breastfeeding please answer?

Question

ok heres is the thing my 2 weeks old baby never seems happy after breastfeeding so i buy a medela breastpump that cost 319 it supposed to be very good and is a doble pumpimg machine i been pumping only at most 1 to 2 oz of milk but when i gave it trough bottle to my baby now she seem more happy and sleep more during the night im afraid that if i use mostly pumpimg my milk supply will drop or not grow what can i do to increase my milk supply that as you see is still really low and my baby is in a grow spurth i been breastfeding for a couple of day every 1.5 to 2 hours please help

Answer 1

Don't pump only. Sounds like latch-on may be the reason your baby isn't getting enough to be satisfied. I had the same problem.\ and it eventually affected my supply. Then I made the mistake of pumping only and bottle feeding. It was a hard road back to exclusive breastfeeding.

I would pump & breast feed her giving the expressed milk as supplement. You might consider seeing a lactation consultant to make sure latch is good. Keep feeding her and remember, once she is latched on well, she will get at least an ounce more than the pump - which means for two weeks, it sounds like your supply is strong. If you are worried about supply, try natural food increasers like oatmeal...check out this site for more:

(http://www.mobimotherhood.org/MM/article-diet.aspx)

I used mother's milk tea (GNC) and later a herbal supplement called Mother's Milk Plus (Whole Foods) and both worked well.

Good luck and keep feeding your baby - it will get easier.

Answer 2

Breast fed babies don't work like bottle fed ones. They are not as consistant with the length of time they feed for, the time between feeds, and the time they sleep for in between. Sometimes she'll go for several hours, sometimes 30 minutes. The reason is simple, your milk changes according to what you have eaten. Don't worry, your baby will let you know if she is not getting enough. The more milk you use the more you will make, it won't dry up unless you stop using it. Most of the nutrition is in the first oz or 2 which is stored ready for use when baby wants it. The rest is made on demand and is mainly water so if she has fed for a few minutes she will have had most of the nutrition anyway.

Make sure that you are eating a well balanced diet and drink plenty of fluids. Get as much rest as you can. If she is having a growth spurt it will be putting a strain on you too. Focus your attention on taking care of yourself and your baby. If the house work doesn't get done or the ironing isn't finish, so what!

If you live in the UK the National Childbirth Trust should be able to help you. I presume the states has a similiar association. www.nctpregnancyandbabycare.com

And hang on in there, the first couple of weeks is tough, the first two or three months can be tricky, but after that it's a breeze. I breast fed my eldest until she was 2.5 and my youngest 16 months. It's a wonderful and satisfying experience but remember you and the baby need to learn how to do it and it takes some getting used to.

Answer 3

Keep going like this!!! Nurse your baby, pump, nurse your baby, pump... it's going to be really hard for a few wks but then you'll see that everything falls into place. Promise!! DO NOT start giving formula, that's a horrible horrible suggestion. Your milk has just came in really (mature milk usually comes in around Day 10) so you havent gotten a good supply developed yet perhaps. This comes with time, dont worry!! Pumping can be difficult for some, it sure was for me, so you cant base your supply on that alone. Keep going, and if you need additional help contact La Leche League, a midwife, a close friend who's breastfed, and ask questions!! You're doing great!

Answer 4

You've got lots of advice here, do not go to formula if you want to continue breast feeding. It's only been two weeks, so your supply is not yet fully established. Please make sure you're eating very often (even if you're not that hungry, have a yogurt or granola bar) drink LOTS of water. If you are concerned about milk supply, I found that switch nursing worked well for me. Feed on one side for 5 minutes, switch sides and feed for 5 minutes then go back to the other side for 5. Do this until your baby seems full. The reason you think she was happy after the bottle, is because she doesn't have to use much sucking power to get the milk from the bottles nipple. She's learning too, so just give it some time. You're doing great !

Answer 5

If your baby is not content after a feeding it might mean that she is not getting latched on correctly or she is not nursing as long as she wants. Don't watch a clock when she is feeding. Let her eat as long as she wants on one side and then you can offer her the other breast. Don't try too hard and just relax when she is feeding. Watch her and listen for her to swallow. You should hear her swallowing. Make sure her lips are flanked out and her chin in resting on your breast. If you are still having problems contact a lactation consultant. She can make sure that your baby is latching on correctly and growing well. Good luck and don't give up. By the way babies have growth spurts at 1, 3, 6, and 12 weeks so it might feel like you are not making enough milk, but keep nursing on demand and your baby will help your body make more milk.

Answer 6

Breast feeding is a supply and demand kind of thing. The more you pump, the more you'll produce. It is very hard with breastfeeding to measure how much your baby is eating unless you put it in a bottle. So you're doing the right thing. Some women, like me, can produce milk for over 2 years and enough to feed a small nation. Some, like my sister, produce for a few weeks and then it's all over. Don't be so hard on yourself. God will supply your body with what your baby needs. When and if you need have to go on formula, I have found that Isomil is the best.

Answer 7

I would just continue to nurse. Unless the pump says it can help increase milk supply, it probably can't. Most breast pumps can't, they don't have the right suction. Nursing every 1.5-2 hours is normal for a 2 week old baby, even one without going through a growth spurt. Just don't give up breastfeeding, if you have to see a lactation consultant, they're a big help. Good Luck.

Answer 8

I had a problem very similar to your's with my son. I have flat nipples and one of them is semi-inverted and my son just did not have the oral strength to get out what he needed from my breasts to be satisfied. So I also pumped like crazy but it's the demand from your child not a pump that really produces the most, strange but true. So in the end I did have to add some formula to his bottles to make up the difference. I kept this up for 6 months and then switched him to just formula. My daughter on the other hand had no problems so it also depends on the baby. Good luck, whatever you choose to do is right for you. Don't let the nursing Nazis get to you.

Answer 9

I am breast feeding my daughter now six months. It sounds like maybe she is not getting attached correctly if shes never seems happy. Have you called the lactation specialist offer by the hospital most are offered for free. Or call you local WIC office they can give you ideas on how to get a better attactment and also a way to keep your milk suply coming in. Your only two weeks in keep trying. ITs not always easy at first espcailly when your healing form labor and delevery yourself. Just get a bot of help hun from the sorces avalible heres a site talking about breast feeding hope it helps and good luck it really does help the babies soo much in life.


http://www.mommysavers.com/parenting-tips/breastfeeding-tips.shtml

Answer 10

well theres a couple things you can do you can try taking the herbal supplement fengugreek its naturally supposed to increase milk production. They also made a prescription med but I don't know what its called. Really though the best thing I found to increase milk production was just to let your baby suck as long as she wants, within a few days your milk production will increase. I went through the same problem with my son he wanted to eat every hour or so it got to be so stressful but we worked through it. He's now 8 mos and starting to drink from a cup. Truthfully hang in there breastfeeding my baby was the best thing I've ever done, it just took me a couple months to feel that way.