Disappointed and discouraged! :-(

Kwest1007 · September 2015

LO was 6lbs, 6oz at birth and before coming home went down to 6lbs, 1oz. Last Friday (11 days old) I met with LC and she was up to 6lbs, 8oz (yay!). However, today she had her 2 week check up (17 days old) and she's only 6lbs, 10oz. That's only a 2oz gain, when doc wants to have seen at least 4-6oz gain. Doc is now concerned my supply isn't enough (she's EBF) so she has to go back Monday for a weight check. If she hasn't gained enough, I'm going to have to supplement with formula. I know this isn't the end of the world but her and I have been working so hard on BF (dealt w lots of pain, lots of baby sucking fatigue and extremely long feeding sessions). I thought we were making good progress this past week but seeing as she's now not getting what she needs, makes me feel like a failure. I went out and bought mother's milk tea and fenugreek (both recommended by peds and herbalist). I've also started pumping a lot more (over last several days, even before today's appt). Last week when I'd pump, I'd get just a few drops but last two days, I've been able to get 1-1.5oz total for the day (only pumping during day time). Doc said to continue pumping but feed her at night, what I pump during day (this is when she cluster feeds and is always so restless). Tonight was her first night w bottle of breast milk (only 1.5oz) but she's sleeping so soundly and even refused her binki! This makes me happy to see her content but also awful that she hasn't been getting what she needed. I feel really discouraged with BF. Any encouragement or suggestions?

Also, on top of that, they are now concerned about her jaundice.. I felt she was much more jaundice when she came home but doc at hospital said her coloring was great for a newborn when she was discharged. Doc today mentioned light therapy in the Nicu if it doesn't improve. :-(

melanier26 · September 2015

My LO was dehydrated at 3 days old and hospitalized for 5 nights. He was jaundiced and my milk hadn't come in yet so we had to supplement with formula. When we got home I continued doing that but started pumping after every feeding to build my supply up and started supplementing with pumped milk when possible and formula when I didn't have enough milk. Eventually that helped increase my supply and we are EBF now.

I know it's easy to get discouraged. I came so close to quitting BF so many times but have survived almost 8 weeks now! Just don't feel like a failure if you do have to supplement or switch to formula. Your baby will grow strong and healthy either way and that's what's important!

mariafordon · September 2015

I'm sorry you're going through this. I totally understand how hard it is to feel like your baby isn't getting everything they need especially when you're working so hard to give it to them.
LO weighed 7lbs 12 ounces at birth and lost a whole pound in the first 24 hours. I kind of suspect something was wrong with their measurements but regardless it made those first few days extremely stressful. She's doing well now and her most recent weight check was great but going home with discharge papers that said things like "failure to thrive" and "at risk for innefective breast feeding" was really difficult. Especially after having my birth plan go completely out the window.
Just know that if you have to supplement with formula it doesn't mean you're a failure and it doesn't mean you have to give up breast feeding all together. As much as everyone warns you that being a parent means things not always going according to plan it doesn't make it any easier. We just have to remember to be kind to ourselves and know that we're doing the right thing for our babies and our families.

2gr8pits · September 2015

I went thru weight checks with my daughter. 7 weeks later she is fine. I suggest you go to a breastfeeding support group/LLL meeting, etc. They will reassure you that you are doing it right.

Question, do you feed her prior to pumping?

You are doing an awesome job! Try not to let a dr defeat you, you are the mama, keep feeding on demand!

emmacake08 · September 2015

All is not lost! There are so many ways to troubleshoot this that don't involve formula and even if you did/have to, you can supplement a little bit and still nurse. I would meet with an LC and make a plan for what to do with all these variables. I'm guessing you could nurse every time and then pump after each session and "supplement" with your pumped BM. This is a guess as to what might be a solution since I'm not a LC. Try not to be discouraged! Everything could be fine, you may just need a tweak in how you do things until LO becomes bigger.

deviduke412 · September 2015

Your lo is above birth weight at 2 weeks, which is what they like to see, so not sure why they're concerned. My ds was 7.10 at birth, 6.15 when we came home, 7.2 at 4 days, 7.5 at 1 week weight check, and 7.11 at 2 weeks weight check. They were thrilled with this. Now he's 8.13 at 4.5 weeks. Don't get discouraged with supply questions. BF babies take a little longer to gain in the beginning. And he's gaining and going in right direction. About the jaundice, did they check his levels? Mine was on the low-middle spectrum when we left hospital and they checked at his first pedi appt. His levels dropped and they said they'd be at their peak at that point, so they'd start dropping from then on.

kettlekitten · September 2015

I sometimes think all
These weight checks are counterproductive... I know they're there for a reason but it really adds stress to new mothers who don't need extra anxiety. I remember an lc telling me 'this baby is failing to thrive' and I just cried and cried because I had been busting my butt to breastfeed her despite horrendous nipple pain. It was so, so defeating. However! I pushed on and she got bigger and bigger and is a super healthy toddler today.

