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October 2011 Moms
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BFing issues...thinking about supplementing.
[Deleted User]
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DD gets two bottles of pumped milk a day, four days a week, while I'm at school. Lately, I haven't been able to keep up with her. She drinks 5-6 oz in a bottle and would drink more if I could pump it. I haven't been able to pump that in one sitting for the last few days, which I always could before.
Last evening, which is when I pump her second bottle for the following day, it took four hours of intermittent pumping (both sides until dry for a few minutes) to get five oz. So frustrating. This morning, when it's usually easy to get 6 oz in 15-20 minutes, it took me an hour to get 5 oz. Her diaper output has slowed down, but that happened weeks ago when my pumping output was still good.
I've been taking fenugreek, I have an oatmeal breakfast every morning, and I'm now drinking the tea. That's about all I have the patience for as far as increasing supply. I'm not even sure that I have a supply problem, or just a pumping problem.
I have no stash. I pump two bottles a day, and she drinks two a day.
Any ideas about why this might be happening, and so suddenly?
For now, I'm just going to keep pumping as long as I have to, because I haven't decided exactly what to do. I'm afraid it's going to kill my supply altogether, and I'm not ready to wean (emotionally or financially).
I'm afraid of what is going to happen tomorrow morning, though, and I can't spend four hours attached to the pump. Two things must happen: the baby has to eat, and I have to go to class. Blerg. I really wanted to avoid formula altogether, but even this time last week, I certainly expected to EBF for at least six months. So close. =/
Does anyone have some breast milk I can borrow? =(
Two questions:
1. If you supplement, has your supply otherwise been okay? Is it possible to just replace two feedings indefinitely and have your supply regulate to that demand, and otherwise be fine?
2. If I have to buy formula tomorrow morning, I have no idea what to buy. I'm on no diet restrictions and Tilly isn't allergic to anything that I know of. Are there any important differences between brands or between formulations that I should know about? What do you recommend?
This discussion has been closed.
Re: BFing issues...thinking about supplementing.
I'm not much help in the supply area, but about a month ago I started doing a combo formula/bm feeding at 11pm for primarily selfish reasons.
For me, it hasn't affected supply at all. I pump around 9pm if I haven't had more than two glasses of wine.
G wouldn't take a bottle of straight formula, so we did 1/3 formula, 2/3 bm and worked our way to now which is 6.5 oz formula, 1-1.5 bm. Any extra I pump, I freeze.
If you do this, there is no shame at all. You are awesome!
Oh, and I bought Nestl? good start with probiotics because I liked the colour of the can.
first off, hugs! you are doing a great job! I have read many places (and it's also been my experience) that most BF babies take about 4oz's per feeding...no matter what the age. our BM will change and become fattier the bigger the baby gets so that they are getting all they need w/out a large amount consumed. my girl is at least 18lbs and still take 3-4oz's when she gets a bottle when i'm at work. so, do you think whoever is feeding your DD is maybe overfeeding her? I know when my mom would babysit DS when he was little i would leave her w/ an extra bottle "in case" and when i got home she would have given him every last drop. he took it, but he didn't need it. she just loved to feed him! a lot of BF babies just love to comfort suck, esp. if your DD is missing you...this might be the case. she could certainly just be a hungry girl and need that much milk, but she might not.
I do think if you give formula for 2 feedings w/out pumping your supply will take a hit. have you had AF yet? my supply used to tank whenever it was on the way. w/ DS around 9 months it went way down for whatever reason and i got a script for Reglan, it did a great job of bringing my supply back around. GOOD LUCK!
oh, and i've heard from a lot of moms that generic formula (target/Bj's/cosco brand) is just as good. so, if you're going to switch you might as well save some cash!
Hmm. I have an older PIS that I got from a friend and a manual for when I pump at school. Good call, I should try the manual too. I usually do pretty well with it.
I haven't considered this, but I suppose I could be ovulating. No AF for me yet.
You're right. I have enough stress with school and life, EBF isn't a hill I need to die on. I'm still going to nurse as long as I have any supply and we both want to, but two bottles a day isn't going to ruin anything.
I'd offer your breast as often as you can so that she can demand more to tell your body to produce more.
Are you doing any massaging when you pump? I find that I can get a good bit more out if I massage while I pump (i think you can look for 'breast compressions' at Kelly mom)
If you could get any ahead it would really help. I don't know about Tilly but there are some days that I produce more than she eats, so any day that E eats more than I pump (today she ate 5.5 and I produced 4) it's no big deal. One way to build the freezer stash is to pump after you feed. This can tell your body to make more, too.
Keep up the good work! The major drawback to supplementing is that your baby will be full so they won't demand at the breast, which means your breasts won't know to make more.
That said, I really wouldn't be worried about it unless it continues for a while. She might be going through her 6 mo growth spurt and you just need to catch up
I had a moment like that a few weeks ago where I wasn't sure I was making enough because I felt so empty at night. A week or so of keeping at it and we were golden again.
So of course it's not evil or bad to supplement, just be aware of the slippery slope of supplementing to deal with supply problems.
Good luck!
Thanks guys! I have a feeling things will bounce back in a few days.
Mack: I'm studying interior design with a concentration in interior architecture. Provided I can find a job when I graduate, I'll probably look for one in commercial design.
Yeah I like office design. It sounds boring, but I love the puzzle of space planning.
That's awesome! I took an interior design class last year and even though I was terrible at it, it was so much fun. I am an apparel design/marketing major - probably going into corporate retail.
I didn't know that! I'll change mine tonight.
Wait a minute, I think we live in the same town...do we go to the same school, too?
recipe plz, kthx.
I agree with the bolded. While I had to give up BF due to production issues so I'm no help currently, I still think you've done an awesome job so far! Just keep up with what you can do and then supplement with whatever you need to. Perhaps you will pick back up what is needed, and if not, you can still supp. It's ok!
Congrats Starbuck :y & HHB on their sweet baby boys!
Lots of love & luck to Mdluv & Zook
IUI#4 = BFP!!
When the world says give up... hope whispers try it one more time
Seriously?
You said something the other day about "us Sacramento bushes" in reference to the razorclit post.
I go to Sac State.
HOLY CRAP! Me too! Don't you also have a 10/25 baby? This is creepy.
BFP #1 - 11/16/10 CP 12/1/10
Our team green turned into team pink!
BFP #2 17dpo - 47, 19dpo - 114 Chart
Yeah, I have a 10/25 baby. Too weird! What design class did you take?
I took fundamentals of int design at ARC ...but it doesn't transfer to my program apparently. So basically a superfluous design class that I sucked at. But it was still fun.
Twinsies! We should have lunch. And by lunch I mean wine.