Breastfeeding - Dayton,OH

Put the bottles away. It sounds like you really really want to breastfeed and giving your baby a bottle is counterproductive to that. So, put them away. Next, set up a nursing station. I recommend a recliner or your favorite seat. At your nursing station you will need, a big glass of water, a healthy snack, your favorite book, magazine or activity, a nursing pillow or a regular pillow, the TV remote. Also, dedicate yourself. Your job right now is just to take care of that baby. Everything else can wait. Before you start to nurse take a few deep breaths. Relax! If you're stressed the baby can tell. After you're all settled, try to get the baby to latch. It might now work at first, just keep trying. It will happen!!!!! If you are still having problems, contact a lactation consultant. Most hospitals have one on staff. So do most WIC departments. La Leche Leagues have chapters everywhere. You can just look them up online. A lot of times the leaders will come to your house to help you. You can do this!!! It may be difficult at first, but you CAN DO IT!!!

3-4oz is pretty good. Couple of things you need to remember to keep doing every day:
*Drink lots of water
*Eat healthy meals
*Get plenty of rest
*Pump more often even when he is not going to feed
*Pump then go do something for 10 or 15 minutes then pump for a little longer. This helps with the high milk that you might not be getting to during the first pumping session.
*Try taking Fenugreek. My lacation consultant recommended this and I used them the whole time I was breastfeeding my son. I know many other mommies that have used Fenugreek too. You can find them in the whole foods or natural section of a grocery store.

Don't stress about the amount. Right now you are pumping what he needs.
~S.

Stop the bottles NOW. Seek help with his latch with an LC or a LLL leader. There should LCs at your local hospital and your pediatrican may have them on staff. Here's how to find a LLL leader in the Dayton area:
http://www.lllohio.org/groups/dayton.html

Pumps are not as efficient as baby's mouths, so yes, you will eventually dry up if you are exclusively pumping. You haven't failed, you just need to get help, lots of women need help in the beginning. Breastfeeding is the most natural way to feed your baby, but that doesn't mean it comes NATURALLY! Don't feel bad, just call around and get some help before he gets so used to the bottle that you can't go back to the breast.

Good Luck! :)

#1 - I am positive I never expressed as much milk when I pumped as I did when my children nursed. I believe this happens with most women. Our babies somehow know how to respond to the baby and not so much to a machine. Your body will continue to produce milk at approximately the same rate it is being relieved of the milk. When I pumped or nursed more often, my body made more milk to replenish the supply.

Try to keep in mind that your hormones are very out of wack right now. I cried about everything with both of my babies for weeks. My husband thought I was losing my mind. Eventually I became reasonable again. Hang in there. :)

I am not sure what to say about trying to nurse again. I nursed both of my children until they were 15 months old. The first month was very tough with my first child. It was painful and seemed to take every moment of time I had. Then we both got better at it. I don't believe that babies just know how to do it. They have to learn as well as mom has to figure out what is most comfortable. It is a learning experience for all parties involved. My second child was a piggy and wanted to eat all of the time. I literally would nurse her 12 times a day. I never got any sleep and did feel like I was losing my mind most of the time. BUT I WOULD NEVER HAVE CHANGED A THING. It was a personally decision and I did what I wanted to do. That is my advice to you. If you want to breastfeed then go for it. It might not be easy, but I found a lot of support through the OB's doctor's office. They had a nursing mothers group that was great to share what I was going through with. it is a amazing when you see everyones faces in agreement with what you are saying.

Hang in there. You can do it, if you want to. If you don't want to do it then you pick what is best for you and your family. If it is an overwhelming and completely stressful experience then that is not good for you or your baby either. They can sense the tension in situations better than adults can.

Hi- So far so good. Sounds like he's getting plenty to eat. The problem is you will not be a happy mom if you have to pump exclusively. I had excessive problems with latch on and could not have gotten through it without help. Call or look up online La Leche League or a lactation consultant. You need some help so you can breastfeed comfortably and easily. You can do it, just find some support. Congratulations on your baby and giving him such a great start in life!

I've breastfed all four of my children from anywhere between 9-24 months. I had trouble with each of them in the beginning and 3 of them were in NICU for a week which didn't allow me to nurse in the beginning. I also had trouble pumping. I'd keep trying to breastfeed. He'll get the hang of it and latch on. Talk to a lactation consultant. For me, it took me anywhere between 2-6 weeks to get the hang of breastfeeding. Good luck to you and congratulations!