You just need to get momentum going and it sounds like you're doing a stellar job at making that happen even if progress is slow. It's not the end of the world to supplement with formula (I'm doing it myself with this baby), it is only for a short while to get baby up and running. As LO gets bigger she will have the ability to suck more strongly and draw more milk so that hopefully you can get back to EBFing. Keep up the good work and don't feel at all bad for supplementing. Fattening that baby up is the most important thing for the moment!

Kwest1007 · September 2015

2gr8pits said:
I went thru weight checks with my daughter. 7 weeks later she is fine. I suggest you go to a breastfeeding support group/LLL meeting, etc. They will reassure you that you are doing it right.

Question, do you feed her prior to pumping?

You are doing an awesome job! Try not to let a dr defeat you, you are the mama, keep feeding on demand!

Yes I always feed her prior to pumping.

Kwest1007 · September 2015

deviduke412 said:
Your lo is above birth weight at 2 weeks, which is what they like to see, so not sure why they're concerned. My ds was 7.10 at birth, 6.15 when we came home, 7.2 at 4 days, 7.5 at 1 week weight check, and 7.11 at 2 weeks weight check. They were thrilled with this. Now he's 8.13 at 4.5 weeks. Don't get discouraged with supply questions. BF babies take a little longer to gain in the beginning. And he's gaining and going in right direction. About the jaundice, did they check his levels? Mine was on the low-middle spectrum when we left hospital and they checked at his first pedi appt. His levels dropped and they said they'd be at their peak at that point, so they'd start dropping from then on.

I thought we were doing good cause she was above BW after a week and a half! N no they never checked her levels because I thought there was a huge improvement. She said they'd look at it again when she's in on Mon.

Kwest1007 · September 2015

Thanks everyone for the support! I just need to reset my thinking and bring positivity back to the situation and hopefully with all I'm doing, she will be fine. Last night she did have a tough time eating tho. She had breast, 1.5oz of breast milk in bottle then breast again before bed. I woke her every 3hrs and felt our feed sessions were very limited (she was very sleepy). Hopefully they will get better as the day goes on.

WSatisfiedP · September 2015

Make sure they are measuring on the same scale every time. Every scale is calibrated differently and being off an oz or two is a lot for a little one

jessandandy09 · September 2015

at my one week appointment LO weighed 7 lbs 9oz. Her birth weight was 8lbs 7oz. My dr. wasn't concerned. He said this is very normal for bf'ing and to measure her success by output of wet diapers. hang in there momma, not all dr.s are bf friendly and it can be a hard journey to begin with. It will get better!

Saratiff · September 2015

I am EP right now until I get little ones tongue tie resolved. My lactation consultant recommended Motherslove More Milk special blend. As long as you are not hypothyroid it's safe to take ( as far as I know) I was able to find it at whole foods. I also make oatmeal for breakfast and add 1 tablespoon of Brewers yeast and flaxseed meal. I also made lactation cookies from Pinterest. Try to drink 1 L of water and make sure you are getting enough protein. All of these really helped my supply but I don't know what works the best as I have been doing all of it. I know it's hard and feels like a total uphill battle. One day at a time.

I also totally get the feeling like a failure as I can't breastfeed at this time and it totally breaks my heart. I hate pumping every two hours and wish i could just get her to latch. I just take it a day at a time. Hang in there. It will get easier. Or at least that is what I keep telling myself.

ChanelLovesB · September 2015

@Saratiff how is EPing going? How much are you producing ? I'm considering it as BF is becoming mentally taxing for me.

Saratiff · September 2015

Lol it's going! To be honest it is still mentally taxing. I obsess over how much I'm producing. Right now I'm getting 3oz every two hours. And she just ate through all my back ups so now I'm back to I pump and that's her next feed which stresses me out. I find it hard to mimic a cluster feed.

I also had to rent a hospital grade pump because the Medela pump in style that I got through insurance could not keep up with every two hours and was no extracting enough. So this pump is costing me
75 a month but it's worth it and still cheaper than formula.

I also find it hard because at the moment we are living with my inlaws so having to go in my room to pump for a half hour every two hours is extremely isolating. But if my house was finished I would pump in the living room. Sofie you that may be a non-issue. Also with the hospital pump you can't run it out of the car and is not very portable.

So I also don't know how your baby takes a bottle but mine will only take a bottle from me
A third of the time. So here here I am pumping almost six hours a day which is hard to do with her with me. Then I don't get to feed her because often times she won't take it from
Me so I feel like I really miss out on that bonding time and it truly breaks my heart.

