I need help with BF PLEASE!!!!!!

nessamestreet · April 2009

Ok so DD is 2 weeks old. The Hospital screwed up BF for me by giving her Formula and so she has not been latching on. I have been pumping and supplementing because I can only pump 1/2 oz of BM every 2 hours. I have done everything the nurses have told me to try and nothing is working. Is there anything else I can do to bring up my milk supply!!! The told me to try and pump every hour and well that got me no where and then they said to try hot compresses and that got me no where! What else can I do I wanna get rid of this formula and just give her pumped breast milk. She eats 3oz at a time so she only gets a little Bm because I am not producing any!! PLEASE HELP ME!!!!

jendb · April 2009

Have u tried a nipple sheild to BF? I make these cookies they help with my supply.and i drink a special tea that is for supply.

https://www.recipezaar.com/Oatmeal-Chocolate-Chip-Lactation-Cookies-by-Noel-Trujillo-192346

nessamestreet · April 2009

oh yeah the 1/2 oz is total from both breast!

GoBadgers · April 2009

Keep working with your LCs to teach baby to latch properly. Go every day if you have to. If you don't like one LC go to another... I've seen 10 different LCs, and they are all a bit different. Some were good, some not so good. I got my milk supply up by using the supplemental nursing system so at least my dd was at breast. Also, fenugreek, domperidome (sp?) reglan are all options.

Good Luck

JLS0320 · April 2009

I take Fenugreek and Blessed Thistle they are herbal and can be found at vitamin stores. Seems to have helped me, GL!

allie_wang · April 2009

First - take a deep breath - it's going to be OK. ?If you had a c-section, your milk might just be coming in now. ?Mine took a little over 2 weeks to show up. ?Even if you didn't have a c-section, there could be other reasons why your milk is not in yet, and the problem can likely still be fixed this early in the game.

Second - pump at least 8 times a day. ?Ten, if you can handle it. ?Don't despair if you keep getting tiny amounts - that will change very soon. ?I didn't start pumping religiously until 2 weeks after DD was born (I did pump some, just not the required 8 -10 times per day).

?Third - get to a LC as fast as you can. ?Call La Leche League if you can't get to an LC. ?The LC will help you and will tell you what herbs to take to help your supply. ?I took More Milk Plus, then mixed my own blend of fennugreek and goat's rue. ?(FYI - the herbs can sometimes make your LO gassy.) ?Not al LC's are created equal, though. ?If you don't like the one you meet, find another one.

Fourth - get the baby on the breast as much as possible. ?You should pump right after the feed, if possible, to tell your breasts to make more milk.

Last - don't despair. ?I remember being so desperate and worried when I came home from the hospital. ?No one told me my milk might not come in for such a long time. ?We also had the baby on formula. ?And, I ended up exclusively pumping for TWO MONTHS before I got DD on the breast. I used the Breastflow bottle, and DD had no problem switching over when the time came. ?If I can be of any help to you, just let me know. ?I've been there.

mominatrix · April 2009

the PP's suggestions are all great...

here are my 2 cents...

I'd call LLL for help and support... you can call them in the middle of the night and they'll find somebody to talk you through it... really.

also...

google "baby led latch"... You may want to find somebody who can help you do it, but the baby led latch is pretty amazing at getting babes who haven't been nursing, latching, or doing either all that well, on the breast efficiently... it really is just letting them do what they do!

good luck!

foreverMorgan · April 2009

I had the same thing happen - the hospital gave DD formula and told me I needed to supplement and it messed things up. My pediatrician actually helped develop a plan to get DD off the supplement. I took a lot of herbal supplements (Fenugreek pills, Blessed Thistle, Nursing Woman's Tea) and pumped as much as I could - I could NOT handle pumping every 2 hours, especially since, like you, I only got about 1/2 ounce TOTAL every time. Instead, I put DD to the breast frequently and let her do the best she could and pumped about 4 times a day.

Even though we were able to stop supplementing after 2 weeks, it took us until she was 4 weeks before she really "got" nursing. I've noticed an increase in supply even though I've decreased the amount of supplements I was taking.

I know how stressful and upsetting nursing can be. If you are really committed to it don't get discouraged. Contact a LC, LLL, or even your pediatrician if they are pro-breastfeeding - having that support will really help. Hang in there!

kel716 · April 2009

Get with an LC to work on the latching. I think a nipple shield may help you a lot. They sell them at Target and they're like $5. If you go to an LC, they'll probably give you 1 or 2.

While pumping, try massage/compression. Here's a video: https://newborns.stanford.edu/Breastfeeding/MaxProduction.html

There's a lot of other good information on that site- check it out.

RELAX. Your supply has a ways to go before it's established. If you aren't BFing, you need to pump every 2-3 hours at a minimum. Drink lots of water, make sure you're eating enough (remember, BM is 20 cals... and you burn them when you BF/pump), and make sure your diet includes a good amount of protein.

Congrats on the LO, and good luck!!!

TexasLadyBug · April 2009

I have been going through something very similar. I have been giving him bottles of BM and formula for about a month. I wanted to get him back to BF but I was afraid my supply was to low. When I would pump every two hours I was only getting maybe a 1oz total on a good day.?

I started taking Feungreek 3pills 3x a day and two weeks again I contacted a LC to help me. I have been putting my DS to the breast when ever I can before his eating time. He is not getting much maybe an 1oz out of me and then I usually pump another oz so he still has some he needs to work out of me. Just the two times yesterday I had him on my breast for 20min total I think uped my supply.

I pumped this morning just like every other morning where I get maybe 1 1/2 to 2oz. Well I got 3oz this morning I was shocked and so very happy. I still have a ton of work but my advice would be to contact a LC and see if you can get your LO back on your breast. Your LO can get your supply going better then a pump.

Good Luck?

little__bit · April 2009

Ditto all the PPs...

Keep going back to the LC. If one isn't helping, find a new one. I'm on Fenugreek, which is helping, and I drink all the water I can stand. Keep pumping as often as possible. And def. try a nipple shield.

You can make it work.