My advice is to call the Elizabeth Blackwell Center Breastfeeding helpline ###-###-####. It is free and they are incredibly helpful!

Regardless of your outcome, don't feel like you're failure. You obviously adore your son.

Blessings to you,
J.

I had trouble getting my son to latch on too. He lost a lot of weight at first. I finally got with a lactation consultant who gave me a nipple shield. It basically is a nipple that feels more like a bottle nipple and goes farther in the baby's mouth. I had nursed my daughter without any problems. My son just needed something larger than my nipple was for him to really latch well. Once I started using it my son nursed great. He gained weight and never had to use bottles after that. I nursed him for almost 15 months using the shield and never regretted using it. It made things great for him and me. Try calling the hospital where you delivered to see if you can get with a lactation consultant there or call La Leche League. Good luck.

Contact La Leche League (http://www.lllohio.org/groups/index.html) or the lacation consultant from the hospital. They can help with latching on. Keep trying, and don't give up on the breastfeeding, it can work! Take care.

Wow I would love to get 4 ounces out of each breast. I usually can only get about 5-6 ounces out of both together. Sounds like you're doing just fine. Does he have plenty of wet diapers? It doesn't matter how he gets the milk, just that he gets it. Don't beat yourself. up. I pump because I work and my little guy is in the 85th percential and doing great. You're doing just fine and you're a great mom!

Find some help with latching on! There is a La Leche League who will help. Also Ohio had the WIC program with free lactation consultants. It is so much easier and less time consuming to nurse from the breast than mess with pumps and bottles. If your baby is nursing on demand your body will make the perfect amount of milk for him. Find help it is free and available!

You have plenty of milk for only a week old! Some babies need a couple extra weeks to learn to latch on... but just do what you all are happier doing (breast vs bottle).

Also read up on mastitis, because pumps don't do a great job of getting all the milk out as well as babies do. I was so afraid of mastitis so I breastfed, and my baby also had nipple confusion.

Breastmilk is the best food for a baby! he'll never be constipated.

I think you are being hard on yourself. Your are producing a reasonable amount of milk. In fact, I am currently breastfeeding, pumping and supplementing with formula for my 4 month old and you are producing more than I have since she was born, so feel good about that. My son (my first child) had difficulty latching and I went to exclusively pumping and he was fine with milk from the bottle with formula supplements. My second child was colicky, so we have to put her on soy within 5 weeks of age as my breastmilk made her vomit. This is my third child and by two weeks, she was out-eating my milk production so we began supplementing each bottle with 2 ounces of formula. She is doing well. I let her nurse two to three times a day and bottles the rest of the time and it is working well.

The first few weeks are rough and it is very easy to get down on yourself. Beware of baby blues if you are not getting the rest you need and begin being overly worrisome. Take care of yourself too.

Congrats on your baby! Here's what I think. If you feel you want to breastfeed then keep trying and seek help from a lactation consultant - I've heard that La Leche League is great! - but maybe give a couple bottles per day also if you're not sure he's getting enough or you need a break (nursing every hour is exhausting, I know).
Your son is only 1 week, so I think 3-4 oz from each breast is great! Your baby doesn't need more than that at this point. As long as you still nurse or express milk regularly I really don't think you have to worry about drying up.
Breastfeeding is such a personal choice. I bottle-fed my first after 2 months of trying to nurse - it just didn't work for us - but then my next 2 I was able to nurse exclusively. It really just depends. If you decide to go with bottles you HAVE NOT failed your son! It kind of sounds like you'd like to keep trying, so I say give it another 2 weeks or so and see how things go. Babies and mothers have to learn to breastfeed. It is natural, but not totally instinctual, if that makes sense. I wish you much luck with whatever you choose!

Hi Kim,

There are a lot of answers already so I hope that I am not repeating too much. You can go to Target and get a nipple shield which supposedly helps the baby learn to latch. I would warn you not to use it too long though. My daughter had no problems latching, but I started using the shield to reduce pain, and after 2-3 months I realized that was why my daughter wasn't gaining enough weight. Once I stopped using it she took off. Also, she would nurse for an hour at times too. I went to LLL and discovered that a lot of babies will use as a pacifier so really watch your son to see if he is sucking. I would recommend contacing someone from LLL and they can show you what to look for. Good luck and don't get upset with yourself; you are doing the best you can!

