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Austin Babies
I think he may be weaning...
Okay, I know I shouldn't really be posting b/c I've been MIA for a long time now. However, I need help.
BFing hasn't been as easy this time around. I've had some major supply issues and it's been a fight to keep the milk flowing. If I pump at 10 AM, then I have no milk at his 10 AM feeding the next day, for example.
Now on top of that, apparently my milk is like skim milk. It has *maybe* 1 cm of cream on the top. And I'm not exaggerating. That is a strong *maybe.*
Jake's 6 month check up was Monday, and he is going great. Except that his weight is steadily dropping (was in the 50%, then the 25%, now down to the 10%). The doctor told me to introduce solids (which I did Monday night - I was planning to at 6 months anyway) and that hopefully that will help. But we will see.
Plus, I missed two days in a row with him on Friday (all day meetings) and Saturday (wedding), and now I think he's decided he's done with BFing. Those two days I pumped, of course. And I've managed to keep my supply so-so. But he isn't interested in nursing. He will nurse for his morning and evening feeds. But the 3 afternoon ones are a trial. Sometimes I can get him through 2 of the 3 of them by switching positions every 30 seconds - 1 minute. But at least one feeding (2 today), he will only nurse for maybe 5 minutes and then wants a bottle.
I know I'm rambling, but I'm trying to type fast to get this all out before one of my kiddos needs me for whatever reason.
What do I do? If it's time to let go, I will. But he's 6 months old. I really don't want to let go yet. I would like to at least make it to 9 months (age Caroline was when we stopped). Of course, I don't want to force him either.
Things I'm worried about:
(a) I want whatever is best for him. Whether that's formula or BM.
(b) I'm selfish and I'm worried about gaining weight when I stop. I didn't gain any when I stopped nursing Caroline, but that was at 9 months.
(c) I'm cheap and I don't want to pay for formula.
Notes:
(a) I'm already taking More Milk Plus (the alcohol kind - yucky, let me tell you)
(b) I'm drinking as much water as I can.
(c) I know I need to eat much oatmeal and protein. This is where I've really slacked. I'm just so busy and grab things as I go.
(d) I've had the pump tested and it's fine. All parts working great.
This discussion has been closed.
Re: I think he may be weaning...
How much MMP are you taking? I recommend about 3-4x more than the "recommended" dose. Also, you may want to check into someplace near you that is a local supplier of the herbs. They are MUCH fresher and more effective.
I know you checked your pump, but have you changed the membranes?
Have you tried power pumping and/or breast compressions while pumping and nursing?
Do you think it could be a let-down issue? Are you feeling a letdown?
I wanted to get those questions out there first, so now okay, some additional thoughts...
First off, it's going to be okay. No matter what it will be okay. You don't have to let it go yet if you are still feeling like you want to try to up your supply some. (This coming from the crazy insane person who took non-FDA approved drugs to get a supply...I don't recommend that, but just saying take this FWIW!) I can email you some supply boosting efforts that really helped me if you'd like.
Just know that if you try some things and it doesn't work to boost your supply, you don't have to totally stop nursing entirely. Baby A and I quite happily skipped along on the nursing + supplementing path for a long, long time. It can work to do both! I just wanted to reassure you of that in case you want to just let things be. It's okay to do that! ((HUGS))
Would you be okay with nursing morning and nighttime and doing formula bottles during the day? I'm not advocating this, or the opposite, but it's an alternative to having to stop completely if you try and can't get your supply up.
Things that helped my supply when I would have a dip: a good dark beer (Sam Adams Boston Lager did the trick!), sweet potatoes, lots of protein (peanutbutter was a quick go to), tons of water, pumping after nursing, MMP. If I think of anything else I will post it. GL!
Thanks ladies! He only nursed for 6 minutes tonight, on one side. Then flipped out. We tried to give him a bottle, but he didn't want that either ... he was super tired. I guess it was full enough :-(
Collie - Good questions. I take the dose for 175+ lbs (2 ml). I'll take more though! And I did change out all of the membranes. The nursing store up here completely ruled out the pump.
Bride - funny...I've eaten SO MUCH peanut butter today. Maybe my body knows I need it?
