expressing.....arghhhhh!!

[wishing4ababy]

Charlie has been feeding every 2 or 3 hours (including a 3oz top up bottle) since yesterday. I thought maybe he was having a bit of a growth spurt day but he has carried on with the same today. I was up in the night every 3 hours from 10pm and eventually at 5am i asked oh to give him a bottle. He had a full 5oz and it made me wonder whether i am giving him enough off me?????? so tonight i tried to express and got 1oz and a really sore boob. is it normal to only get 1oz???? he has been really fussing after he has been latched on for a while....but then other times I get the feeling e has had a really good feed off me.
god...i have droned on haven't i? i am sorry girls....i hate the thought that i am not giving him enough and i really don't want to switch to formula completely. I was realy hoping to just carry on using it to settle him.
Has anyone else had this? is it normal to only get this small amount? i thought i would get a couple of oz expressing??????

sorry for mammoth thread girls....

 

[Mervs Mum]

Firstly you are doing a great job honey well done!!

There is a BIG growth spurt at 2 weeks and you are in it!!! They last for a few days not hours unfortunately!!! So you just need to keep putting him on to give your boobs the cues that the need to produce more. The good news is that if you do that, you'll find your supply will be better able to cope with the next big spurt.

Pumping at this point isnt a great idea. As you have learned, you will get very little out to start and this generally just plants the seed of doubt about 'exactly how much is he getting'. HE is getting waaaaay more than your pump will EVER get!!! Pumping is a very poor mimic of his suck. Pumping is not recommended before 6 weeks for this reason amongst others.

I'd ditch the pump and the top ups but thats just me. If you dont want to just eb aware that when you top up. be it with BM or formula, you are not letting your baby send the right messages to your boobs to produce more and its a vicious cycle - it's fine of you are happy to keep topping up though obviously
In time when you get into a regular pumping routine you'll find you'll get more - you can also try looking at your baby or a picture of them to help with the let down and massaging them before you start or putting warm flannels or a warm shower may help too.

 

[wishing4ababy]

Firstly you are doing a great job honey well done!!

There is a BIG growth spurt at 2 weeks and you are in it!!! They last for a few days not hours unfortunately!!! So you just need to keep putting him on to give your boobs the cues that the need to produce more. The good news is that if you do that, you'll find your supply will be better able to cope with the next big spurt.

Pumping at this point isnt a great idea. As you have learned, you will get very little out to start and this generally just plants the seed of doubt about 'exactly how much is he getting'. HE is getting waaaaay more than your pump will EVER get!!! Pumping is a very poor mimic of his suck. Pumping is not recommended before 6 weeks for this reason amongst others.

I'd ditch the pump and the top ups but thats just me. If you dont want to just eb aware that when you top up. be it with BM or formula, you are not letting your baby send the right messages to your boobs to produce more and its a vicious cycle - it's fine of you are happy to keep topping up though obviously
In time when you get into a regular pumping routine you'll find you'll get more - you can also try looking at your baby or a picture of them to help with the let down and massaging them before you start or putting warm flannels or a warm shower may help too.

thanks so much for that. It did exaclty that...made me think i wasn't giving him enough to eat and that in turn was making me question whether i was really doing the right thing by bf? obviously my logical rational mind tells me that i am, but tired, emotional, hormonal me questions everything in detail.....i feel more like a first time mummy than i did when i was actually a first time mummy!! i didn't bf with my other 2 because of complete lack of support from the mw and this time i have kind of done it on my own...with you guys as support!!

 

[Mervs Mum]

I was exactly the same with my first. This time I've had more support and got more infomation and here I am 6 and a half months later!

Never doubt yourself - successful BFing is 50% doing it and 50% believing it.

Keep coming on, keep asking, keep moaning....that's why we're here.

 

[wishing4ababy]

the believing it part is so true...half the time it is just me doubting myself that makes me want to give up!!!
i think i would be a dithering wreck if i didn't have you guys as support!! well....even more of a dithering wreck than i am anyway!!!
xxx

 

[wishing4ababy]

I was exactly the same with my first. This time I've had more support and got more infomation and here I am 6 and a half months later!

Never doubt yourself - successful BFing is 50% doing it and 50% believing it.

Keep coming on, keep asking, keep moaning....that's why we're here.

ps....6 months is fantastic. I am taking it a week at a time at he moment but i am really hoping to be able to last that long.

 

[Mervs Mum]

I was exactly the same with my first. This time I've had more support and got more infomation and here I am 6 and a half months later!

Never doubt yourself - successful BFing is 50% doing it and 50% believing it.

Keep coming on, keep asking, keep moaning....that's why we're here.

ps....6 months is fantastic. I am taking it a week at a time at he moment but i am really hoping to be able to last that long.

Thanks! I made little realistic goals and so far I've managed to make them....next one is a year!! Just take it a day at a time at this point honey. I was ready to jack in after 10 days. When ever you feel like that (and it will happen....and more than once!!) try to find some help be it here or in real life. Give the baby to someone and go into another room and give yourself a break. Come on here and rant. Ring someone and rant.

I promise you faithfully it gets better and easier as time goes by. After 6 weeks you'll be flying!!! Now I cant imagine it any other way.

Well done honey

 

[wishing4ababy]

I was exactly the same with my first. This time I've had more support and got more infomation and here I am 6 and a half months later!

Never doubt yourself - successful BFing is 50% doing it and 50% believing it.

Keep coming on, keep asking, keep moaning....that's why we're here.

ps....6 months is fantastic. I am taking it a week at a time at he moment but i am really hoping to be able to last that long.

Thanks! I made little realistic goals and so far I've managed to make them....next one is a year!! Just take it a day at a time at this point honey. I was ready to jack in after 10 days. When ever you feel like that (and it will happen....and more than once!!) try to find some help be it here or in real life. Give the baby to someone and go into another room and give yourself a break. Come on here and rant. Ring someone and rant.

I promise you faithfully it gets better and easier as time goes by. After 6 weeks you'll be flying!!! Now I cant imagine it any other way.

Well done honey

thanks hun...so good to feel normal. OH is relieved i am not going to be up all night asking him if he thinks charlie is getting enough milk off me? like he would know!! Ofcourse i got cross with him because he didn;t know!! Ahh the hormones!!!