Breast feeding baby?

Question

My baby is 6 days old....she was born with high levels of Bilurubin so spent the past weeek under lights at the hospital. I did go regulalry to breastfeed her, but my milk still hasnt come in well...and Im scared Iwont be producing enough milk for the baby. What should I do?

Answer 1

Nurse at least every 2 hours (timed from the beginning of one feeding to the beginning of the next) for the next week. At each feeding, let her nurse as long as she wants on the first breast, then offer the second one. Nurse her as long as she wants on that one, too. In fact, encourage her to nurse longer than she seems to be interested. That should fix any problems.

It's too bad you didn't know earlier--bili lights are every bit as effective when used on and off as constantly, so it's really important to nurse *frequently*; the treatment will often make baby extra sleepy, so you have to wake her to nurse.

If she's still under the bili light treatment, ask to nurse at least once every 2 hours, and if not, nurse her, even if you have to wake her to do it.

Answer 2

Don't worry is the first thing to do. Your baby will be getting colostrum (the thick yellowish discharge you may see) for the first few days. Colostrum contains many nutrients and antibodies that your baby needs in it's first few days. You showed yourself to be a very good conscientious mother by going to the hospital regularly.

After the birth of my first baby I had a severe urinary tract infection and was put on antibiotics. I was not allowed to nurse for that period of time. I did try to pump but that was an exercise in futility! LOL! I was so afraid my milk would dry up and I wouldn't be able to nurse. But, once I put him to my breast, within a few days I had more milk than I knew what to do with! So relax, and enjoy nursing. As long as your baby seems satisfied and not starving you are doing fine!

One more thing. If this is your first baby and you find you're having difficulty nursing, contact your OB's nurse. She can give you numbers to call for a nursing professional that will come to your home and help you get started. If you have a La Leche league in your community they can also help.

I wish you the very best with your little one. Give a kiss and a zzzzerrrrbbbbrrrrrrtttt from me!

God bless!

Answer 3

The more she nurses the more the milk will come in. She should eat every 2 hours now. and not more than 5 -10 minutes at a time. remember to alternate breasts. If she seems always hungry and try to suckle for long periods then she may not be getting enough. Remember you have to drink enough liquid for adequate production too. I suspect though that you are making enough milk. How many ounces could a 7 pound baby eat any way?

Answer 4

ask the hospital if you can rent a pump. you should be pumping with a hospital grade pump or nursing every 2 hours during the day and getting up once at night to pump or whenever baby is hungry at night. try eating oatmeal or drinking non alcoholic beer. both of those do help with supply or if it really bad then try fenugreek capsuls. they have them at gnc. make sure you are constantly weighing the baby before and after feeds to see how much baby is getting at each feeding when nursing then a couple of times a week to see if she is gaining weight well. once she starts gaining she should gain an oz a day average and you should be seeing 6 wet and at least a few dirty diapers a day. good luck and congrats on breastfeeding your baby. it is so important and something that you will be proud of later.

Answer 5

Our bodies are amazing. As long as you are breastfeeding and producing milk, you will have enough to feed her. In rare cases, milk production can be compromised, but can usually be restored with the help of a lactation consultant. Your hospital will probably have one on staff, if not contact the La Leche League in your area. It is quite common for it to take several weeks for mom's milk production and baby's needs to match up. Suckling is new to baby and he/she needs to become proficient at it as well as each mom needs a little practice sometimes to get the hang of nursing. Pumping is probably not necessary if you are able to nurse several times a day every day. When your little one gets home, she will most likely make up for lost time so don't be surprised if she seems to want to nurse all the time. It will help in increasing your milk supply. Be sure to get a lot of rest, drink plenty of water, and enjoy that special bonding of mom and baby.

Answer 6

First of all, talk to your doctor and take whatever advice he/she has to offer. When it is your baby we are talking about you should always take the advice of a doctor over anyone.

My last two children were both jaundice. They had late onset jaundice. We didn't know it until they were home from the hospital for a while. They ordered a bili blanket for them both. Nurses came to our house and put them on the bili blanket and came over every day 1-2 times a day to check on him and make sure his levels were going down and weight was going up at a good rate. Some doctors tell you to stop nursing. I was told to nurse more. When the baby has jaundice they need to poop it out of their system, therefore you need to feed them more often so they can poop it out. Breastmilk is easy to digest , therefore breastfed babies tend to poop more. If you are worried that your baby isn't getting enough you can introduce a bottle with formula along with the breast milk.
This being said, I am not a doctor, just a mother of 3 children. You should always consult a physician first.
Good luck and Congrats on your little one!

Answer 7

Good advice here so far.. just want to add that there is a medication your doctor can perscribe that will help your milk come in. If all else fails you could ask for this..but try the drinking lots of water, nursing often, pumping, breast massage. Make sure your shoulders aren't tense and you are in a comfy position. I almost died with my 4th child and my milk was way late in coming in compared to my other kids... but it eventually came in with patience... Love your babies, hug them hold them.. and if you aren't successful remember that your love is enough!

Answer 8

Usually your body kicks in and produces all the milk a baby demands. The hospitalization, of course, kind of screwed up your body's schedule for you, but you can probably overcome it. Make sure you eat lots of healthy foods (one of the perks of breastfeeding!) and get plenty of fluids, a lot more than usual. But if it doesn't work, and your baby doesn't get quite all of what she needs, there's no shame in using formula, or doing some of each. Breastfeeding is a wonderful gift to give your baby, but she will live long and prosper on formula as well. Good luck and give your little angel a hug from me!

Answer 9

Is she home yet? If she is, snuggle in bed with her and let her latch on as often as she wishes. After a day or so, you should notice an increase. Make sure you have plenty of water. Oatmeal helps breast milk production, too.

Answer 10

It took me some time for my milk to come in as well. But eventually it did come in and my babies thrived. But my oldest did not like to nurse so when she was about two months, we went with bottles and formula. It worked out best for her. Don't beat yourself up about not being able to nurse. There are some women who cannot nurse their babies. If you let it it would tear you up. If you have to give your baby bottles and formula, do it. It is easier to nurse each subsequent baby. My middle was easier than my first, she loved to nurse. My youngest nursed the longest and was the easiest of all three. Do what is best for your baby. Don't agonize over the decision.