I'm not opposed to doing both, if it doesn't mean I'll lose what I've got. I'm scared if I do both that I'll just slowly lose my supply, and I'm not really ready for that. (But like I said...more for selfish reasons - weight & money - than anything else. More power to anyone for whatever decision they make - formula or BM.)
Another question: Do you guys think my lack of "quality" milk (the 1 cm or less cream) is causing him to be short? He was in the 75% percentile when he was born and is now in the 25%. I realize I'm short. But I just think it's weird to drop like that. Especially b/c they confirmed his length at the doctor's office two days after he was born, so I know it wasn't a mis-reading or anything. Our doctor says that birth measurements have more to do with what the mother ate, etc. than what the baby will actually be. However, I'm not sure I fully believe that. I'm scared to death I've done something wrong (not that there is anything wrong with being short - I'm concerned about the major drop in percentages).
Percentiles this young don't mean too much, according to our pedi. Their weight and height fluctuates so much that first year. DS was in the 75%+ for both when he was born, his weight never went below 50% but his height went down to the 25% at about 6-9mo. Now he's in the 80% for height, so you just never know.
I have no idea how much cream is supposed to be in a bottle of bm. Have you seen a LC about that? How much milk is it?
*oh and I meant to tell you- DS weaned off the boob when he was teething really bad. At that point my let down just took forever (even on the pump it would be 2-3 minutes before anything would come out, no matter how full I was) so he got really frustrated. But before he started weaning it never took him more than 5-7 minutes to eat, and he only ever ate off one side. Do you think he might just be super fast now?
That makes me feel better.
Good point on the teething. DS cut his first 2 teeth at 4 months. He may be cutting more right now. With DD, she only ate 10 minutes tops off one side only, but DS is much slower and likes both sides normally. I don't think that he's gotten any faster. But it could definitely be teething. Thank you for thinking of that!
I don't think there is an exact amount..but I know mine is too little. That 1 cm is for 6+ ounces ... not good. With DD, I had about 1/2 inch of cream up at the top. When I told the pedi, she didn't say a lot...just "humm. Let's try solids first, but we may have to do something else if his weigh keeps dropping."
Yeah, it sounds like it could be time for more teeth. DS wasn't bothered at all by his bottom teeth, but his top 2nd teeth in (next to the front 2, whatever they are called) really bothered him. With that and my slow let down, he was just done. And he wouldn't take a bottle so we had to get super creative with bm in sippies.
I hope you get it figured out soon and you don't have to stop nusring until you are ready.
Miss you 'round these parts!
What did you do while he was boycotting? Did you pump? (Just wondering about my supply, and if I'll be able to maintain it, given that even one day throws it way off.)
Miss you guys too. I'm *trying* to get one more, but it's just hard right now. I feel like every second of my day is spent doing something (but I know a lot of people feel that way). Just no downtime. I haven't even showered yet today. If I'm being honest...I don't think I showered yesterday either. yuck. Off to go shower now...
Yep, I would just pump if he wouldn't stay on long enough. He boycotted for a few weeks and then I was pumping exclusively (that started at about 10-11 months). He was also SUPER distracted - no one but us could be in the room, no TV, no DH, nothing. That started around 6ish months too. That was super annoying.
How long were you leaving milk in the fridge that you ever saw 1/2 cream !? Even when I've left it in there for 4-5 days I barely have 1-2cm and both my girls are fine.
Keep in mind that when you stimulate your supply with MMP, a lot of what you make is more foremilk. You have to pump longer, ALL the way to empty, with compressing the breasts usually to get the last drops of hindmilk out.
I have noticed if I just pump for 5-10 mins to relieve pressure, it's almost all "water". If I pump after a feeding, of course it's almost all hindmilk. I mixed as many days pumpings as I could to even it all out before freezing.
LOL...not the fridge. The freezer (after it's thawed). You can almost see through what's in the frig. I pump all the way until it hurts I'm so empty (compressing my boobs in every angle possible). :-( But that makes me feel better about the cream.
I DEFINITELY recommend the breast compressions. There's a tutorial video (I think) on Jack Newman's Breastfeeding site. Breast compressions helped me tremendously. It often doubled my output when pumping.
I'm thinking the teething theory is plausible also.