Breast Feeding Help PLEASE!!

[Logiebear]

Well I have been balling me eyes out for the last hour as Hannah has continued to drop in weight and now weighs only 5lb 9oz. She is dehydrated and the midwife has brought me some forumla milk to give her! I feel like a total failure.

I have been expressing today and only managed to get 20 mls from both breasts so I obviously am not producing milk. I am determined not to give up all together so can you please please give me some help, advice or even an idea on how not to give up omn this!!

 

[Serene123]

Did they not suggest syringe feeding? Or anything atall to help you continue?

 

[cupcake]

oh hun, don't give up but do think whats the best for your little girl. if she needs top ups from the formula for a while til you get your supply up then give her both in the meantime. when LO was born i had to give formula top ups because his sugar levels were low from the GD i didnt want to do it but i knew i had no choice and it was the best thing for him. after my milk supply came in properly i stopped.

i have heard fenugreek increases your milk supply but if i remember correctly you are a diabetic and it has this warning : Diabetes or hypoglycemia:
Fenugreek reduces blood glucose levels, and in the few studies using it as a hypoglycemic, also reduces blood cholesterol. Dosages higher than the recommended one may result in hypoglycemia in some mothers. " If you're diabetic, use fenugreek only if you have good control of your blood glucose levels. While taking this, closely monitor your fasting levels and post-prandial (after meals) levels. Mothers with hypoglycemia should also use fenugreek with caution."

Keep pumping and putting her to the breast as often as you can.

 

[Ragirl]

First off, you can not judge how much milk you are making by how much you express. Many women who successfully breastfeed are not able to pump hardly any milk at all. So have heart. Next, if you have support at home, make breastfeeding your only job for the next week. Skin to skin contact with baby is essential. If it is possible, do nothing but lay in bed with baby without a shirt on. If she so much as fusses a little, let her nurse. Make sure you have lots of lanolin on hand for your nipples. You didn't say anything about her having problems latching or nursing, so I'm assuming that is not a problem. Remember it is normal for bf babies to lose weight at first- again, this is not a sign of lack of milk. If you are determined, you will be successful...it just takes time, a TON of patience, and LOTS of support. Drink plenty of water and if you don't mind drinking, have a beer (this helps boost supply). Guiness is best, but any will do. The absolute key to getting your supply up is to let her nurse as much as you can tolerate. Try to limit as much as possible how much formula you give her (I know it's hard because you need to address the dehydration issue) and I would feed her the formula with a dropper while she nurses so she does not get hooked on a bottle.

You can succeed at this if you want to. But I will also tell you that if for some reason it does not work out, you can pump and feed with a bottle as well. I have known several people who have exclusively, and successfully, pumped and fed (though there are challenges with this as well). But you need to pump for 15 minutes, every 2 hours. So have hope, don't give up on yourself, and most importantly, don't beat yourself up over this. Breastfeeding is very difficult, most people run into challenges along the way, and it almost never has anything to do with you. Try to get as much rest as you can as that will help with the patience bfing requires. And remember we are all here to help any time you need.

 

[rach321]

Just wanted to totally second what ragirl said - sound advice! Good luck xx

 

[ryder]

Do not let yourself feel like a failure hun!!!!!

While I do hope you can continue... I noticed your baby is 6 weeks early, and that alone can be an issue in itself. Since they are so tiny, and depending on how developed she is it may just be too hard at the moment to effectively feed.

As the others have suggested, make sure you get lots of skin to skin contact... drink lots and eat healthy, try and feed as much as possible...

RAWife had posted these bottles which have a similiar nipple and action to what BFing would require... Perhaps invest in some of those?

If you do have to bottle feed some its not the end of the world, keep pumping to keep your supply up and you may find in a couple weeks it will become easier.

The main thing is that you and your baby are happy and both thriving.

 

[icculcaz]

hugs logie. know how ya feel. im still goin thru the same as you. xxxxx i been told what ragirl says . yaknow where to find me

 

[princessellie]

awww hun dont feel bad! i know its hard, my milk has started drying up and i am totally distraught about it, if u would like i have a plan i found in a book of how to increase ur milk supply...pm me if u want it and i'll send u it hun

 

[Pyrrhic]

Expressing is never an indicator of flow, so if you're only getting 20mls, that is still brilliant. Breastfeeding needs a baby's sucking action to work, and a hand pump just doesn't work as effectively. Did they not suggest cup or syringe feeding to you? Or show you ways to up your supply? I would have thought they would have suggested formula as a last resort.

