For mothers that have or is breastfeeding?

Question

okay my newborn is a week and half old. When I started breastfeeding I could feel my boobs fill up, but now I can't, but there is still milk in them. Is this normal or am I loseing my supply? I would like to continue breastfeeding for as long as possibe but I don't know if that will be possible like my first child. I only breastfed for 3 wks. Are there any suggestions as to how I can keep my supply up for her eating needs? I have had to start bottle feeding too b/c I cannot feel my breasts fill up like usual. They only do once during the day and a night. I eat very well and have been drinkng a lot of fluids too. And am also still takeing my prenatal vitamins. Is there anyting that could help me keep my supply to continue breastfeeding?

Answer 1

STOP THE BOTTLES.

Not feeling your breasts get engorged is NOT an indication that you have a supply problem! BUT....if you keep up with the bottles then you WILL have a supply problem!

Engorgement is NOT the normal state of the lactating breast. Early on you get engorged because your breasts don't know how much milk to make. They don't know if you had twins or one baby or three babies so they make A LOT of milk. As you have been nursing for a while, your supply begins to regulate. After that, engorgement is a sign that you have gone too long between nursing sessions. It is NOT an indicator of supply. Milk is made on demand when you put your baby to the breast.....it is not stored up in between sessions! My guess is that the 2x per day that you are feeling your breasts "fill up" are after the two longest stretches in the day where you aren't nursing.

DITCH THE BOTTLES and get that baby on the breast! Call a La Leche League Leader or a Lactation Consultant for one on one help if you need it.

At one week old, your baby may also be about to go through a growth spurt. They have them around 1 week to 10 days, 2 weeks, 3 weeks and 6 weeks. They are really close together and you'll find that they want to nurse ALL THE TIME during these growth spurts. This is baby's way of boosting your supply and it's normal. After about 2-3 days your supply will be boosted to the new level required.

Answer 2

it's normal not to feel full after engorgement has went away. If you are exclusively breastfeeding with no supplement then you are making enough milk. If you feel your supply is low start pumping after every feeding and feed more often. Your breasts work on a supply and demand basis. The more baby sucks or the more you pump, the more milk you produce. If you feel you need a bit more help producing milk try Fenugreek, an herbal supplement. Try taking 2 pills 3X a day and with 72 hours you should see an increase. You know it's working when your urine and sweat smell like maple syrup, sounds wierd but true! But I would definetly give it some time and with lots of feeding and pumping your supply should be fine. Congrats on breastfeeding, keep up the good work!

Answer 3

Breastfeeding is a supply and demand situation. If you are supplementing with formula then your breasts will stop making as much milk as your baby needs in a day...contributing to you thinking that you need to supplement with more formula. If you desire to increase your supply stop supplementing and go back to only nursing. Your supply will increase within a couple of days. In the meantime you will probably have to nurse a little more often to 1. fulfill your baby's needs and 2. build up your supply. Also, it is commom for you to lose that full feeling. That is your body adjusting to making just the right amount instead of too much milk. It does not mean your supply is dropping...it is just trying to make only enough milk. More water, vitamins, and healthy eating are all good plans. So, I think you are on the right track there. Just stop supplementing with formula if you want your milk supply to build back up.

If that doesn't work well enough for you, you can have your OB prescribe you Reglan (generic name: metoclopramide). It greatly increases your milk supply. You take it for about 10 days. I took it 3 times in the 14 months I nursed my first. It's a drug for nausea and other gastric issue, and the side effect is increased milk supply. It's safe to use while nursing because it is a medicine that they can give newborns.

Answer 4

Once your milk comes in, you won't feel as full unless its been longer than usual between feedings or something is wrong. I know its wierd, but your body is just fine. Staying big like that is usually only when milk comes, if a feeding was late, a blocked duct, or something else wrong or unusual. If it makes you feel better, feed the baby only from your breasts for its next feeding. Once the baby is full, try to express milk out. If there is still a small amount comming out, everything is just fine. Your body should produce what your child needs, without too much left over. I know its hard to believe 4-6 ounces came out and the size didn't really change, but everything is just fine. If you want to bottle feed some, cool. But don't do it unless you want to. If you baby loses weight or grows slowly your doctor will tell you. Otherwise, you're just fine and so is your child.

