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May 2014 Moms
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Visitor from August 2014 board-BF question

bumpuser10183613bumpuser10183613 member
in May 2014 Moms
Im still in my 2nd week of bf (DD was in. NICU where she was fed through IV and eventually through pimped milk for the first 2 weeks). I'm currently supplementing her feedings because my supply is low. A friend of mine told me that most bf issues (including supply) get sorted out by the third month. Just wanted to see if that holds true for you ladies in your 3rd month. Any advice is greatly appreciated.
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Re: Visitor from August 2014 board-BF question

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  • waldothewiener1waldothewiener1 member
    You are literally in the midst of the hardest times when it comes to BFing (at least how it was for me). Education was key for me, if I didn't do my fair share of googling and reading id have been subjected to bad suggestions from my mom and MIL who thought he was nursing too much and wasn't getting enough. Not true! Reading threads on the BF board was very helpful and knowing that him being attached to my boob every hour was totally normal. This definitely kept my confidence up. Now we're at 3.5 months and my supply is normal and he seems content after feedings. Good luck and always always ask questions if you're feeling unsure :)
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  • Nikkipal82Nikkipal82 member
    Sorry you're struggling, mama! I would agree with what PPs have said, and I would also encourage you, if possible, to get to a BF support group. I go to LLLI meetings every week, and it is so great to connect IRL with women who understand what I'm going through. Here's a link to find a meeting near you: https://www.llli.org/webindex.html . I would also say that some women freak out when their breasts get soft in the beginning, because it seems like they are empty and running out of milk, but it is actually often a sign that your milk is regulating to your baby's needs. This may or may not be the case for you, obviously. Good luck, and hang in there. 

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  • bumpuser10183613bumpuser10183613 member
    Thank you so much for the advice and words of encouragement. It really helps! I was of the mindset that since she's hungry all the time, I was not producing enough. I guess I was comparing to when she was supplementing and sleeping for extended periods of time. I will say, today she's actually showing signs of getting used to BF (ie, opening up to bf rather than fighting me tooth and nail!). Good to know a level of consistency eventually happens around 3 months(for most)...so Im going to do my best to make it that far! Hopefully, I'm just paranoid about my supply and that it's enough for DD. Thanks again. I was beginning to doubt myself, but feel much better after reaching out to you mommies!
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  • KBowen715KBowen715 member
    LunaBug924 said:

    I definitely agree that by 12 weeks things seemed to click. Although I know some women here are still struggling (sorry, probably not what you want to hear).

    The best advice I can give is to nurse as often as possible (at least every 3 hours during the day, 4 at night). Hang out skin-to-skin as much as possible, and whenever you supplement you need to pump so that your body gets the message to make more milk. I've read suggestions about renting a hospital grade pump in these situations because they are better at helping to maintain your supply.

    Also, don't assume that if baby seems constantly hungry that you're not producing enough. It's common for them to constantly eat at this age, and you've got some big growth spurts coming up! But to re-iterate, you need to pump when any bottle is offered, even if you just nursed.

    Lastly, make sure you are taking care of yourself, staying hydrated, and eating enough calories. I'm sure having your LO in the NICU was stressful, and having a newborn takes it's toll regardless of any other concerns. But you're doing great, mama! Congrats on your LO and good luck to you!

    This! My oldest two I only bf for two months because I gave up. I'm 17 weeks in now, and it just became soooo much easier. Nurse frequently to up your supply. You're almost there!
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  • delatldelatl member
    It got so much better for me. I hated if in the beginning. She wasn't gaining enough so I pumped after every feed and gave her the additional oz at the next feed. Did that for about 3 weeks. I had thrush twice. Terrible nipple pain. Then around 9 weeks, everything got better. Now I am almost always pain free, she nurses for just about 10 minutes at a time (instead of over an hour) and I'm able to pump enough at work to match her. So what they say is true, at least for me. Now I'm so glad I stuck with it, even though I totally get why some women have to stop and the most important thing is that your baby is fed.
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  • apinkpelicanapinkpelican member
    It is soooooo hard in the beginning! All great advice so far. The following things helped me most
    - see a LC
    - do weighted feeds and weigh DD each week. This will give you the confidence that DD is gaining or it will confirm if not
    - join a BF group ( I went only for 3 weeks but it was in the hardest part and helped so much to connect w other new BF moms
    - feed often and pump!
    Also remember babies are hungry. All. The. Time. Every two hours is normal and there will even be nights of cluster feeding where it is more frequent. It doesn't always mean your supply is low. Check out Kellymom like PP mentioned.
    Good luck! Don't quit on a bad day is something I've heard a lot on here which has helped me get through some rough times with it.
    Congrats on your baby girl!!
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  • MerryLoveMerryLove member
    Breastfeeding can be hard because you don't know how much your baby is actually eating and it's easy to worry that they aren't getting enough, but remember to pay attention to her output and you will know if she is being sufficiently fed. At her age, if she is giving you at least 6 wet diapers per day and at least 3 poops, then she is getting enough. https://kellymom.com/bf/got-milk/supply-worries/enough-milk/
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