Yes, yes, yes you should still put him on the breast. It is much easier for a baby to drink from a bottle than from the breast. It takes some time and dedication but you need to have him continue to try from the breast. At this stage 3-4oz from each breast is great! It's also normal for a newborn to eat every hour or two. When you feed him always offer the breast first he needs to learn how to suckle from it then offer the bottle when you think he is done. If you can get a lactation consultant. My hospital offered the service and they were amazing. You are not failing your son you are doing an amazing job just stick with it if you can! Good job mama!

No, your milk is not drying up. 3 to 4 ounces out of each breast is fantastic. My son had difficulty latching, and I made on 1.5 to 2 ounces from each breast. I encourage you to keep trying to have him latch, and then follow with a bottle. It may be that he is not strong enough to latch, or that he has minor deformities in his mouth (my son does), which will keep him from having a good latch for a while. The lactation specialists I worked with had me keep giving my son the breast, followed by a bottle of formula since he was essentially starving. We kept at it, 20 minutes each breast, bottle, sleep for an hour, and all over again. When he was about four months old he had grown strong enough to latch on and nurse well. From that point on, the only time he had a bottle was at day care when I went back to work. I am so glad that I kept at it and I nursed my boy until he was 18 months. The great thing for you is that you are making enough milk to supplement your boy without using formula. Please, keep him at your breast, even if you have to give him a bottle afterward. It will help you and him create an amazing bond. It takes a lot of effort, but it is worth it. Remember that you'll be tired. Simply stated, that's how the first few months of motherhood go. Good luck.

You are doing great!! I breastfed/pumped for 5 months and never got that much in one setting. BY the end, I was pumping 3 times to get enough for just one bottle. You are not failing him - if you want to try the breat again - go for it... at least you are willing to pump vs formula - it is so much better. There are also many sites that offer support - I wish I had used them.... maybe I could've gone longer..... Good Luck!!

I breastfed all our children and wouldn't have done it any other way. If you can, go to the library website in your area and find the book called The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding. It is an excellent book and will answer almost any question you have.

If you CAN, you should breast feed your child... he actually will get more milk out of your breast than you can pump. When I pumped, I only got about 1/2 to 1 ounce at a time... I stored it in the freezer and kept adding to it so that I could go on a date with my dh every once in a while. If I only pumped that small of an amount, and my kids got all they wanted/needed, you definitely have plenty!!! And I never, I say NEVER supplemented with even water... that is the suggestion from LLL (LaLeche League). It worked beautifully for over 15 months with each of our children.

send me a message back if you have any questions!

You are doing great and you are certainly not drying up if you are pumping that much. If you really want to nurse than just keep trying. It takes time to learn the latch on but keep at it and you'll get there. I've nursed 2 babies and know that it's not necessarily easy! And so what if you pump and give the milk to the baby from a bottle! That is fine too! Take it easy on yourself and enjoy that baby!

If your son is only a week old, then 3 or 4 ounces out of each breast when you pump is plenty. Be patient, and keep pumping at a consistent rate and you should do fine. When he eats every hour off of the breast, it's probably because of a comfort or security thing, not because he's still hungry.

I had trouble with my first latching on as well, and didn't produce much milk, no matter how frequently I pumped. after a lot of crying and berating myself for not being a good enough mother, I just switched to bottle feeding him (and pumping whatever I could to give to him), and i found we were both so much calmer and enjoyed each other much more. He was small for his age, and I also felt that I wanted to know exactly how many ounces a day he was eating, so I could make sure to keep his growth on track. It worked great for us, as well as with my second son, and I plan on doing the same with my 3rd child, due in July.

good luck - my advice is just do the best you can - that's all we can ever ask of ourselves :)

hugs!
~T.

http://MamaWorksFromHome.NET
http://FamilyBenefitsLive.com

3-4 oz of milk is a great amount for the first few weeks! Go you for producing that much right away. Keep going on the breast! You will always get more that way. Have you tried a nipple shield yet. If not I would go into the hospital and get some help with that latch!! Keep trying keep working! It takes time but you can get it!

Your son is a week old, and growing already, so he'll learn to latch on better, too. Stop crying and put him back on the breast. Milk supply is based on demand, and he might nurse every hour for a day or two--it won't stay that way. Nurse, cuddle, sleep when he does. Really, people will tell you to have these expectations that the baby sleep as long as possible at a stretch, or even ALL NIGHT, but that is just not natural. Roll with his rhythm, and let him eat when he is hungry. Never mind some rigid schedule--babies are living beings, not robots. And, relax. You are breastfeeding, which is an incredible gift to your son. Trust your own instincts. You already knew you were going to put him back on the breast, or you would not have even written this letter. Drink a glass of water every time you nurse to replenish what he drinks, and then drink your normal fluids for you throughout the day. Sleep when you can. You are doing just fine!

