Having trouble producing enough milk for my baby.?

Question

Initially I planned on exclusively breastfeeding but my milk didn't come in for five days and the colostrum wasn't enough for her. She lost too much weight and had jaundice bad enough that they were going to admit her to the hospital if I didn't supplement with formula to get her weight up and jaundice alleviated. Since then I have been giving her the breast first and then formula, but no matter what I do (pumping frequently, etc.) I can't seem to make more than two or three ounces (the most in the morning). I've been to a lactation consultant, didn't really help, and I've tried relaxing and getting comfortable, but that doesn't really change the amount I make either. And now my baby won't latch for more than a few minutes because she has gotten used to bottles and gets frustrated with nursing from the breast. I want to keep breastfeeding because I hate all the issues that formula is giving her (constipation, gassiness, etc.) but don't know what to do to increase my supply.

Answer 1

Just make sure to ALWAYS feed baby first until you are absolutely empty. But even when you are empty theres still milk!! Also know that what you see with teh breast pump will not compare to what your baby actually gets out. The amounts will never be the same. A breast is designed for babys suckling not the pump, the baby is FAR mroe efficient. Try these ladies here...

www.lalecheleague.org

Best of luck top you! Sounds like you are doing what you need just need some encouragement! Dotn give up, youre doign a great job!

Answer 2

Get her back on the breast exclusively. This is hard, cause the bottle is so much easier, as long as you keep trying it will get better, even if it is slowly. Also, make sure that if you do have to bottle feed her that it is your breast milk.

Also, drink plenty of fluids.

Don't take suppliments without consulting a doctor. Some babies do not like the taste of milk when the mom takes them and some babies are allergic to these suppliments...

My daughter got nipple confusion and it was really tough, but with patience (it took about a week 1/2) she started figuring it out. She preferred the "football hold" when she was little. Also, change breasts because some babies prefer one over the other, so you can start them off on the one they prefer and then do a switcharoo after 10 minutes of feeding.

My daughter was a 10.5 pound baby, and I was pressured into giving her formula to suppliment. I did at first and I regretted it, so I weaned her off and back onto my milk exclusively. Also, try not using a pacifier and be really patient and comforting and quiet when you breastfeed. Don't wait until she is starving to feed her, try as many times as possible throughout the day, that way her frustration level will be less than when she is really hungry.

You are doing the best you can! Keep it up! Your baby will be fine because she has a loving mommy- stick with breast feeding and I promise it will get easier!! Even a little amount of breast milk is really good for her, even if you suppliment with formula.

Also, make sure you've got a good pump. I only got 1oz of milk when I was pumping with the manual pump. After she was starting to take the breast easily, (she was about 4 weeks old, I started being able to pump 4 oz at a session with the Advent pump. I went from producing barely anything to have surplus and donating milk to the hospital for premies...

I didn't know about the oatmeal thing, but coincidentally I eat the instant oatmeal every day, so maybe that does help!

Answer 3

I have had trouble pumping for my 7 week old daughter. For weeks i could not even get enough milk to cover the bottom of the bottle!! Finally was able to get 3 oz when i was away from the baby all day and was very close to being engorged. That all being said, i have not supplemented with formula. My baby only got 2 bottles of formula per week in order to let her become familiar with a bottle so as to prevent rejection of it when i go back to work in July. Even though i can't pump enough for her, she is getting enough directly from the breast.......has adequate wet/poopy diapers, and has been steadily gaining weight (up 2.5 lbs from her birth weight at her 6 week doctor visit). What about stopping the formula? She may want to eat more often, but that will only help to stimulate your milk supply. A friend of mine bought a baby scale and would weigh her boys before and after nursing them. This way she would know how much milk she was producing. Good luck!!

Answer 4

First thing is to get rid of the bottles. She will continue to refuse the breast and you will continue to make less milk, the longer she has a bottle.

You, obviously, still need to supplement for the time being, but the formula should be given through a cup, syringe or "supplemental nursing system" ( a tube you attach to your breast... im surprised the LC didnt mention this.) Here is some info on alternative feeding methods : http://www.askdrsears.com/html/2/t026000.asp

So you are getting 2-3 oz in one session? That is TERRIFIC! I have never been able to pump 3 oz in one sitting and ive never had to use formula.

Check out this article:
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/decrease-formula.html

Also, spend alot of time in skin to skin contact wiht your baby. Hopping into bed with her in a diaper and you mostly naked and nursing as much and often as she wants for 2-3 days straight should boost your supply a great deal.

Oatmeal (not the instant stuff) and mothers milk tea will also help... If all of that fails, you may think about looking into fenugreek. But i'm nearly posative an increased demand will produce the results you are looking for.

Feel free to email me if you need more info, I've tried to just get you started here...

Bravo for really putting an effort forth. With a little determination and the right information, you should have a very sucessful nursing relationship!