I'm hoping to God when I get her tongue tie fixed we will be able to Breast feed again. But you have to do what is best for you.

kettlekitten · September 2015

@ChanelLovesB it's quite taxing doing the pumping thing too as saratiff said. I'm currently also using a rented hospital grade double pump which is not portable (didn't think my own pump was stimulating my supply enough), so it means even though it's quicker, I am pretty much disabled while I'm using it - it's awkward to hold both bottles with one hand to get the other hand free for starting and adjusting the pump and then holding my phone or cuppa!!

I have ordered a hands free bra but still waiting for it to arrive. I also have to put LO in the pram bassinet and rock it back and forth with my foot if he starts grizzling, or have to attempt to pick him up awkwardly and rock him on my knee. As for DD, I put the TV on for her but she usually wants to cuddle up to me and then I get irritable because I can't move my arm without elbowing her in the face. It's just not easy!! Other than all that fun stuff, it's working reasonably well.... On the plus side, other people can feed DS a bottle while I do something else, and the boobies get to rest a little bit!

hrthrncl · September 2015

I went through similar things with my LO. We supplemented with pumped milk for about a week then she was able to go back to being EBF. I didn't care as along as she was getting breast milk, I wasn't too concerned with the delivery system. However, I wanted to caution against using Mother's Milk if yiu have thyroid issues. It can actually decrease your supply! Check with your LC and OB before using.

Kwest1007 · September 2015

Saratiff said:
I am EP right now until I get little ones tongue tie resolved. My lactation consultant recommended Motherslove More Milk special blend. As long as you are not hypothyroid it's safe to take ( as far as I know) I was able to find it at whole foods. I also make oatmeal for breakfast and add 1 tablespoon of Brewers yeast and flaxseed meal. I also made lactation cookies from Pinterest. Try to drink 1 L of water and make sure you are getting enough protein. All of these really helped my supply but I don't know what works the best as I have been doing all of it. I know it's hard and feels like a total uphill battle. One day at a time.

I also totally get the feeling like a failure as I can't breastfeed at this time and it totally breaks my heart. I hate pumping every two hours and wish i could just get her to latch. I just take it a day at a time. Hang in there. It will get easier. Or at least that is what I keep telling myself.

Hm I started mother's milk tea but I have pregnancy induced hypothyroidism and I'm on medication for it.. I should prob ask my doc about this because I've been drinking a lot of it!!! Thx for pointing that out! I also started fenugreek.
Good luck with your LO and I hope it starts getting easier for you two! I'm trying my best to stay positive about it but I keep thinking how much easier formula would be!! :-/

Kwest1007 · September 2015

hrthrncl said:
I went through similar things with my LO. We supplemented with pumped milk for about a week then she was able to go back to being EBF. I didn't care as along as she was getting breast milk, I wasn't too concerned with the delivery system. However, I wanted to caution against using Mother's Milk if yiu have thyroid issues. It can actually decrease your supply! Check with your LC and OB before using.

Ahh again w the hypothyroidism! I wish the pediatrician mentioned this to me because I've been downing that stuff (which I hate the taste of!!) I go back to peds on mon and hoping to meet with LC again so I'll ask her! :-/

And also I am supplementing what I pump now but it's only an extra 1-1.5oz a day :-/

Kwest1007 · September 2015

Kwest1007 said:

Saratiff said:
I am EP right now until I get little ones tongue tie resolved. My lactation consultant recommended Motherslove More Milk special blend. As long as you are not hypothyroid it's safe to take ( as far as I know) I was able to find it at whole foods. I also make oatmeal for breakfast and add 1 tablespoon of Brewers yeast and flaxseed meal. I also made lactation cookies from Pinterest. Try to drink 1 L of water and make sure you are getting enough protein. All of these really helped my supply but I don't know what works the best as I have been doing all of it. I know it's hard and feels like a total uphill battle. One day at a time.

I also totally get the feeling like a failure as I can't breastfeed at this time and it totally breaks my heart. I hate pumping every two hours and wish i could just get her to latch. I just take it a day at a time. Hang in there. It will get easier. Or at least that is what I keep telling myself.
Hm I started mother's milk tea but I have pregnancy induced hypothyroidism and I'm on medication for it.. I should prob ask my doc about this because I've been drinking a lot of it!!! Thx for pointing that out! I also started fenugreek.
Good luck with your LO and I hope it starts getting easier for you two! I'm trying my best to stay positive about it but I keep thinking how much easier formula would be!! :-/

Also! Thx for mentioning protein! I eat basically a vegetarian diet so I do need to be more conscious about my protein!

irohspupil · September 2015

Fenugreek helped my supply a little bit, but it made both me and LO very gassy. Just putting that out there in case you notice your LO having some gas problems and you're taking fenugreek

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