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Babies: 0 - 3 Months
low supply/pumping: How much is enough for health benifits.
I hope this post will stay flame free because it has been a very emotional experience for me. I tried breast feeding my son,but we quickly discovered I had a very low supply of milk and he dropped a lot of weight quickly. We tried lots of things I wont go into here, but it was eventually decided that we needed to switch to formula and I would pump. I pump several times a day and only get an ounce TOTAL for the day. Has anybody seen any research that says how much breast milk a baby needs to start to get some of the immunity benefits? I realize he will not get as much as if EBF, but I was of the thought "some is better than none." Lately I have been thinking if he is not getting any real benefits my time could be better spent with my son then pumping. I asked his pediatrician today and she pretty much thought it wasn't worth it because of how little he was getting. Has anybody seen anything that contradicts this? I want to make an informed decision before I stop pumping for good.
thank you!
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Re: low supply/pumping: How much is enough for health benifits.
I think any drop you can give him will benefit him. I had a hard time at the beginning too & I know how frustrating it is, and how much more frustrating it is when people are so critical of formula feeding. I mentioned this in another post but I was born in the 70s & my sister & I, and all of our cousins (28 of them) were bottle fed because that was the thing to do back then, & we all really did turn out fine!
You're doing your best & if breast feeding isn't working out, be grateful that formula is available. I would give him every drop you pump though, even if it's just an ounce. How long does it take you to get an ounce though?
I think I saw something one time about 50 mls being the minimum number (little over an oz), but the LC that I saw said every drop counts.
instead of pumping, could you possibly nurse? we still do one nursing session a day first thing in the morning. it isn't much, but I know DS gets more that way than if I pumped.
Any breastmilk is great! However, I agree that time is better spent with him than hooked up to a machine. If I were you, I'd nurse him as long as he'd like because he can get your milk better than a pump can. If he's still hungry after nursing, then give him some formula. I'd only use the pump when you're away from him.
Hope that helps!
No, I am not. I cant figure out how to juggle all the pumping sessions when I am home alone. Unless my son is asleep or content in his swing or bouncy chair I cant exactly pump. It is frustrating.
Good point, perhaps I will try to nurse morning and night before he gets his bottle.
I am/was in the exact same position as you -- only getting about 1-2 ounces max a day. What I started to do, and have to believe it is good for DS, is that I BF him in the morning and afternoon before his bottle. I do the afternoon rather than night so I can be sure he gets enough to eat (sometimes he tires out) but when I go back to work in Jan I will still try morning and then the early evening feeding.
At first, I was really down about my situation and even got some less than kind posts for being a formula feeder, but my body just wan't working. We're doing the best we can, and all we can!
I had a VERY similar situation and at my LO's 2 mo mark I quit. I pumped the first month and after I realized it was taking up way too much time that I could be spending w/ her I decided to just nurse w/ her in the morning and at night.
Good luck w/ whatever you decide!