Breastfeeding advice please?

[Rachel89]

Hey everyone I hope you guys would like to help me. I had a unsuccesful breastfeeding relationship with my first, it did not work out. (tongue ties, not latching, lack of support, nurses fed him formula from bottles while I was sleeping etc.)

I live on an island where there are no IBLC's no lactation consultants at all or any experts in the field.

Here we are told to breastfeed with one breast for 15 minutes and then to change up to the other one. I have read from other ladies that they let baby feed from 1 breast and finish the entire feed, and then next feed give baby the next breast.

Question:
Will this not cause a decrease in supply?
What is the best method to feed baby in order to increase supply (incase of low supply)?
I've heard that newborns can feed all day, if so and baby would feel hours on end, let's say 2, how do you change up the breasts during that time?

Thank you so much and this information means a lot to me

 

[Ecoden]

I correspond with my IBLC via email. Can you try to find one and have a phone or email consult? It's not the same as them being there which is very helpful but then you'll get good advice. Here's my personal (not professional) experience with your questions:

1. I only feed on 1 breast and always have but I do always offer the second breast and DD rarely takes it. I have read (sorry can't find link) that feeding on only one side can cause undersupply down the road but my IBLC was supportive of my method.

2. Sorry I have only had oversupply issues but I know some women who pump between feedings to increase supply. Feeding often and letting baby soothe on breast ups supply.

3. You mean if baby ate 2 hours straight? That's rough (but I'm sure it happens!) since you need to eat, go to the bathroom, drink etc. DD would maybe sometimes do 45 straight when she was really tiny but never 2 hours. I left her on the same breast each time then switched to the next one on the next feeding. I am not sure what I'd do if it went on 2 hours! Someone else maybe can answer that one. I think I'd pop baby off before it went that long.

 

[_Meep_]

Most mums make enough milk to feed twins or even triplets when it comes in, as at first your body doesn't know what it is dealing with! Your breasts will produce milk on a supply and demand basis - basically, as much milk as your baby takes is as much milk as they will make. To begin with, though, they have to regulate, and you may find yourself with crazy, spraying, giant, engorged monster-boobs for a while!

As long as baby is latching well and feeding competently, true undersupply relating to problems with mum rather than baby is rare.

In answer to your first question, yes, feeding from one breast at a time could affect your supply IF you don't follow your baby's cues - e.g. if he or she finishes feeding from the first breast and is still clearly rooting around for more, not offering the second will likely lead your breasts to produce less milk than your baby wants/needs. I suffered with oversupply and for at least the first six months, one breast at a time was more than enough for my LO. But I would always offer the second, if she was still awake lol, just in case.

Feeding for fifteen minutes each time is utter nonsense and I don't know why someone would tell you that. It takes as long as it takes. Some babies can get a full feed in five minutes from birth. For others, it can take 45+ when they are still little. It totally depends on the breast and the baby.

As the pp said, comfort-nursing is a great way of helping your supply - if the baby seems to want a feed, offer, and if he/she takes it then great. He/she doesn't have to be hungry to want and need your milk.

In order to increase supply, if it IS low (it's unlikely it will be, unless your child is tongue-tied or not transferring milk efficiently) you should just trust your baby. They know exactly what to do and will make their needs known - they cluster feed to begin with, sometimes almost 24/7, in order to build up a good strong supply. In the case of babies who are consistently falling asleep long before they have consumed enough or who take a little longer to get the hang of breastfeeding, it might be necessary to pump after or between feeds to stimulate the breasts as much as possible and keep the supply up until the baby is feeding better.

In response to your last question, when a baby isn't getting any more milk from a breast, he or she will probably unlatch. That's when you offer the second breast. You can also try breast compressions, if a baby seems to still be sucking but not swallowing - this basically means squeezing the breast in a certain way - if you hear swallowing again, then great. If you don't hear swallowing, switch breasts. If the baby unlatches, he or she is likely full and doesn't want the extra milk.

I remember sitting up all night the first night with my daughter, switching over and over again. I was so sure she wasn't getting a single drop out of me, but at her first check, she had only lost a couple of ounces, so that was surprising!

We did go on to experience quite difficult problems, mainly relating to my oversupply and an undiagnosed tongue tie, but that's a different story and all resolved now. I've done a lot of research in my desperation, so I hope some of what I have learnt can be of help to you! Good luck!

 

[_Meep_]

Omg, sorry for the ESSAY!

 

[MamaBunny2]

I have a question to add, hope that's ok. When feeding from one breast how do you know when to switch over to the other? And if feeding from only one breast or both, how would I know of the need to pump afterwards? I will be returning to work after 6 weeks and will need to start a stash beforehand. Will pumping in between feeds affect my supply?

 

[_Meep_]

You would switch when the baby unlatches from the breast, or when he or she is sucking but no longer swallowing (a swallow sounds like a soft exhalation of air from the nose). As I said to the op, you could try breast compressions on the first breast if your baby is sucking without swallowing to see if this gets him/her drinking again. If not, then offer the second. Breast compressions are only really necessary if the baby is having trouble extracting the fattier milk from the ducts, and can help further drain the breast - difficulty in feeding well after the letdown might be indicated by poor weight gain for the baby, a breast that does not feel noticeably softer following a feed, or (worst case scenario) mastitis/low supply. A baby who feeds well won't usually need the help of breast compressions.

You would only be advised to pump afterwards in the case of some of the situations I've mentioned above - namely in the case of poor weight gain/low supply. The expressed milk could then be fed to the baby using a dropper, spoon, cup, etc. They generally advise against using bottles in the early days, if at all, ever (for breastfed babies).

Pumping between feeds should affect your supply, in that your supply will likely increase or maintain itself. Whatever you remove from the breast will be replaced. Say you are away from your baby for six hours, and your baby generally takes around three feeds in six hours, if you pump three times, and obtain a fair amount of milk, you are likely to maintain your supply. If you pump once or twice, your supply might decrease. If you pump six times, you're likely to increase your supply. A baby generally transfers milk more efficiently than a pump though, so some mums find they need to pump a couple of times more than their baby generally feeds in a certain time period. You will find what works for you.

Pumping between feeds while still at home with your baby in order to build up a stash should increase your supply.

Hope this helps!

 

[BlingyGal]

I don't mean to read and run but this explains the importance of letting your baby finish eating the first breast first: https://www.lalecheleague.org/llleaderweb/lv/lvsepoct95p69a.html

 

[mkyerby16]

I remember being so stressed trying to learn how to do everything as I had few people to go to with questions when I was pregnant, but once you start you & your baby naturally figure out how things best work and when you do have a question you ask on here or Google! lol My DS would eat for about 15 mins on one side then unlatch on his own. I'd burp him and offer the other side and he'd go for about 10-15 mins on that side until he stopped then I'd burp him again and he'd be done. Also watch if they stop swallowing (look at their jaw movement near their ear) you can slip your finger into their mouth and gently unlatch them. The advice I was told was to always offer both breasts, but they may only want one.

 

[tulip1975]

I always feed one side at a time, but I have oversupply. Even if I didn't, I would let baby fully finish one side first to make sure he gets the fatty milk.