LP: Low milk supply & jaundice baby...

Re: LP: Low milk supply & jaundice baby...

• jwebbbber45678 member

  September 2015

  My baby had low blood sugar at birth and the hospital pediatricians and nurses brought formula for me to supplement because I wasn't producing enough to elevate his levels. They told me to continue supplementing at home if he still seemed hungry after a breastfeeding. So yes, absolutely give your child formula! Gaining weight and filing up is important! You could also check out free lactation groups in your community. A lactation nurse will weigh your baby, have you breastfeed, and then weigh the baby again to let you know how much food the baby is getting and whether or not supplementation is necessary. I was so afraid I wasnt producing enough but found out from a lactation group weighing session that I was. Every now and then he still gets a bottle of formula though, like at two in the morning from dad so I can actually sleep a bit! Just keep breastfeeding and/or pumping every 2-3 hours to build your supply and use formula to keep baby happy until you produce enough.

  Report3 Reply
• Loading the player...
• awells189 member

  September 2015

  Just remember how small their little tummies are when they're brand new. They're not going to need as much at 1 week vs. 1 month. That being said, do what's right for you! If that means supplementing with formula, do it and don't feel bad. You're following your mommy instincts and that's what's right.
  
  (If you do want to keep BF'ing just make sure you give baby plenty of opportunities at the breast to build your supply)

  Report0 Reply
• babs02 member

  September 2015

  LO was born 9/9 he latched on well but would just fall asleep at the boob. His first Drs appt on 9/11 they said he looked a little jaundice and lost some weight and said I might have to supplement, they ran some test and said we wouldn't have to supplement but had to come in for a weight check on 9/14. Well on 9/12 I started worrying because he wasn't peeing much and still wasn't nursing a whole lot. By that night my boobs hurt so bad and I was so worried about not knowing how much he ate so I broke down and pumped. In the beginning it wasn't a whole lot. Maybe .5oz per boob. But like a PP said their tummys are really small at that point. Ever since then I've been exclusively pumping. Even now I have good pumps and bad. I get anywhere between 2oz and almost 6oz per session. He was so much better by his weight check. I did also supplement formula one night when I didn't pump a whole lot. Another thing I didn't know is you can mix formula and breast milk.

  Report0 Reply
• ForeverEverAfter member

  September 2015

  Their tummies are really small the first week, so 1.5oz is good! If you want to continue BFing, see a lactation consultant as soon as possible. If you're worried about bottle preference, they can help you use an SNS (supplemental nursing system). Supplementing isn't normally necessary (colostrum is very filling, they just have to eat frequently), but with jaundice it can be-it'll go away faster with more output. That's something to discuss with a LC or your pedi.

  image.jpg 206.9K

  

  Report1 Reply
• MusicEBA22 member

  September 2015

  We had to switch to solely formula for a couple days after we got home from the hospital because my nipples had scabbed over from being so cracked and bloody. I started pumping fairly religiously during the day while dad fed our LO formula from the bottle. Once my nipples healed, I started making colostrum again and now I've got mature milk. LO and I are also able to breastfeed (with a shield). Don't loose hope. Try to have your partner do all of the bottle feedings so LO learns that you are breast only. And some babies have no problems switching back and forth. Since I use the nipple shield, our LO usually had a little confusion, but she quickly figures it out. Good luck and don't stop pumping!!! It'll get better.

  Report0 Reply
• Boobopgirl member

  September 2015

  With jaundice, I would absolutely supplement and keep pumping.  I really didn't want to with DD, but getting that level down is important.  The longer it stays elevated, the more sleepy they are and the less they want to nurse (which makes the levels go back up because they aren't eating/pooping enough to clear the bilirubin).  Also, your supply will suffer because a sleepy baby doesn't suckle as well.
  
  Even nipple confusion you can fight your way back from, but you have to get the jaundice levels down or it will compound your frustrations and struggles.  

  

  Report0 Reply
• GoodyCobb member

  September 2015

  My baby had jaundice too, if you're not doing this already, put your baby in indirect sunlight in front of a window. It's supposed to help as well! Good luck!

  Report0 Reply
• KanishaT member

  September 2015

  Jaundice is very common in newborns! Don't be alarmed. My pediatrician told me that sunlight (indirect, like sitting next to a window) and breast milk are very helpful in getting rid of it. My son is 12 days old, he had a moderate amount of jaundice and it's gone now(: I also got mastitis, so it was very hard to express my milk. I was told to continue with pumping/nursing often, but if I needed to supplement to help fill LO's tummy then it's okay. I'm a FTM so I felt awful that my body isn't producing properly, but my mastitis is subsiding and I'm starting to produce again so be patient (:

  Report1 Reply
• cmlsu member

  September 2015

  You will not be and are not "a bad mom" for wanting to make sure your baby is fed. I kind of hate all the formula shaming that goes on. If it will give you peace of mind to supplement, do it. Trust your instincts and don't for one second think you have failed, you are bad, it is your fault. As long as you take care of baby and yourself, you are succeeding. Reach out for help from professionals and do what you need to do for you and your little one.

  Report0 Reply
• Erinelaina member

  September 2015

  We had pretty much this same issue! Our hospital has a lactation consultant and if you can find one in your community, I highly recommend setting an sppointment up! She had us supplement 10-15 ml after each feeding. If I could pump and get enough, we gave him that. If not, we gave him formula. It helped immensely for 2-3 days until he seemed to not be as interested, likely because my milk was coming in better. But the key was we gave it to him with a syringe so we avoided the whole nipple confusion thing.
  
  She also had me start taking herbs: blessed thistle and fenugreek. That's helped my milk supply too!

  Report0 Reply
• egarci04 member

  September 2015

  Hi! What ever you do don't give up. I had my baby girl at 39 weeks which was two weeks ago. My nipples were so sore couldn't not get a proper latch and my milk supply was low. Plus she weight 4 lbs 9 oz at birth and her weight quickly declined to 4 lb 3 oz. doctors said her sugar and temps were to low and recommended formula. I was so sad and upset. I called a lactation nurse to help me and she was a god send! She stayed in the room with me till baby got a proper latch, gave sound advice to not giving up on breast feeding. And said it was ok to also add formula as well. Use lanoline for your nipples definitely helps. I know it's not easy not to stress. But don't. If you stress and not eat properly your body can sense it there for your milk supply may be down. Your baby can also sense when your stressed or any other emotion you happen to display. It is your choice what you want to do, it's ok to supplement your breast milk for formula. What I'm doing now is breast feeding and once a day or every other day I give her a bottle or two of formula to make sure she's getting a little extra calories. She taks both. Don't be sad mama, I'm still very new at this but keep a positive mind. Sending love your way. It will get better.

  Report2 Reply
• ashlenn member

  September 2015

  Thank you everybody ! These comments really helped me feel a little better. I had her father go get formula late last night and she only drank half and ounce after I breastfed her so I felt better that she wasn't that starving after breastfeeding. Since last night she's peed 4 times and pooped 2! I was so happy and proud of her while she's napping I'm going to try and pump so she can have have breastmilk and formula later.

  Report1 Reply
• Boobopgirl member

  September 2015

  The important part is not to stress it.  Up to 50% of babies have some level of jaundice so it's not your fault that she has that, but once they get it they can get really sleepy and it can make it harder for them to stay awake to get enough.  I wish I would have been more ontop of it with my DD because it took a long time for hers to resolve and it kept kind of compounding our breastfeeding issues.

  

  Report0 Reply