My baby is a week and 4 days old and I am breast feeding him and he did great in the hospital and did great?

Question

the first 4 days at home he would nurse between 20-30 minutes and be happy and content and go back to sleep til feeding time again and i am eating and drinking like I am supposed to and I even use a breast pump so my husband can feed him a couple times and I would feel up a 4 oz bottle in minutes but now he nurses for 30-40 minutes and then crys like he is still hungry is he not getting eough milk? When I was in the hospital a nurse told me about a pill you can take that is supposed to help with milk production has anyone had experience with this if so did it work? And also someone told me that drinking one unalcholic beer a days helps with production has anyone tryed this? I am desperate because I want my baby on just breast milk I dont want to have to give him formula right now. Please anyone have any suggestions I would love to hear them. THANKS

Answer 1

Never heard of any pills helping with milk production....that's not to say they don't exist, but I would be VERY wary of taking ANY kind of medication while I was nursing. Talk to your doctor or nurse practitioner about it first.

Answer 2

First off, relax! You are doing better than you think you are, and you should be very proud of yourself for working so hard to breastfeed. I'd definitely not give any bottles at this point, because it will cause you to produce less milk. I have never heard of a pill that helps, but keeping yourself hydrated and eating right will do wonders. Also, consider putting off pumping for a while. I know it helps to have someone else feed him, but if you pump, and store it for a later feeding by your husband, you are actually skipping a direct feeding from your breasts, which can reduce your supply. Even if you pump when the baby would be nursing, the pump is not nearly as efficient as the baby is, and that might be why he is crying.
Remember too that babies are often "easier" for the first few days. During this time the baby is mostly just getting colostrum, which is very healthy. After your milk comes in, the real fun starts! Babies often sleep a ton at first, then sort of "wake up" and start taking a look around. This may be the case here. Also consider that he might have a tummy ache, colic, or other discomfort. Good luck and Congrats!

Answer 3

There is a medication that can help with production. You will need to speak to your OBGYN for that however. Haven't heard anything negative about it.
There is the possibility that he isn't getting it as fast as he would like, which can come from the switch back and forth to the bottle with dad. I had the same problem, and it became so upsetting that I just expressed via pump and let my son have the bottle.
He could also be having a burping issue. You may try burping him for a bit of an extended period after feeding.
I will say this, should you continue to have a problem with him feeding, it is not the most horrible thing to simply give him breastmilk from a bottle. At least he is still getting the breastmilk instead of switching to formula.
The nurse should have warned you that you can experience problems when you get home. If he is feeding frequently, it could be you aren't producing enough yet, and you need to be watchfull of that. Your milk will increase with his demands, but remember that it takes a little time to build that up. Stay patient and don't get worked up or stressed out because then you start to put your health and production into danger. Keep going, and talk to baby's doctor soon if it continues to be a problem, so they can keep an eye on his weight.
Best wishes to you and baby!

Answer 4

A week and 4 days old? He's probably hitting a growth spurt, which usually occurs around 10 days of age! NORMAL! Nurse when he wants to nurse. Follow his cues. It may feel like you do absolutely nothing but nurse for about 3 days and then he'll probably fall into a pattern again. Let him nurse on one side until he comes off and then switch him to the other side and see if he wants more.

Honestly....at this young age I'd suggest that you stop the bottles for a bit. They really aren't recommended before 4-6 weeks. They may also be part of the problem. Milk flows differently from the breast vs. from the bottle. With the bottle, the milk just drips out and they have to work to stop it. At the breast, he has to work to get the milk out, nothing will come unless he sucks. The quicker flow of the bottled milk may be making him impatient at the breast. I'd encourage you to stop the bottles and get breastfeeding better established. Then reintroduce the bottle around 4 weeks of age.

Don't worry about pills and herbs and stuff yet. The BEST way to establish and maintain a supply is to nurse frequently. At this age, he should be nursing *at least* every 2 hours around the clock. Normal! Honestly, from what you posted I don't think you have a supply problem. I think you have a baby on a growth spurt who is also getting a little frustrated by the differences between the bottle and the breast.

You might feel better if you contact your local La Leche League Leader and talk to her in person. Or the Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) at the hospital where you gave birth may be able to help you. A LLL Leader may even be willing to visit you at home for free.

EDITED TO ADD:
Someone else metioned cereal. DO NOT GIVE HIM CEREAL. He is too young for it, no matter how big he is! Cereal should not be started until 6 months of age. Starting too early can put your child at increased risk of allergies, diabetes and obesity! The AAP says NOTHING but breastmilk or formula for the first 6 months.

