Low milk supply, pedi pushing formula. Help!?

meganraschke · October 2015

At my 3 week weight check my LO had not only not regained his birth weight but had dropped 2oz from the 2 week check up. He's having plenty of dirty/wet diapers and his jaundice is getting better so instead of pushing formula immediately she's giving me one week to get my supply up and have him gain weight.
She suggested that I feed on both breasts at every feed, 15 minutes each side, then pump 15 minutes each side with hand compressions and to repeat this every 2 hours.
I am barely getting an ounce from pumping in the morning when it is the highest and the other times I'm getting a 1/4-1/2 of an ounce out of both breasts.
I am emotionally drained over this, breastfeeding was so important to me and I really don't want to have to formula feed him.
Any help with getting my milk supply back up, or success stories of getting milk supply back up? Pedi said by week 3 most moms can't increase their milk supply -which was quite defeating to hear.
*meeting with a LC tomorrow, but I wish she had already been to my house to help with all this anxiety

clairesmommabear · October 2015

There is mother's milk tea. It tastes terrible (like black licorice) but it helped me a bit when I was struggling with supply with DD. Also you can get Fenugreek supplements (one a day) and that worked wonders I saw an increase within a few days. You can get the Fenugreek at any health store and the mothers milk should be available at most grocery stores. Also if you pump more frequently for shorter times it can help increase supply as well. Hope this helps!

s&jeggerton · October 2015

Drink a ton of water. My pediatrician explained that you need lots of extra water when breast feeding if you are waiting until you are thirsty to drink you are waiting too long.

cbolton19 · October 2015

I have found that hand expression works really well for me. Also if I massage and pump I can get more milk too. Is there anywhere in your area that you could get some donor breast milk while you work on your supply?

NathanheartsKim · October 2015

Relax, try not to stress. (I know, easier said than done. ♡)
Lots of water, mother's milk tea, fenugreek, steel cut oatmeal, and skin to skin with baby. If you can, dont go anywhere and sit on thw couch or stay in bed with no shirt on and baby naked against you.

You have got this, you were made for this, you are not broken. Trust yourself and trust the diapers! If baby is having plenty of wet/diapers then maybe baby gains a bit slower! Get that LC in there and dont let the Dr stress you out. ♡

ameares721 · October 2015

Everyone has already suggested what has worked for me, but I would add that I have been drinking a 32oz Powerade every few days and continuing my prenatal vitamin.

Definitely keep pumping! Your body will learn if you keep it up. Read some blogs of other womens' experiences by searching Pinterest. I read a few there of women successfully getting their supply up.

I understand the importance for breastfeeding, but do not beat yourself up if you need to supplement with formula to keep baby healthy.

meganraschke · October 2015

Thanks everyone, even just the encouragement helps. I've started chugging water today in hopes that was the issue. I'm hoping I can turn it around quick enough to not need to supplement

komorebi · October 2015

Try power pumping instead.

Pump 20 minutes, then rest 10, pump ten, rest, pump 10. First thing in the am and then you can repeat in the pm.

Also helpful, drink water and electrolytes like gatorade. Mothers milk tea can help, also fenugreek (3 pills 3 xs a day).

It's also worth checking to see if baby is tongue or lip tied. Both can hurt milk transfer and supply

How many wet diapers is baby having? Also was the last weight check done on the same scale? Weighs done in different scales can vary several ozs.

ameares721 · October 2015

Yes on the scale! When my baby was born they told me she was 5 pounds 13 oz - at her weight check 12 hours later she was 6 pounds 7oz. Um, what? The scale needed to be calibrated so they checked her on three other scales and she was 6 pounds 7oz after all

meganraschke · October 2015

It's the same scale from the pediatricians office, my sweet husband tried to make me feel better blaming it on the calibration too. His diapers are from 5-8 per day with poops being 3-5 of them over the last week. All of them have pee.
I had another friend tell me to have the LC check for tongue/lip tie also..I'll have to write that down for tomorrow then.

mom4liak · October 2015

Also ask the LC about calorie booster to add to your expressed milk. It has helped my LO gain a couple ounces a week even though she is only eating 6-8 ounces a day (she is a preemie with some eating issues).

meganraschke · October 2015

I didn't even know that existed! Good luck to you and your LO too

komorebi · October 2015

Good luck! This is quite normal as your supply and baby are adjusting. Don't give up or blame yourself. I actually had a baby get labeled failure to thrive, so i totally understand the worry of not getting your little one enough for, but it looks like you're just a little below what is needed and I'm sure you can bring her weight gain up!