Answer 5

Aw, I feel for you. Sometimes we have the best of intentions and it just doesn't go as planned. I had a preemie, and she couldn't latch on, so I had to pump for the first 6 weeks and feed her with a tube and then a bottle. We spent weeks trying to get her to latch on, and she finally did. I swear, there were some days that she would cry, and I would cry, and it was just so dang frustrating!!!

Just keep trying! Keep offering the breast. The more you breastfeed, the more your milk will come in.

Make sure you drink plenty of liquids.

Get some Nursing MomsTea

Try herbal supplements - they taste awful, but are supposed to work.

Oh, and Reglan (available by Rx) has been known to increase milk production. I had to convince my doctor by printing out articles online, but she was nice enough to write me a Rx.

Make sure you're getting enough rest and drinking enough fluids and eating enough.

And, if worse comes to worst, you will have at least breastfed your baby some, which is better than none.

Good luck! Keep trying!

Answer 6

my son was the same w/ weight loss/jaundice. ever since his first feeding, i have fed him both breast milk and formula feedings. the first two months, he would drain me, and then be hungry 20 minutes later.

the difference was that i Started each meal with about 5-10 ml. of formula. then once baby was feeding good, i would switch him over to breast. he has thrived for 5 months getting a mixture of formula and breast. now he breastfeeds first meal in morning and last meal at night with bottle feedings all day. but for the first 2 months, he was 90% breast and OK with 10% formula. don't feel bad if you have to supplement with formula because you can't pump enough. i was the same but i don't feel bad because any amount of breast milk you give your baby is better than none. plus i feel comfortable that i breast feed enough to help him build immune system while i am reassured he gets enough protein from formula.

Answer 7

There is a product out there called "mothers milk" and my doctor swears by it. You might want to give something like that a try. I had problems with breastfeeding and producing enough. My baby would not latch on at all, so I just pumped. It did not last at all. I wish now that I would have tried the mothers milk. Good luck!

Answer 8

Keep pumping! I know it is frustrating, but you have to keep pumping to signal to your brain that you need more milk. I would try pumping more often! Try massaging your breasts while you're in a warm shower. Eat oatmeal, keep drinking water, and get rest. Make sure you're eating enough and healthy too.

Keep having your baby nurse first. Don't give her the bottle so quickly. Even if she fusses... if she is hungry enough, she'll keep nursing. And if she keeps nursing you'll make more milk!

My son totally weaned from the breast and only wanted the bottle because I returned to work and he had bottles all day, but don't stop pumping! Keep giving your baby that wonderful milk your body is making.

Stay positive and keep getting support to continue breastfeeding. It is difficult sometimes, but totally worth the effort!

Answer 9

Sounds like you are just going to have to bite the bullet and go BF cold turkey. Bottle-feeding makes babies lazy, and why should she work any harder if she doesn't have to??? BF is supply and demand. If there's not much demand, you will make less milk. Nurse her every 30 minutes during the day if that's what it takes to re-establish your milk supply. You should notice the feedings spacing themselves within a few days.

You will get more milk into your baby from BF vs. pumping.

You MUST MUST MUST make sure you are hydrated. Take your daily intake of water seriously. Go get a pitcher that holds 8 cups of water, fill it up every morning, and make sure you drink it all - EVERY DAY. This is the biggest and most important factor in making more milk.

I also recommend getting some fenugreek capsules or tea to stimulate milk production.

Answer 10

I had a lot of problems breast-feeding, too, and got a lot of GREAT counsel. Make sure both of you are comfortable - baby's dry, you are in a comfortable chair (with a support pillow if needed) or laying on your side in your bed. Have some quiet music playing and settle in with Baby. This lets baby know this is not only FOOD time, this is uniterrupted quality time with mom. Help baby to latch on and talk to her soothingly.

Something the lactation consultants DIDN'T tell my step-daughter when she tried to breastfeed her son, but something you must ALWAYS ALWAYS do - ALWAYS make sure you have 16oz or more of water every time you feed - drink the water as baby nurses. Water - not coffee, not soda, not milk. I was advised to stay in bed for three to four days and every time baby wanted to eat, be sure to breastfeed, even if it seemed to get frustrating. It takes about 3 to 4 days to get an increase in milk, but it also takes perserverence on your part. When baby gets hungry she'll suck. If she uses a pacifier, try to encourage her to suckle when she wants to use her pacifier. ANY time she suckles on the breast is going to increase milk production. And if you drink coffee, tea, or sodas, change to juice and water - that provides more water and doesn't have caffeine - a natural diuretic that robs you and your baby of the water (and eventually milk) you both need.

Even being sequestered in bed for a week, having tons of water and all, I couldn't produce enough milk and had to suppliment with formula, but the only time my kids had a bottle it was with Dad or Brother or Grandma... never Mom. The only time my kids could have feeding time with mommy was at the breast, and I fed them for about six months before my body just quit producing milk.

Contact your local La Leche League about having some help and if you have to suppliment, don't feel badly. We are made to feed our young but sometimes it just doesn't work the way we want it to. I hope this helps you and I know you'll have a great experience with your newborn - and Happy Mother's Day!