Low milk supply, still nursing.

[aragornlover8]

So breastfeeding this time has been a whirlwind. I was never able to really breastfeed my daughter. She was four weeks early, wouldn't latch properly , was really drowsy due to a magnesium drip I had been on due to pre e, etc. This baby was born full term, latching amazingly, eager at the breast, etc. The only problem so far is me. I have low milk supply. I know it's hard to adequately diagnose low milk supply but this is definitely a thing for me. He was dehydrated before we left the hospital, not having enough wets, was screaming for food, and we had a pre/post feed weigh at the lactation consultant which verified he wasn't getting a whole lot from me at all. So, that's the bad news.
We used a syringe and tube at first to make sure he was stimulating my nipples while we supplemented to give my milk its best chance of coming in. I really do suggest this as a method of supplementation for women whose milk is on a bit of a delay. After doing it for roughly a week, however, I had had enough. It spills if the baby doesn't latch well over it, and midnight feeds were a nightmare with hubby having to help and so much starting/stopping. I finally told my husband, "it's not supposed to be this hard" and had a discussion with my son's pediatrician the next day. He told me that I needed to do what was best for me, and I suggested bottles at that point. I know my milk is never going to be enough to support him on its own, but I still want to give him what I can. I told him, basically, that I wanted to breastfeed for as long as he wanted the breast, but I knew that nipple confusion/rejection was going to be a real possibility.
It's been about a week now, and Dimitri still takes to the breast really well. I nurse before and after bottle feeds, and my milk supply is increasing slowly. Although, I still don't have high hopes to ever be able to EBF. I'm happy for the bonding, and I plan on nursing for as long as he wants it. I just feel blessed to have this chance and to have had all of the support from his doctor and my family. It would have been easy to switch to all formula from the beginning, but a little persistence was all we needed to find out what worked best for us.
I know this was kind of a book. I just wanted to give a little bit of hope for people who are struggling. Sometimes the solution may fall somewhere in the middle of breast and bottle.

NOTE: I'm not condoning supplementing in all cases. I know EBF is best. I just think it's important to know what options you may have in cases where it really isn't possible.

to all!

 

[Popples1]

Well done, Mama. It sounds like you're doing a brilliant job.

I'm combi feeding myself because I have supply issues as a result of DS not latching, having jaundice and tongue tie. I tried everything - pumping after every feed, skin to skin etc. Unfortunately he wasn't gaining weight so in order to sort that out, as well as flush out the bilirubin, we had to combi feed. The TT was resolved around week 7 but doesn't seem to have made much different to his feeding. Since about week 6 he's been fighting me through some of the feeds (he's now 14 weeks) but we're still soldiering on with bf for now. I think you should feel immensely proud of what you've achieved. It would be wonderful to EBF but bf is about teamwork and sometimes our LOs can't quite get the hang of it. It took me a while to come to terms with supplementing and I don't mind admitting I'm extremely defensive when people get on their high horses about how terrible formula is because they don't know the struggle it's been to even bf at all. Bf is a very individual journey and it doesn't always work out the way we planned but I think we can both be proud that we did everything possible where a lot of people might have thrown in the towel.

Most importantly, our babies have full tummies

 

[HBGirl]

Nothing annoys me more then people getting uppity about combi feeding. I have never had a supply problem, I am a bloody jersey cow but I know how it would break my heart to have to suppliment. I wish people could be sensitive to mothers who have to. Not everyone is blessed with wonderful supply.

As it is I have non existant nipples and have to use sheilds, that breaks my heart daily.

 

[fdcsw126]

thank you so much for this!!! my lo didnt get back to birth weight till 5 weeks old so we had to supplement with formula, she was hospitalized at 4 weeks because she lost an ounce and before they released us we found out that she had a weak suck, thus we had to bottlefeed with a top off of bf (but honestly she wouldnt latch most of the time because she was full at 5 weeks the dr said i could bf with a formula top off but she was used to the bottle so it was hard to get her to latch. started using nipple shields yesterday and omg she feed wonderfully. I was going through a phase where I saw other moms bf and wanted to cry....we go back to the pediatrician on Thursday and Im hoping we will get to start eliminating bottles but even though they say we can ultimately eliminate them all I dont think it will happen but I would like to be able to bf at least half the feedings. I have seriously felt like a failure the last 2 weeks but I have learned to stick to your guns and do what is best for you ignore all the hypocritical people!!!

 

[aragornlover8]

It definitely can be a struggle. I'm happy for the strides Dimitri and I have made. I think the key is to take it a day at a time.

Thanks for the support, ladies!

 

[leigh5tom]

My son was tongue tied and that led to a low supply for me because he just couldn't get the milk off well enough and therefore my body didn't know to make more. He kept losing weight until getting back to birth weight just over 3 weeks old. I had to bf, express, feed the ebm then top up with formula if needed. My god that was hard work , I was shattered (I have a 2yr old too!). There is no shame in formula at all, it's a bloody god send. I managed to get my supply up and well established so I only had to supplement for about a week, and we've been EBF ever since. Good luck to you xxxxxxxxx

 

[leigh5tom]

I was also prescribed domperidone and took fenugreek xxxxxx

 

[cait]

Sounds like you're doing a brilliant job. It would have been so easy for you to switch to just formula but you've managed so well to keep up the breast alongside formula. Well done! It's not easy. X