Answer 5

In addition to the other advice, make sure you are drinking plenty of water. The 8oz/8 times a day is good for you regularly, but if you are nursing you need to significantly increase that. Lack of water will hinder production.

Also, 30-40 minutes is a little long to be nursing. Is he eating or just sucking a little. If he's "playing" and not really nursing, then that could be why he's still hungry.

One more thing, if he's a big baby, you might have to consider supplementing his diet with a little cereal in that breast milk. My daughter was a big baby and always hungry. I had to introduce a teaspoon or two of rice cereal into her diet at about 1 month old. And, no it won't make them chunky kids. Now she's 5 years old and thin.(BTW: I nursed her for about 10 months. Do it for as long as you can even when you do start him on food.) Good luck!

Answer 6

I am not familiar with pills that will help with breast milk production. Make sure you are drinking plenty of water. Because babies go through various stages of growth, it can happen that your baby will require a little more nutrition than you are producing at the moment. However, the more he nurses, the more your milk increases. So, what is happening is actually your body's and his body's way of meeting his growing needs. This should get better within the week and if not, contact your lactation consultant at the hospital you gave birth to or call your local La Leche League. He may need to nurse more frequently on occasion and that is perfectly normal. Relax as much as possible as well, since stress can affect milk production. Be confident that your body knows what your son needs. If he cries after nursing, he may still just need to suck, try a pacifier.

Answer 7

I have breastfed all 4 of mine for over a year (still bf'ing my 15 mo) & I agree that most Dr.'s do not give the best advice to promote a successful breastfeeding experience. I would speak with a knowledgeable lactation consultant or a LLL leader. I also second the recommendation for www.kellymom.com--it is a great resource. It doesn't sound like low supply is the problem. It could be gas or reflux. Is he spitting up alot after he eats? Does he arch his back while he's crying? Also, sometimes babies just cry & we don't know why, just try to comfort them. I would not introduce cereal to a newborn. Adding cereal or formula will only decrease your supply. I also think that you should let the baby suckle for as long as he likes. Breastfeeding is more than providing food--it's also providing comfort & security. Sometimes it seems like all you do is nurse the baby =). Keep up the good work mama!

Answer 8

He may be going thru a growth spurt. If you give him a little time he will probably build your milk supply up some more. I used the medicine twice during the 14 months I nursed, but I needed it around 8 months because after 6 months of pumping at work my supply had dropped (the pump is way less efficient at getting your milk than the baby is). It's a prescription drug and called Reglan (generic metoclopramide). You probably are not to the point that you should need it yet. If you just keep nursing him and don't supplement with formula he will probably build your supply up to where he needs it to be. I remember calling my hospital's lactation consultant around the same age practically crying saying is she really this hungry or is she just using me as a pacifier. That's when she explained to me that they go thru a growth spurt around that age and it might be tough for a week or so, but the baby is just building up my milk supply. On the other hand he may be overeating and giving himself a tummy ache. Does he spit up a lot afterwards when you burp him...could be a sign of overeating. It might be a sign of needing a pacifier to give him that sucking sensation without overfilling his tummy.

Answer 9

Hold off on bottles till later. He might have nipple confusion. Also, he might being fussy because it takes longer and is harder worker to get milk from you rather than the bottle.

Eat oatmeal once a day to boost supply.

Don't look at the clock when it comes to nursing. Let him eat for as long as he wants and whenever he wants. He's building your supply when he does this. Your milk supply isn't full established until either 4 weeks or 6 weeks (I can't remember which one for sure.) After that, you can start offering a bottle again.

Check out www.kellymom.com for nursing info.

Answer 10

I agree with the previous posts about trying other natural methods to up your milk supply and making sure to burp your little one. He may just need to get some air out and then be ready to nurse again. Also www.kellymom.com is a great website for breast feeding moms. If you still have questions/issues a lactation consultant may be needed. Most doctors don't know squat about breast feeding.

Answer 11

First consider nipple problems... generally speaking once a baby uses a nipple he/she will prefer the ease of it. Having been through a few kids of my own we found that this is frequently a problem for new mothers. You may need to supplement the baby with formula whether you like it or not.

Consider your amounts of milk... 4 ounces each feeding is normal and you need to be cautious about over-feeding. Ask you doctor if you are unsure of this and I am sure the doctor will weigh and measure your baby to make sure all is well.

Consider colic or allergies. It is rare for the baby to be allergic to your milk, however things in your system from smoking to almost anything else will transfer in concentration to the baby and may well promote allergic behaviors.

The first 3 months are very important and you should not feel embarrassed to go to the doctor anytime you have a question - even a simple one. Always err on the side of caution with your baby.