At a loss at what to do- I don't want to give up breastfeeding

JenH1119 · December 2014

Hi everyone,
I am going to try to keep this short but include as much backstory as I think is necessary.

My son is 3 weeks old on Wednesday and I was EBF until his first dr appt when he was 5 days old. He went from 7lbs 12oz birthweight to 7lbs4oz and a slight case of jaundice. The dr advised us to BF, supplement and then pump because she didn't like how low his weight got and said it was because I have a low supply.

I'm alone for much of the day and it takes so long to do all three. But I have been trying my best to keep up with it all. I do a paced bottle feed, and he usually goes anywhere from just a couple of sips after eating to a full 2 ounces. I just feel so defeated when he takes the whole two ounces knowing he didn't get much of anything from me and he was just starving.
If I don't feed him the supplement, he just screams and cries until I give in (I try other forms of soothing first- pacifier, swaddle, wearing him, anything. It's most definitely a hunger cry).

I take fenugreek, drink mother's milk tea, eat oatmeal everyday and homemade granola bars everyday. Every time I pump, I get either little squirts that don't even yield a half ounce or at most an ounce and a half (after 20 min of pumping).

If I don't feed him from the breast I still only get about 2 ounces or so.

Is there anything else I can do to up my supply? What am I doing wrong? I have seen 3 different lactation consultants and all three say that his latch is perfect.

I am so sorry this is long. There are so many questions and I just don't know what to do anymore. The hardest part is feeding him for a half hour-45 minutes and then five minutes later he is screaming because he is hungry. I'm losing to the bottle and its so frustrating. If you read this all, thank you, any advice would be appreciated.

JenH1119 · December 2014

Also, his weight as of Friday 11/28, he was 8lbs4oz. We managed to get a full day where he only needed formula three times the day before but since have not been able to go less than every other feeding. And lately every feeding

RayRay007 · December 2014

I don't know if I have any specific advice, but I seem to recall there is a 3 week growth spurt? I'd keep putting LO to the breast. That will help your supply. And you may not have to supplement given lo's weight, just give him more boob. Good luck and hang in there!

JenH1119 · December 2014

Thanks so much for the advice so far. I do keep him upright when I feed from the bottle, we use avent naturals bottles with the 1 nipple. I looked for slower one but couldn't find it. I usually try to pull back with the bottle so he has to work a little bit more to drink from it. The very first feed of the morning he typically doesn't need a bottle after, sometimes the second feed can go without, then as the day goes on he takes more from the bottle. He eats every two hours on his own, I don't wake him. At night he is closer to three. My biggest fear is that he will not take the breast at all.

So far, he still loves to breast feed and we still go 30-45 minutes, from both breasts. I didn't think his weight loss was bad at all, when we left the hospital they even mentioned how he didn't lose really much at all and that we were doing a good job.

The lactation consultant at the pediatrician mentioned that she wanted me to keep the feeds short (10-15 min a side) because she said he is burning more calories than he was taking in- I had been feeding him on demand and she said he was at the breast for too long. So that's all I keep hearing in my head. Once he reaches the 45min mark (roughly- if he is actively drinking and swallowing I don't pull him off the breast) I will wait, but I think he will never feel as full as he does with the bottle. And I'm nervous about overfeeding him since I don't really know what he is getting at the breast.
I will definitely try a weighted feed.

mshukh · December 2014

I always cringe when a mom is advised to limit baby's time at the breast especially this early on and without real medical reason (the reason sited sounds very odd). I think Amy gave great advice. I think you just need to get through this hump and try to not give in to formula but provide breast insetad. Just nurse, nurse, nurse. It may take a few days but your body should respond by producing more. If you keep providing formula, it's going to be harder and harder to catch up and avoid bottle preference possibly.

eggmankate · December 2014

Honestly, I don't see anything wrong and think you are doing everything "right". I am no expert, but I don't think your Pedi is giving you good advice.