To get your supply up you need to start expressing every 2 hours, without fail and a couple of time through the time (between 2am and 5am is when your milk production peaks, so it's the best time to express) This should get your supply up in a couple of days. If you're then still struggling, get some Fenugreek tablets from Holland & Barrett. Make sure you're also eating properly.

The problem with formula feeding is that you need to express when you feed as well, otherwise your flow will gradually start decreasing and your milk will dry up.

Good luck hun

 

[Ria_Rose]

Firstly: you are not a failure, you are doing what it best for your baby in the short term, which makes you a great Mum.

Babies weight does tend to drop in the first few weeks when you breast feed, and as your baby is early it might take longer for your milk to come in.

As the others have said keep at it, look after yourself (I tried to diet and my milk almost dried up overnight, so now I don;t restrict what I eat) and fingers crossed it will come.

 

[Poppeteer]

First off, Halle lost almost 10% of her birth weight in the beginning... we had loads of conflicting advice, but what I did was continue to pump every two hours, even if I couldn't get anything out and feed formula from a cup (didn't want the nipple confusion thing)

Get your little one to latch on as often as she wants as I believe this will stimulate you to produce more milk also.
I posted a little while ago saying I had no luck with the pump either... in fact I was getting maybe 20ml from both breasts combined, so you are doing great.
Eat well, I tried the diet thing but found my milk wasn't enough- there's time to lose weight later.


Don't lose hope, is your lo latching well?

I was at your stage and in tears with bleeding nipples, a hungry, jaundiced baby who was losing weight, and criticisim from everyone. Do what feels right for you- trust your instincts.

Little Halle is still exclusively bf and has gone up to her birth weight and is gaining over an oz a day- so you can do it!!!

 

[alio]

Do not let yourself feel like a failure hun!!!!!

While I do hope you can continue... I noticed your baby is 6 weeks early, and that alone can be an issue in itself. Since they are so tiny, and depending on how developed she is it may just be too hard at the moment to effectively feed.

As the others have suggested, make sure you get lots of skin to skin contact... drink lots and eat healthy, try and feed as much as possible...

RAWife had posted these bottles which have a similiar nipple and action to what BFing would require... Perhaps invest in some of those?

If you do have to bottle feed some its not the end of the world, keep pumping to keep your supply up and you may find in a couple weeks it will become easier.

The main thing is that you and your baby are happy and both thriving.

seconded! don't make yourself ill over this. you're girl just needs nutrition be that breast or bottle. hope you succeed, either way don't be hard on yourself. xx

 

[pennysbored]

I feel your pain on this one, my daughter was 8 weeks early, and I had trouble with my milk productions.
She was in the hospital for a month, and while she was there I pumped every three hours, and still didn't have enough milk come in. I was getting about 20-40 ml a pump, and that was with pumping for 20 minutes with an electric pump. So i tried drinking beer. No difference. I tried domperidone (I'm not sure if they prescribe it in England, but the Canadian Breast feeding association gives its stamp of approval) and although there were no side effects and very very little makes it into the actual breast milk, I only got up to 60 mls a pump. I was still trying to breastfeed Betty on my hospital visits, and having some success, but was still having to top off her feeds.
So I tried fenugreek, nothing changed.
To give you the flip side of this, I had to stop because I was killing myself trying to feed, pump and care for my baby while using as little formula as possible.
You will hear alot of people tell you that you just have to keep going and going, and that formula feeding is a lazy option (which its not, if you've ever had a screaming hungry baby in your arms and you are waiting for water to boil and cool to feed her), but if you're baby is not getting enough food, then you have to ask yourself why you are still so strongly breastfeeding.
I fought, and exhausted myself trying to breast feed, and I felt like I was failing my daughter. Finally my doctor said to me (and know that she is absolutely pro breastfeeding) that my daughter would be a strong and healthy baby (which she is) if I stopped trying to kill myself to breast feed. It wasn't my plan to formula feed, I'm still pretty choked up about it (I'm bloody crying as I type this) but if you need to, its okay to stop. You are still a great mother. Your child will love you just as much.
Just make sure you are doing it for the right reasons.
This isn't me telling you to stop trying, please don't think that. But its okay to give yourself permission to stop. You aren't a failure. You did your best, and you are still a wonderful mom to your child.
I hope my story helps, I really do understand how you are feeling. I was lucky to have many nurses and doctors and lactation consultants surrounding me during my trials, and they not only helped me try to bring up my production, they also helped me to let go when it just wasn't going to happen, because just coming down on yourself is not going to help.
I'm thinking of you, I know how hard this all is.