I know exactly how you feel. My daughter did the same thing and I felt awful about it. I tried pumping but that didn't work out for me. I cried a lot and felt like a failure too. I breastfeed my first child for 9 months and felt like I was not fulfilling a mom obligation to my second child. Then common sense set in and I realized how miserable both my daughter and I were and decided to use formula. It was the best decision for us. It was great to have other people help with feedings and have my husband be able to do night feedings!

First off, don't worry about the amount you pump. Many moms cannot pump the same amount their child gets at the breast because the pump is so different than a child. ALWAYS put the baby to your breast whenever possible - this establishes your milk far better than a pump. Only pump when absolutely necessary.

I suspect that if he is having trouble latching to you, but not the bottle, he may have a short frenulum (that piece of skin that attaches his tongue to the floor of his mouth). This is also know as "tongue tie" and is easily fixed at your pediatricians office in about 2 minutes. I would make an appoint ASAP - the sooner it is corrected the faster you can get back to nursing. It always amazes me that doctor's don't check for this in the hospital.

He nurses longer on the boob because it doesn't come out as easily as from the breast. Also, if he is tongue-tied or latched on wrong, he is working harder to try and nurse.

I would also contact a lactation consultant that can come to your home and evaluate his latch. I counsel a ton of nursing moms with latch issues and I find that many are not lined up correctly (they lean over too far, breasts are different sizes, etc). I do counsel by phone (always for free) if you want to call me. ###-###-####. I run the 80+ mom Cape Cod Breastfeeding Moms club and own My Mamma's Milk (http://www.mymammasmilk.com)

Here is an article on tongue tie http://www.askdrsears.com/html/2/T023300.asp

It is important to fix it because it can impact speech down the line (it can be tough to chat if your tongue can't get free). And it is so simple to fix.

Also, here is a list of lactation consultants in your area: http://www.breastfeeding.com/directory/states/ohio.html

Peace-Love-Boobies!
K. C.
(Breastfed daughter till she was 3.5 years, currently nursing 19 month old)

If your son is only a week old, 3-4 ounces from each breast is fabulous! Your baby gets more from your breast than the pump. So as long as he is wetting and pooping enough, he is more than likely getting enough breastmilk. And your body can produce enough milk; it will always produce on demand for the baby. And your body knows the exact composition of fat and nutrients needed for the baby; formula isn't as perfectly matched. It is totally normal for a new baby to eat so frequently, especially when breastfed. Of course, life is easier when the baby eats more at one time and less frequently; however, the benefits of breastfeeding, in my eyes anyway, outweigh the inconvenience of feeding more frequently. At about 10 days, I think infants have a growth spurt, so it could be part of him wanting to eat all the time right now. I hope you stick with it!

Medela makes a nipple shield that is amazing. I used it for both my girls for the first 3 months, then i could discontinue using it. I nursed my first to one year and my second is 8 months and still nursing. Also, check with a lacation consultant. They can be very helpful! As far as the amount that is probably exactly what he needs at this point in his life.

3-4 ounces from each breast! I don't think I ever got that much and I breastfed for 19 months!
You are doing great, but if your intention is to keep on breastfeeding, see a lactation consultant and work on that latch. Actual nursing from the breast is a lot better for your supply and more convenient, too.

first off, take a deep breath and try really hard to relax. i was in a simialr situation over a year ago, and i know how much the stress of not producing enough milk and the pumping and latching issues can do to a person! stressing about it does not help. my first bit of advice that worked when i thought for sure i was drying up (in week 2 because i was pumping and feeding to my son due to latching issues) i tried to pump extra times. if he's eating every four hours, pump every two. after doing this for a few days you will see your production build up more. as far as the latching thing goes, have you tried using a nipple shield? the lactation cons. at the hospital suggested it to me and although it was a pain, it did help. for the first few weeks i would alternate trying him on the breast without first, then with the shield...and then i'd pump the other feeding. after a few weeks one day he finally just took to the breast. it was a very exciting day for me! and i think for him as well :) best wishes to you for a successful journey!