I agree with PPers, the best way to get a supply boost is to nurse nurse nurse

JenH1119 · December 2014

So the hardest thing about it is when I finally give in to the bottle and give him some formula he sucks on that thing like he hasn't eaten for days. He is screaming for food and I feel so terrible as if I've been starving him. If I supplement each feeding he stays on an every two hour schedule and is content all day. So hard to break this. I did make an appt for a home visit and she will be coming tomorrow. Thanks for the all advice

surpriseaddition · December 2014

Three weeks is a classic growth spurt. I had 2 LOs who lost more than a pound by day 5 (they were both 9lbs+), and were successfully EBF. Since your LO is over birth weight, I would just nurse all day....or until your boobs just can't take it anymore. Try to wean off the formula, making an effort to give a little less each day. Slowly cutting back on formula while putting baby to breast more often should help build supply. With #3, LO lost 12% body weight, and I was struggling keeping up with her. I did use some formula to supplement, but was back to 100% EBF by 6 weeks. I just wanted to let you know I was able to get off formula, to give you some hope that it is possible. GL!

eggmankate · December 2014

Happyin14 said:

I know it can seem like your LO is starving but you won't let that happen. Baby will get hungry again quickly but you will just feed again. If you have to keep nursing every hour, so be it, right? The supply will benefit from that. And you can decrease the formula. It's a very tough couple of days - don't misunderstand me. But it can get better. But during a growth spurt, you would spend the day on the couch nursing even if your supply was fine. Also, you will find a ton of stories here of moms who had to supplement and moved off of it. Or who started off rough and are going strong at a year - even if that means a bottle of formula a day or whatever. Hang in there, you are doing really well!!

I second this! What you are experiencing is so incredibly normal and exactly what I expect from a newborn. Frequent feedings and crying of "hunger" is how your baby signals to your body to make more milk...it's what helps establish your supply and then regulate it. Babies can devour those bottles because the milk flows so fast through the nipple and they don't have to work hard for it like they do with nursing. Hugs, mama!

JenH1119 · December 2014

Thanks for the awesome advice! I'm glad to know we can still overcome this

JenH1119 · December 2014

Thank you, the lactation consultant will be coming to my house between 2:30 and 3. Hopefully we can see how much he really is eating and figure out a plan. You are all so helpful!

Richardsmom_817 · December 2014

It sounds like you're doing a great job! Your baby didn't lose a whole lot of weight to supplement in formula I don't think..my son was 8.2 & dropped down to 7.7. So quite a bit...it took him 3 whole weeks to gain it back, it was very frustrating....he FINALLY did....it's been upward ever since....and quickly!

Everything you are saying about feeling like you aren't giving your baby enough/they are starving is everything I said in the beginning (my son is 7 wks & it's been a challenge!) I now know he is getting enough due to his weight gain..he was 9.3 at a month & 2 weeks later is 10.11! I won't lie, I supplement 1 bottle of formula per day, that started at 3 wks old....I don't think it's hurt my supply, but I wouldn't want to give in to any more than 1 bottle of formula per day....the pp's are right, just keep on feeding him at the breast as much as possible....your body will make more....just keep doing what you're doing, it will work out.

Richardsmom_817 · December 2014

3 wks was def the hardest week I thought....

JenH1119 · December 2014

The lactation consultant was at my house for over two hours which was amazing. Unfortunately for that feed he only consumed 1/2 ounce from me in 30 minutes. So I do have a pretty low supply. She offered me a commercial grade pump which I am now renting. I power pumped last night, and pumped after every feed (including the one while she was here and again only pumped about 1/2 ounce).
Liam is still getting supplemented after each feeding, however I am starting to see a bit more milk by this morning with this morning's pump. I'm going to do another power pump today. Thankfully I have nipples of steel apparently because they aren't really hurting that much yet from all this extra stimulation!
She also suggested I call my midwife for a prescription of reglan and to also combine the fenugreek I am taking with blessed thistle.
I'm trying everything!

RayRay007 · December 2014

Sounds like you had a good appt in that you came up with a plan- good luck!

JenH1119 · December 2014

Thank you!

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