s&jeggerton · October 2015

I also wanted to add. My baby girl was born small 5lb 13 oz. The first few days I brought her home I struggled to get her to latch and once she did after about 15min she would fall asleep and act like she was full. However, I started to notice the diaper count decrease. So I began pumping and bottle feeding so I could see exactly how much baby was actually getting. Diaper count increased. I don't know how big your baby is or how well they latch, but my lactation consultant and pediatrician both explained that it is much easier for babies to drink from a bottle rather than the breast. Apparently my little one was tiring herself out before she actually got full while breast feeding. She has been steadily gaining weight now since I feed her my breast milk from a bottle. I still try to do a couple of feedings a day by breast feeding so I don't lose that bonding time with my baby. The lactation consultant said that she suspected I will probably have to continue this until baby gets to 7lbs. If you have a lactation consultant in your area I would strongly suggest seeing them mine was incredibly helpful and even weighed my baby before and after she breast fed so I could see exactly how much she was actually taking in.

komorebi · October 2015

s&jeggerton said:
I also wanted to add. My baby girl was born small 5lb 13 oz. The first few days I brought her home I struggled to get her to latch and once she did after about 15min she would fall asleep and act like she was full. However, I started to notice the diaper count decrease. So I began pumping and bottle feeding so I could see exactly how much baby was actually getting. Diaper count increased. I don't know how big your baby is or how well they latch, but my lactation consultant and pediatrician both explained that it is much easier for babies to drink from a bottle rather than the breast. Apparently my little one was tiring herself out before she actually got full while breast feeding. She has been steadily gaining weight now since I feed her my breast milk from a bottle. I still try to do a couple of feedings a day by breast feeding so I don't lose that bonding time with my baby. The lactation consultant said that she suspected I will probably have to continue this until baby gets to 7lbs. If you have a lactation consultant in your area I would strongly suggest seeing them mine was incredibly helpful and even weighed my baby before and after she breast fed so I could see exactly how much she was actually taking in.

That's only true if they aren't latched well and transfering milk properly. Baby's were programed to respond to milk flow so its a sign that something is not right if they are sleeping too much at the breast. Often is a tongue tie issue. But you can do breast compressions in the early weeks to help keep them interested too. The mentality that the flaw is in breastfeeding is so wrong and even well meaning lactation consultants have it wrong. And not everyone can pump enough to meet their baby's needs and that advice can set many moms up to end up losing their supply. A well latched baby is going to get more milk than a pump.

maiatene · October 2015

Easier said than done but try to not fret :-)

I totally hear and understand where you're coming from... I had to supplement several times with my son but I was able to have a healthy year long breastfeeding experience with my son. Definitely heed the advice the other mums posted and look at sites like Kelly Mom and the breastfeeding boards here on the bump.

Giving baby formula is not the end of the world or the end of breastfeeding. If anything it enables you to be at your best so when you do resume breastfeeding it's as close to seamless as possible. The goal is a healthy happy baby, and sometimes the path to that is not as straightforward as we would like it to be.

Good luck and lots of hugs!!!

meganraschke · October 2015

My LC comes today so I'm hoping the before/after weigh will give us more clues as to what is going on. I can tell you that my son is frequently very sleepy at the breast. I read jaundiced babies are sleepier when breastfeeding so I don't know if it has anything to do with that or not. I've also seen on kelly mom that post pardum hemmorage, which I did have due to a large tear in my uterus, can cause low supply so I started taking my iron supplements again.
Not much has changed in the amount I'm able to pump today vs yesterday but I doubt it's that quick to turn around. He doesn't seem as fussy today after feedings to need to supplement from my freezer stash, I had to use 4 oz yesterday from it to get us through.

The LC also mentioned ordering more milk plus from mother love so I have that on the way from Amazon now

jamielynne1533 · October 2015

My in laws suggested I drink cranberry juice and eat dates! I drank a couple glasses of juice and that night I was leaking through my shirt! My cousins volleyball coach is breastfeeding as well and pumping. She pumped and then ate some sweets with dates in them and had to pump about 30 minutes later because she was so full. So, I say try cranberry juice and dates if ya can!!

Lbloom · October 2015

Fyi, pumping is not a great indication of how much baby is actually getting. Baby is usually always more effecient than any pump. But, getting milk out via any means will help program your breasts to make more milk. It's all supply and demand, so power pumping on top of nursing is a good way to boost your supply. Good luck, momma!

meganraschke · October 2015

@jamielynne1533 I have some dates in the fridge! Thanks for the tip, I'll have to have my husband pick up some cranberry juice at the store tomorrow.

amberrmariee20 · October 2015

Power pumping, lots of water, skin to skin time !!

Low milk supply, pedi pushing formula. Help!?

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