please help...supply issue

shermans

So last Friday I got the ok from pediatrician to stop supplementing. Things seemed ok until yesterday, when 1 he had 5 1/2 wet diapers i stayed up til midnight and the last one was only partially wet... and I noticed a couple of them had one or two small orange dots of color. He had been having 6 orore wet diapers. Google search said this could be signs of dehydration.. So I gave him 50ml of supplement all that I was able to pump yesterday last night and am going to call the dr. Office today...he seems to be acting normal. any one have any tips, advice, input? I am taking 4 capsules of fenugreek 3 times daily, am drinking mothers milk tea, pumping after he is done nursing often yields 1015 ml . He uses a nipple shield but I am working in trying to wean that...yesterday he went most of the day without it. He was started on formula supplement in the nicu bc my milk had not come in yet, I don't know if that contributed or if I would have had supply issues no matter What..I am just tired and worried and don't know what else to do to try to make this work, I go back to work in 4 weeks and need to have this figured out before that...I don't want my goal of breastfeeding to get in the way of his growth, hes a small one to begin with. Please, any input would be helpful. Thank you.

MsCrispy

Are you able to pump enough to supplement with BM rather than formula?

The problem with supplementing with formula is that your body won't get the message to produce more. I'd try to add pumping sessions wherever you can (after feeding, an hour after, at night, etc). Try pumping after you finish nursing and see if you get anything, then you can bottle feed what you got.

Hopefully if you pump a bunch your body will get the message and start producing more. It is hard work, good luck.

shermans

Thanks. I have been pumping after he eats and get only 1015... But it does add up I guess. I need to try to pump in between his eating but am concerned that what I get he won't get 1 hour later or whenever he decides to nurse.

ncbelle

Getting rid of the nipple shield will help - it can get in the way of a really good suck and breast stimulation.

How frequently is he nursing?

shermans

He is nursing.every 2-3 hours during the day, and was going 3-5.5 at night. But now I am setting.my alarm for pumping q2 if he is not awake, and figure I will make sure to wake him at least every 4 if not 3 at night while I am worried about him getting enough...