Can't keep up with the demand

hrushka13

I am an EPer and my baby is now drinking 6 oz of milk every 4 hours. I am barely making it, but she is almost 4  months old. I am kind of sad that I might have to get formula supplementing, but may be she will stay with 6 oz for a while. My goal is to make it to 6 months, but with full time work it is so hard. We might not be exclusive on breast milk anymore. Babies grow up so fast!

Artsywife07

I just posted below with the same concern and got a couple of suggestions.  I nurse when I'm with LO but she started daycare last week and I'm worried I won't be able to keep up.  So far I've been pumping just enough.

homelyauthor

I know it hurts thinking about not being able to give your LO only breast milk, but it's not so bad.... I started out EBF, but after 2-3 weeks and only a 1 oz weight gain (after the initial weight loss), I was forced to supplement with formula. It hurt really bad at first (especially since I was constantly told that my breasts would automatically make enough milk when it was needed), but I knew it was better for my baby to give him what he needed, even when it's now mostly formula (I still BF first, then formula [usually about 5oz]). When I pump, I'm lucky if I can get a total of 1oz

hispenguin

homelyauthor:

I know it hurts thinking about not being able to give your LO only breast milk, but it's not so bad.... I started out EBF, but after 2-3 weeks and only a 1 oz weight gain (after the initial weight loss), I was forced to supplement with formula. It hurt really bad at first (especially since I was constantly told that my breasts would automatically make enough milk when it was needed), but I knew it was better for my baby to give him what he needed, even when it's now mostly formula (I still BF first, then formula [usually about 5oz]). When I pump, I'm lucky if I can get a total of 1oz

I am pretty much the same. Don't get upset if you have to supplement with formula. I have such a limited supply, and I got so upset when I had to start feeding DD primarily forumla, but we do what we have to do for our LO's best interests. There are supplements you can take, as well as prescription meds to increase your supply as well.

MandusMaximus

You can take fenugreek, eat lots of oats/oatmeal or there is a prescription drug that ups supply but mostly keep nurse nurse nursing! Don't go by what you get out of a pump - that's not an accurate gauge of how much LO is getting. Babies are WAY more efficient at sucking and emptying a breast than a pump. I highly recommend reading through kellymom.com and liking The Leaky B@@b on facebook. They have been Godsends to me!

BeetleLinz1125

The best thing that helped me was getting on a pumping schedule.  That did more for my supply than the fenugreek...

Also have you tried any lactation cookies?  They're a good, fun way to try and boost supply :-)

LynsiBHM

I EBF for 8 wks, then finally decided to supplement.  My son lost a lot of weight in the first few days (a full pound) and was not gaining it back fast enough.  At almost 2 months, he was only back to about his birth weight.  He was still peeing and pooping throughout the day, sleeping fine, etc.  But at 7-8 wks (growth spurt maybe?) he started getting fussy, wanted to eat ALLL the time, and got fussy (more like screaming) at the breast- I assume because he wasn't getting enough. I started pumping but couldn't get much after a feeding at first. After a day or 2 of that, I couldn't stand the thought that he might be hungry.  I cried through his first bottle of formula.  I thought it meant I had failed at BF and failed as a mother (dumb, i know.)

Well, he got happier by the day and gained about a pound in a week!  We're now about 50/50 and i'm still pumping all the time to get my supply up.  I don't think I will go back to 100% EBF, but I won't stop either.  We now nurse, then have a few ounces in a bottle then I pump.  It's nice to have the convenience of formula too (I am not one to NIP) so we're now going out more and just enjoying our days more.

i'll stop blabbing... bottom line, listen to yourself and do what you think is right, but supplementing isn't a bad thing.