Pumping and supplementing, hoping to BF...getting discouraged and need help

binklesss

Hi ladies...

To try and make a long story short, my LO was born on August 9th and had to be in the level 2 nursery and receive IV antibiotics for 48 hours, which required that she be supplemented with formula to flush the antibiotics out of her system. I was able to try and breastfeed while in the hospital, but there was no way around the bottles, and she would generally refuse the breast, even though she could get a good latch every once in a while if she would try. I was totally unprepared for this scenario and don't think I was BF'ing enough to get my supply to where it needed to be...

 We had a LC come in on the 17th or 18th (that was the soonest we could get one in), and her suggestion was that I rent a hospital grade pump (which I rented from her) and pump every 2 hours (3 hrs at night) to get my supply up, and work on getting LO on the breast once I am pumping an amount equal to what she is eating in a day. I've been doing that and also taking Fenugreek, but am only pumping about 70% of what she eats in a day.

I'm starting to get pretty discouraged about where my supply is (only pumping one ounce or a little more at a time for most pumping sessions, sometimes up to 2.5 ounces at night). And trying to pump, feed the baby, clean all my pump parts and bottles, eat something, sleep now and then, change diapers, and whatever else I need to do to take care of the two of us when I'm not hooked up to the pump is starting to wear on me. I emailed the LC a couple days ago to give her an update, and she said I was making progress and that if I wanted to have her come back out to let her know. I responded that I'd likely want to have her back out once we are to the point of getting LO on the breast and asked if she had any other suggestions as far as getting my supply up, but no response after 2 days. I'm feeling like she isn't going to help me unless I pay her to come back out, but I don't feel like we're to the point where her actually coming back out is going to be extremely helpful... I guess I just thought there would be a little more support there outside of the home visit and I'm a bit disappointed that there's not.

 Anyway, I'm sure I'm not the only one in a similar position and guess I was just hoping for some advice/encouragement. Also, the hospital gave her a paci and we had been using it until the LC came out and suggested that we not give it to her, but the last couple of days she has been very fussy and acting like she wants to suck and I have nothing else to offer her...she won't just suck on the breast and I don't want to keep offering her the bottle and overfeed her. Is giving her the paci really going to hurt if she's still exclusively eating from bottles anyway? I just don't know what else to do there...

Thanks so much for reading...

binklesss

theresat858:

I think your message got cut off... 

Yep, sorry...trying to post while holding baby... 

texasmeg1

theresat858:

Haha, yes, I understand how that can happen.  I wanted to respond because we had similar issues to start with, though my supply was okay.  Have you considered trying dom...I can't remember the name of it but the 'd' medication that can help with milk supply? 

When I was going through the same thing (pumping every 2 hours, 3 at night, for 20 min each time), what helped me was cuddling my baby while I pumped. I made a hands free bra (cut holes in an old sports bra) and held the baby between the flanges, either sleeping on me and cuddling or I would feed her the bottle while I pumped (much faster at night).  

Maybe you could call the LC? She should certainly provide advice about increasing supply without you paying for a home visit...or find a new LC.  A BF support group might help as well, and also be an excuse to get out of the house. I felt weird about bringing a bottle to one, but the women were all really nice about my need to supplement after the weighed feeding, and a few others were doing the same thing.  

Use the paci. Honestly, I don't think paci use is a problem for most babies and if LO is made happier by it, use it.  It's better to comfort suck a paci than overfeed from the bottle. 

Hang in there...it sounds like there is still hope for you to get her at least mostly back to the breast, and I think you should try a few times a day to latch her on if she will have it.  I found that even when DD was not eating effciently, just having her latch on to me increased my output for pumping right after that.

Theresa has great advice. We are currently doing the same thing. I am pumping about 1.5-2 oz at a time but LO is eating about 2.5-3 oz. I am trying to get my supply up by power pumping and increasing frequency. Not much has changed but I'm still trying. Some BM is better than none! That is was keeps me motivated. I bought extra pump parts and when pumping at night, I store them in the fridge so I don't have to wash them. Luckily, DH has gotten up for the night feedings to feed th ebottle while I pump.

I've tried latching her a couple times the past few days but it still hurts as much as it did day 1 - and that is after 4 LCs have looking ather latch. She has a small mouth so maybe when she gets older she can relax her jaw and open a bit wider. We also use a paci and I don't know what we would do without it! 

KatFCo

I've had similar issues. DS was in the NICU and the had jaundice so had to be in the nursery. I pumped to get my nilk to come in, but we also had latch problems. As it turns out, I have flat nipples. Was finally able to get a shield, but DS was frustrated over not getting enough milk. Here are some suggestions from my experience:

1. do you have flat or inverted nipples? A shield might help her latch

2. Get tested for low thyroid. It can affect milk supply

3. Domperidone or reglan can help, although there may be some side effects

4. Fenugreek can help with supply, as well as mother's milk tea and oatmeal. You need to be taking a large amount of fenugreek--3-4 pills, 3-4 times a day. Make sure you're drinking lots of water.

5. Offer the breast when she's happy and just before you need to pump. Just let her play if need be. She needs to realize food will come out.

6. You can save yourself a little time by refrigerating the pump parts between sessions. I do this, so I only have to wash it every other session.

Hang in there. At 4 months, I'm still pumping and supplementing, but LO has finally started nursing a few times a day, so I have hope.

mrs.forrister

I'm pumping and bottle feeding because I don't produce enough (2-2.5oz every 2 hours.)  DS is taking 5 oz.  So I give him what BM I can and the rest is formula.  I'm on Fenugreek, More Milk Plus and I've ordered Domperidone.  I tried Reglan until it gave me depression so I stopped it, but I didn't see an increase with that anyway.  It's frustrating and upsetting that I can't do more, and yes it takes twice as long, but DS falls asleep at the breast 5 minutes in and I CANNOT wake him up.  It was too frustrating to deal with him so for my sanity I EP.  It wasn't worth it for me to try and nurse for 30+ minutes while fighting him to wake up and not paci suck, then bottle feed to make up what I can produce then pump to try and increase supply.  He has a great latch, just falls asleep.  I nurse him every other day or so for a few minutes so he doesn't forget how to latch.  He took a paci in the hospital because he likes to comfort suck and that's what he was doing with me.  it hasn't effected his latch.

binklesss

Thanks so much for your responses. I do need to keep putting her to the breast more often...she just really doesn't like it most times and screams whenever she gets a nipple in her mouth...even if she has crawled her way there herself during skin to skin time...it's just so sad.

 Also, I appreciate the advice to put the pump parts in the fridge! I had read about that before but it completely slipped my mind...that will help a lot at 3 am.

Regarding Domperidone...where do you get it? From what I've read, it seems like it's hard to come by these days. Do you get a prescription from your OB? Any idea how much it costs?