Breast feeding and pumping And formula

Re: Breast feeding and pumping And formula

• mdaugherty8 member

  June 2015

  Trying to get your baby to breast feed can be a challenge. If it's something you truly want to do, give it every effort you've got and be patient! Try not to give up quickly even though it can be so discouraging. If it just isn't an option, you can strictly pump. My baby wouldn't latch so I exclusively pump. It is very hard and exhausting, but worth it for our beautiful babies. If you want to pump rather than do strictly formula, look in these forums and online for ways to increase your supply. Here are some suggestions:
  Pump often! (Most do every 3-4 hours)
  Power pump (pump for one hour)
  Stay hydrated
  Try to de-stress
  Pump right after a shower
  Look at pics of your baby or listen to your babies cry (recorded) while you pump
  There are also meds you can take to increase supply.
  
  Hope that helps!

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• bee19831 member

  June 2015

  Thank you , he does feed for a little bit , then he gets so angry and isn't satisfied , he can fed up to half hour , then still need formula. I pump if he doesn't breast feed at all . I really want to Breast feed , I will try to up my supply

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• roxybsktbll member

  June 2015

  I have had a lot of success with fenugreek. I am exclusiveky pumping also. Pump doesn't empty the same as baby so I end up having to use fenugreek about biweekly

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• ldmw member

  June 2015

  I'm 4wpp and for the first two weeks I breastfeed then fed formula bottle supplement and then pumped. It was physically and emotionally exhausting. For the last two weeks I've been pumping and bottle feeding (dropped nursing) and its been wonderful for me. I struggle with low milk supply, so nursing didn't work. I hope to one day try again once/if my supply issues are resolved. What I would recommend to you is to decide what you want. Do you want to keep nursing? Do you want your baby to eat breastmilk but don't care if it's from breast directly or bottle? I would also recommend seeing a lactation consultant. To increase your milk supply, there is a lot you can try. There are foods (oatmeal, lactation cookies, almonds, etc), drinks (hoppy beer, lactation smoothie, mothers milk tea, Gatorade), and then there are other things to try like skin-to-skin, power pumping, supplements like fenugreek, relaxation, and acupuncture.

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• emaddock member

  June 2015

  I was always told that you should be the one to just breastfeed and get your partner/someone else to give the baby bottles. That way they learn that the breast milk comes from you and the bottles come from someone else. I hope that helps!

  

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• knwilliams01 member

  June 2015

  I had the same situation with low milk supply. I decided for my sanity that during the day I pump and feed LO pumped milk and formula. At night I breastfeed (it's easier to just pull out the breast) and supplement with formula.

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• ElleMF728 member

  June 2015

  I had a low supply.  Fenugreek greatly increased my milk, I've also heard lactation cookies can help to increase supply as well.  

  
  

  As PP suggested power pumping can help.  Baby is more efficient than the pump though so my lactation consultant had me nurse DS on each side, then supplement with formula if he was still hungry.  I also pumped for 10 minutes on each side when he finished eating.  

  
  

  It can be a lot of work do you have a supportive partner who can supplement and rock LO to sleep while you pump?  I noticed a big increase in my supply when I started doing these things but had difficultly maintaining it when DH had to leave to work out of town.  Make sure you are getting enough rest and eating enough calories as well.  I know this is easier said than done.  

  

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