Answer 5

Hey- don't worry. Your breasts are still filling up with milk- the amount has just adjusted with your baby's appetite. I've been nursing my daughter and she's 10 1/2 months old now- and thriving. I think she drank formula once in her life- and hated every minute of it! You're doing great job with breastfeeding, and what you're experiencing is normal. Just keep nursing, and your body will make all the milk your baby needs. Seriously- it may not feel like there's that much there, but after time breasts stop geting "engorged" even though they fill up. Now, the only time my breasts get engorged is when I'm away from my daughter for half the day!

Answer 6

Your milk supply is fine and everything is completely normal. My baby is 2 1/2 weeks and the past couple days my milk has seemed to decrease as well. I don't need to use nursing pads any longer. This is what is supposed to happen! Although you should still be able to squeeze milk out, and they will become engorged is you go more than like 4-6 hours. Just feed more often for a better milk supply.

Answer 7

Try pumping right after you take a shower. I always found that my milk would let down after that. There's something about the stimulation of the shower and the heat of the water that helps it out. Also, the more you pump, the more your body will want to make the milk. It does take time, sometimes over a month for some women's breasts to wanna work right in the milk department.

Keep it going, and don't give up!! You are not starving your baby, so don't worry about that. Ask your doctor or lactation nurse about your fears, and good luck. Oh and congrats on the new baby!!

Answer 8

ok relax.. lots of women quit breastfeeding simply because they "beleive" they arent supplying enough milk.. this is very very rarely true. not feelign your breasts fill up is NORMAL.. your body is adjusting to this being a daily routine. I would not start supplementing now, that just creates less supply. you body is a supple and demand system, the more your daughter nurses, the more milk you will create... for example, if you started feeding her a 10 am bottle every day instead of breastfeeeding, eventually your body would not have much milk at 10 am. you need to keep the boobies working to get more milk from them. there is a VERY easy way to determine if your baby is getting enough to eat. and its by how many dirty and pee diapers they have in a day. Just keep track on a dry erase board for a few days.. i'm sure you'll find she is eating appropriately. found this online for you:

Once mother's milk comes in, usually on the third or fourth day, the baby should begin to have 6-8 wet cloth diapers (5-6 wet disposable diapers) per day. (An easy way to feel the weight of a wet disposable diaper is to pour 2-4 tablespoons of water in a dry diaper.)

In addition, most young babies will have at least two to five bowel movements every 24 hours for the first several months, although some babies will switch to less frequent but large bowel movements at about 6 weeks.

A baby that is sleeping rather than feeding every 2-3 hours or is generally lethargic may need to be assessed by a health care provider to make sure that he is adequately hydrated.

These are additional important signs that indicate your baby is receiving enough milk:

The baby nurses frequently averaging at least 8-12 feedings per 24-hour period.
The baby is allowed to determine the length of the feeding, which may be 10 to 20 minutes per breast or longer.
Baby’s swallowing sounds are audible as he is breastfeeding.
The baby should gain at least 4-7 ounces per week after the fourth day of life.
The baby will be alert and active, appear healthy, have good color, firm skin, and will be growing in length and head circumference.
The physical act of breastfeeding is more than the quantity of milk that is supplied, as you will find once you hold your baby in your arms. Breastfeeding is warmth, nutrition, and mother's love all rolled into one. Understanding and appreciating the signs of knowing when your baby is getting enough to eat is the one of the most important things a new mother can learn. If you have any concerns regarding your baby, they should be addressed with your health care practitioner.

Answer 9

I am a breastfeeding mother of a 4mo old. Just because you don't feel the milk resupplying itself doesn't mean its not! I never feel my boobs fill up...which is ok!! your body knows how much milk to produce, when baby grows and needs more believe me he/she knows how to get what they need. If you still would like to increase your supply here's how...Pump, by your baby eating from the breast after he/she is full and is done eating pump for about 5 min on each breast...this will trick your body into thinking your baby is still nursing and is wanting more therefor your body will make more! Good luck and congrats.

Answer 10

It is completely normal to not feel your boobs fill up like you did at the beginning...you are still producing enough milk - however, when you start giving formula, your baby is not nursing as much and your supply will start to go down...if you want to keep nursing, you HAVE to stop the formula and dont worry about your child getting enough...as long as your baby is having enough wet diapers and is gaining weight, then the baby is getting enough...women end up drying up because they are worried that the baby isnt getting enough so they start to supplement unecessarily with formula, this causes their supply (which was adequate before) to decrease, so they supplement more, so the supply goes down more, until there is no more breastmilk left. Dont worry...just keep nursing your baby. If you want to keep up your supply NURSE don't supplement! Good luck! and HANG IN THERE! It is hard at the beginning but totally worth it!