supplementing
trudibell
member
I initially wanted to EBF but unfortunately the breast reduction when I was a teenager has put an end to that. My son lost over a pound in his first week and we have since started supplementing with formula.
I am trying to keep up my supply and stick with as much breastfeeding as possible, but it's getting more and more difficult. He'll nurse for 20-30 minutes, and then it's a crapshoot of how much formula he'll take afterwards, anywhere from 1-4 oz at a time, and this ends up taking another 20-30 minutes. By the time the whole song and dance is over it's time to feed again and I am getting exhausted. I am trying to pump 4-5x a day for 20 minute increments, but it's difficult as well and the most I have gotten from pumping as a daily total is 4.5 ounces. I'm taking fennugreek, abstaining from alcohol/caffeine, and taking mother's milk tea.
Am I wasting my time even trying to BF? I went to a lactation support group the other day and women said they could pump 10 oz at a time and had oversupply issues. I've also read that supplementing with a formula bottle will decrease your supply, so are the odds just stacked against us? What would you do? My current plan is to give it another 2-4 weeks and if I'm not producing more, or if he starts demanding more and more formula to throw in the towel, but it makes me feel guilty. Once I'm back at work though I'm not sure I can keep up with all the feeding demands!
Re: supplementing
I don't know if you are wasting your time, but you have to weight how much sanity you are willing to sacrifice. Please don't feel guilty. You are giving it your best shot and trying, but from my personal experience, there is no sense in driving yourself into the ground fighting an uphill battle. It doesn't mean you didn't do your best. It means the opposite.
I kept fighting the BF battle last time until I was a wreck. I wouldn't recommend it. If you want to give it another 4 weeks then do that, but don't make yourself a wreck over it.
BF is awesome until it starts to make you feel like a nutjob.
LFAF Summer 2016 Awards:
This exactly!! I was feeling like a nutjob and starting to resent feeding my LO because I was EP...DD was tongue-tied but not enough to need it to be clipped. So, I'd feed her, pump, clean bottles and pump parts and by the time I was done with that it was time to feed again. I never slept or ate. As my husband said to me which really hit home...a happy mom is more important than providing breast milk. I'm a better mom now and DD is more satisfied...especially since we realized she does better on soy formula.
Good luck with your decision. If you decide to go exclusively to formula, don't beat yourself up over it!!!
This was me with DS1. I think I had mastitis a total of six times over the 10 weeks I pumped and nursed. Awful. DH told me the same as PP, that my health was important, too and babies who are FF turn out just fine. Soy worked best with us, as well. Plus, if you're too stressed, you're not going to make much milk. I'm hoping this time is better, but I also know that DS2 will be just fine if I have to quit the BF. enjoy that baby!
I got the brewersnutritional yeast and flaxseed meal at whole foods. If you don't have time to make them you can order then online. Just Google it. I eat about 45 a day and it has helped a lot. If you are exhausted and you feel that you are missing out on quality time with your LO, all the work to increase your supply may not be worth it. Don't feel guilty! FF babies do just as well as BF babies. Good Luck!
I had to supplement but I was working closely with a location consultant and our pediatrician at the time. We would do weighed feeds and then supplement only as needed. 4oz sounds like a lot depending on the age of your babe.
I agree with PP nurse nurse nurse. Stay over hydrated and make sure to eat at least 1500 healthy calories a day. When I was working on supply building I also pumped after every feeding for ten "dry" minutes. It was mentally and physically draining but in the end totally worth it. I nursed, supplemented and pumped round the clock from weeks 2 to 5 and then each day she would get more and more from me. By week 7 we no longer had to supplement and now I only pump once a day. We still struggled a little for another week or so but by week 9 everything turned around and nursing actually became a joy.
Post over onthe Bf board too As they are super helpful and supportive.
EDT. If you are nursing all day pumping 4oz is really good.
You really should see a LC 1:1. My baby was a preemie and had trouble feeding so for the first six weeks I went through the "pumping hell". She transitioned from only bottle, to breast and bottle, to breast. For a while I was nursing her for twenty minutes and then following up with a bottle. My ped and LC said to stop at a certain point because it would just make her hold on for the bottle (and just use my nipple as a pacifier). Is it possible that is what is going on? Don't make yourself crazy, but do give yourself goals and work with a professional.
By the way, you mentioned he lost 1 lb in the first week. Do you mean in the first week of life, because weight loss is typical. Also, if you go to a LC, they will weigh the baby before and after feedings to see what he is getting. Good luck!
I feel for you.
My baby is 8 days old and before leaving the hospital on day 4 she had already lost 9% of her body weight so we started supplemented with formula and she gained 8 oz overnight. I have been feeding her round the clock, pumping, and taking fenugreek to get my supply up. When she seems like she is still hungry we supplement with formula but it really bothers me when we do. I'd like to get enough supply up to be able to EBF. She goes in for another weight check on Monday. I plan to ask if we can weigh before and after she breast feeds to see how much she is getting. It is so hard to tell. I'll check out those cookies..