up.
I still can't pump unfortunately, figure I'll have to rent a hospital grade before I go back to work. I actually do better hand expressing, but just slightly.
The book the womanly art of breast feeding might have some useful tips/encouragement also.
I'm assuming your LO was checked for tongue tie, which can cause trouble latching?

Hang in there, it will get better!

jerseygirl227

Thanks, ladies.  I appreciate your responses.

I do attempt to nurse before pumping, but she doesn't show much interest.  I think it's because there hasn't been a lot of milk there (or at least that's what I think).  I then use the nipple shield with a syringe that allows her to suck both the breast milk and the formula.  I then pump about a half hour after.

The good news is this evening I was able to pump out 1 1/2 ounces of breast milk.  I was very happy.  While I would love for her to latch on (and we'll keep working on that), I don't mind pumping and bottle feeding if that's my best case scenario.  I really want her to have the benefits of having the breast milk.

marijaa333

I pumped 6-7 times per day for the first 6-7 weeks because we couldn't make the latch work well enough, or once we could (after having the tongue and lip ties released), he would doze off before getting enough calories. So I supplemented with my own milk, which meant I nursed, pumped and bottle fed, then cleaned up that 6-7+ times a day (I had lots of help from husband). My baby also poops during or after every feed, so throw a diaper change in the mix as well.

It got so exhausting that my husband suggested stopping pumping altogether and supplementing with formula.  I wasn't / am not ready to quit because a) formula is expensive and would require more supplies and an even longer cleanup protocol and b) I do see a lot of progress: at week 9, I can reduce pumps to only 3 a day and nurse the rest of the time.  So success or at least huge improvement is possible. I believe the biggest help came from giving my son time to grow and become better coordinated and stronger with his sucking.  

Which pump are you using? I would recommend highly the Medela Symphony or the Spectra S1 (which I bought after using the Symphony for two months). I also have the Medela PISA and it's ok but not as good as the two above.

Finally, if you go the formula route, you shouldn't feel AT ALL like a failure. In fact, the most rigorous study ever done (of *sibling* pairs, i.e. controlling well for socioeconomic variables), found only one significant difference in breastfed and formula fed kids: more asthma in breastfed ones!  See here: https://researchnews.osu.edu/archive/sibbreast.htm

By freeing up your time to sleep and interact with your child, you may be giving him an advantage over moms who focus on 100% breastfeeding at the detriment of their own sanity and health, simply because you'll be able to devote more quality attention to the baby!

Good luck!

marijaa333

PS At 10 days, 2 oz per pump is still ok. It will increase! I went from 15-18oz per day in the first two weeks, to 24 in the third week, 30 in the fourth week, and if I were to exclusively pump now at 9 weeks, I'd be around 32-35oz. My baby eats 24 on slow days, and up to 30 during growth spurts. I was so worried about supply early on but it did improve!

jerseygirl227

marijaa333 said:

It got so exhausting that my husband suggested stopping pumping altogether and supplementing with formula.  I wasn't / am not ready to quit because a) formula is expensive and would require more supplies and an even longer cleanup protocol and b) I do see a lot of progress: at week 9, I can reduce pumps to only 3 a day and nurse the rest of the time.  So success or at least huge improvement is possible. I believe the biggest help came from giving my son time to grow and become better coordinated and stronger with his sucking.  

That's where we are, @marijaa333.  My fiance keeps saying that she might just be a formula baby.  I want to keep trying because I've read that many people give up around two weeks, but that moms can still be successful much later than that.  I'm using the Medela in style and have started manual pumping as well, though that isn't doing much right now.

I know it's been hard on him.  He's trying to help.  And I have been very out of sorts.  The lack of sleep is really hard, and my grandmother just passed away a few days ago.  I can't go to the funeral because it's in New Jersey and I live in Arizona.  (I'll be two weeks pp tomorrow, which is when the funeral is.)  It's just been an up and down roller coaster over here.

Thanks for the words of encouragement.  I am going to keep trying.  I figure some breast milk is better than no breast milk. 

mindaa

Thanks for the words of encouragement.  I am going to keep trying.  I figure some breast milk is better than no breast milk. 

Yes, for sure it is! You have a great positive attitude. Sorry to hear of your grandmother, that must be extra hard right now - the first few weeks are Sooo emotional to begin with.
I think it's hard for DH's to see us go through it all and be so helpless, which is probably why they are so quick to support formula.

marijaa333

If you can rent a hospital grade pump, i.e. the Medela Symphony just for a month, I think it might make a big difference in helping to build your supply.  You can use the same bottles and flanges you use now with the Pump In Style, you would just need new tubing.

NeonNoon

Sorry about your grandma @jerseygirl227. It's pretty hard to cope with anything additional in those early weeks.