 

[Poppeteer]

I feel your pain on this one, my daughter was 8 weeks early, and I had trouble with my milk productions.
She was in the hospital for a month, and while she was there I pumped every three hours, and still didn't have enough milk come in. I was getting about 20-40 ml a pump, and that was with pumping for 20 minutes with an electric pump. So i tried drinking beer. No difference. I tried domperidone (I'm not sure if they prescribe it in England, but the Canadian Breast feeding association gives its stamp of approval) and although there were no side effects and very very little makes it into the actual breast milk, I only got up to 60 mls a pump. I was still trying to breastfeed Betty on my hospital visits, and having some success, but was still having to top off her feeds.
So I tried fenugreek, nothing changed.
To give you the flip side of this, I had to stop because I was killing myself trying to feed, pump and care for my baby while using as little formula as possible.
You will hear alot of people tell you that you just have to keep going and going, and that formula feeding is a lazy option (which its not, if you've ever had a screaming hungry baby in your arms and you are waiting for water to boil and cool to feed her), but if you're baby is not getting enough food, then you have to ask yourself why you are still so strongly breastfeeding.
I fought, and exhausted myself trying to breast feed, and I felt like I was failing my daughter. Finally my doctor said to me (and know that she is absolutely pro breastfeeding) that my daughter would be a strong and healthy baby (which she is) if I stopped trying to kill myself to breast feed. It wasn't my plan to formula feed, I'm still pretty choked up about it (I'm bloody crying as I type this) but if you need to, its okay to stop. You are still a great mother. Your child will love you just as much.
Just make sure you are doing it for the right reasons.
This isn't me telling you to stop trying, please don't think that. But its okay to give yourself permission to stop. You aren't a failure. You did your best, and you are still a wonderful mom to your child.
I hope my story helps, I really do understand how you are feeling. I was lucky to have many nurses and doctors and lactation consultants surrounding me during my trials, and they not only helped me try to bring up my production, they also helped me to let go when it just wasn't going to happen, because just coming down on yourself is not going to help.
I'm thinking of you, I know how hard this all is.

bless you hun You are an amazing mum for trying so hard xxx

 

[ryder]

I feel your pain on this one, my daughter was 8 weeks early, and I had trouble with my milk productions.
She was in the hospital for a month, and while she was there I pumped every three hours, and still didn't have enough milk come in. I was getting about 20-40 ml a pump, and that was with pumping for 20 minutes with an electric pump. So i tried drinking beer. No difference. I tried domperidone (I'm not sure if they prescribe it in England, but the Canadian Breast feeding association gives its stamp of approval) and although there were no side effects and very very little makes it into the actual breast milk, I only got up to 60 mls a pump. I was still trying to breastfeed Betty on my hospital visits, and having some success, but was still having to top off her feeds.
So I tried fenugreek, nothing changed.
To give you the flip side of this, I had to stop because I was killing myself trying to feed, pump and care for my baby while using as little formula as possible.
You will hear alot of people tell you that you just have to keep going and going, and that formula feeding is a lazy option (which its not, if you've ever had a screaming hungry baby in your arms and you are waiting for water to boil and cool to feed her), but if you're baby is not getting enough food, then you have to ask yourself why you are still so strongly breastfeeding.
I fought, and exhausted myself trying to breast feed, and I felt like I was failing my daughter. Finally my doctor said to me (and know that she is absolutely pro breastfeeding) that my daughter would be a strong and healthy baby (which she is) if I stopped trying to kill myself to breast feed. It wasn't my plan to formula feed, I'm still pretty choked up about it (I'm bloody crying as I type this) but if you need to, its okay to stop. You are still a great mother. Your child will love you just as much.
Just make sure you are doing it for the right reasons.
This isn't me telling you to stop trying, please don't think that. But its okay to give yourself permission to stop. You aren't a failure. You did your best, and you are still a wonderful mom to your child.
I hope my story helps, I really do understand how you are feeling. I was lucky to have many nurses and doctors and lactation consultants surrounding me during my trials, and they not only helped me try to bring up my production, they also helped me to let go when it just wasn't going to happen, because just coming down on yourself is not going to help.
I'm thinking of you, I know how hard this all is.

Im sorry it turned out that way for you... but im glad you posted that, because there are alot of people who just tell people to keep going no matter what... and just because one person was able to persevere, doesn't mean another person can. And its important not to make people feel guilty.

 

[Logiebear]

Thanks so much ladies. Hannah was admitted to hosp on Wed night as her billarubin levels had reached a dangerous high. They said this was due to her lack of fluids so I was have been syringe feeding now ontop. I feed her for 20 mins each breast and then give her my expressed breast milk after through a syringe. Then I go on to express for another 10 mins each breast!! It is exhausting but hopefully not for long.

I have also been prescribed a pill called Domperidone. It increases your prolactin levels so produces more milk. I have researched all the effects and have decided that I would rather take this for a short time to help than have my daughter back in hosp so ill again.

Has anyone else been prescribed this ?

 

[pennysbored]

I took domperidone, and it did help my supply...
https://www.canadianbreastfeedingfoundation.org/basics/domperidone2.html
This was the best source of information I found online.

 

[Logiebear]

I feel your pain on this one, my daughter was 8 weeks early, and I had trouble with my milk productions.
She was in the hospital for a month, and while she was there I pumped every three hours, and still didn't have enough milk come in. I was getting about 20-40 ml a pump, and that was with pumping for 20 minutes with an electric pump. So i tried drinking beer. No difference. I tried domperidone (I'm not sure if they prescribe it in England, but the Canadian Breast feeding association gives its stamp of approval) and although there were no side effects and very very little makes it into the actual breast milk, I only got up to 60 mls a pump. I was still trying to breastfeed Betty on my hospital visits, and having some success, but was still having to top off her feeds.
So I tried fenugreek, nothing changed.
To give you the flip side of this, I had to stop because I was killing myself trying to feed, pump and care for my baby while using as little formula as possible.
You will hear alot of people tell you that you just have to keep going and going, and that formula feeding is a lazy option (which its not, if you've ever had a screaming hungry baby in your arms and you are waiting for water to boil and cool to feed her), but if you're baby is not getting enough food, then you have to ask yourself why you are still so strongly breastfeeding.
I fought, and exhausted myself trying to breast feed, and I felt like I was failing my daughter. Finally my doctor said to me (and know that she is absolutely pro breastfeeding) that my daughter would be a strong and healthy baby (which she is) if I stopped trying to kill myself to breast feed. It wasn't my plan to formula feed, I'm still pretty choked up about it (I'm bloody crying as I type this) but if you need to, its okay to stop. You are still a great mother. Your child will love you just as much.
Just make sure you are doing it for the right reasons.
This isn't me telling you to stop trying, please don't think that. But its okay to give yourself permission to stop. You aren't a failure. You did your best, and you are still a wonderful mom to your child.
I hope my story helps, I really do understand how you are feeling. I was lucky to have many nurses and doctors and lactation consultants surrounding me during my trials, and they not only helped me try to bring up my production, they also helped me to let go when it just wasn't going to happen, because just coming down on yourself is not going to help.
I'm thinking of you, I know how hard this all is.

I want to thank you so much for sharing your story penny. I have bottle fed my previous 3 babies and this time I promised myself that I would try my hardest to bf and that if I couldn't then I would not beat myself up but I am doing it anyway. I am going to try the domperidone and all the other things like expressing for 20 mins after each feed to try and encourage it etc.

I hope you don't beat yourself up hun as you said, you did the best for your baby and no one could say any different. I am lucky I got to take Hannah home after only 8 days.

Thanks again for sharing hun

 

[Jemima]

Just wanted to say good luck. Poppy's weight dropped by 13% after she was born and we had to really try hard to get my supply going by pumping and cup feeding for a while but, luckily for us, it all worked out in the end and we are still going now nearly five months on.

However, if you cannot continue, don't feel bad. Just make the decision, draw a line under it and move on. Whatever you do, just make sure you are happy and at ease with your decision.

 

[ryder]

good luck!