Keep pumping! 3-4oz from each breast is amazing! You will be surprised how much more milk you can get from strictly pumping if your baby cannot latch. If he is satisfied with the bottle and is eating well, keep it going! Your baby is still getting the best nutrition whether its from your breast or bottle! Keep it up mom!

3-4 oz a day or atva time? A week old baby's stomach is about the size of a large marble. They don't need much. I too had latching issues. My local hospital had ackactation specialist who helped me.
I was also pumping the other side to increase my supply. You can pump
ore often too. It's a supply and demand kind of thing. The more you pu
p the more they bake.
Don't fret and stick with it!!!

HI Kim
I had the same issue with my daughter. Keep putting your son on the breast. Your milk is not drying up. To test this, after you are done pumping, try and squeeze your nipple, if more milk comes out, you still have more in there (but you might not get any more out of the pump...frustrating...I know). My pump would not take out as much as the baby did. I had to move the cups around alot to get the most out of the pumping and squeeze my breast while I was pumping....ended up only getting like another ounce per pumping session..
Your son is still young but the less you put him to the breast, the more he is going to like the bottle....its easier. He has to work less to get food. Its up to you if you want to put that kind of work into it(I.E feeding more often). My daughter took about 2 to 2.5 weeks before she got the hang of it. It ended up being easier because I didnt have to pump and then feed, I could just feed. However there is a catch to that. If you breastfeed, then YOU have to feed him all the time. (no breaks)
Good luck. I was able to keep the breast feeding up until she was 5 months old. I went back to work and when I pumped, I dried up alot faster. Seems like when the baby sucks, it produces more.
Also, keep yourself hydrated.!

You need someone to come over to help you and your baby learn how to properly nurse, so the baby latches correctly so he gets fed enough,a nd you are comfortable.

Have you had a consultant or experienced friend come over to help? Its as easy as that. I am sure there are a lot of people who could help you. Ask someone. I know my response is late, but I couldn't respons from my phone when I originally read your post. had to find it today.

At this point, 3-4 ounces is actually a lot of milk, believe it or not. if you start pumping it every hour and a half, you'll start making more. It's kind of a supply and demand thing. See.. when we nurse, we can't actually see how much our babies are getting.. we have to just kind of rely on mother nature. It can be really nerve racking sometimes. That could be part of why he was eating more often when he was nursing, though- to help build up the supply. As long as he's happy and content and growing normally, there's northing to worry about. Isnt motherhood amazing? All those little miracles of mother nature? Modern civilization may have come up with a LOT of things to make our lives easier/simpler, but when it comes down to a mama and her baby, some things never ever change and those things are nothing short of amazing and miraclulous..

Anyway, I digress. Im sure you already know this, but keep taking your prenatal and make sure you're still eating for two. You need to keep lots of healthy stuff in your milk supply for your beautiful baby. Also, it certainly wouldnt help to try again to nurse him. The supply you already have pumped will never go to waste, so if you happen to be successfull (Ill cross my fingers) you can still pump and put back milk for times that youre away and dad has to babysit.(Example) Just make sure that when you put him on that he gets your entire nipple in his mouth- it makes for better suction and less pain. I know that a lot of hospitals offer lactation/breastfeeding consultants at no cost. A lot of places have Healthy Start programs too, that might be willing to come out and teach you.

Maybe you'll get lucky and someone in that profession will see this post :)
In the meantime, you could always do a search for previos posts on breastfeeding and see what other mothers have had to say on the subject in the past.

Good luck! Enjoy that little miracle! God Bless.

Sheesh.. after reading some of the other responses, I see there are some really good ones.. but it Never fails to amaze me how rude and mean some people can be. (Stop crying, get him off the bottle- as if you have a choice on the first and dont on the second) Your hormones are already going crazy, you asked a question and just a little advice- Im so sorry some thought it was okay to TELL you what/how to do/not to do just because it may have worked for them.

Anyway.. I just came back to edit my response because I realized I left a few things out of my post.. Im sure you already know this, but breast milk can be frozen for up to three months. You're pumping a really really good supply, and I would hate for any of that to be lost. You can put it in small ziploc baggies, you can put it in those little bottle liners to freeze it in (its a little tricky to seal the top of those though) I could google it- Im sure someone has a much better idea than me, and its been years since I did it myself- and to thaw it, I always kept a pan of water on the stove. When the baby gets hungry, turn the burner on high, Id hold the baggie in the pan with a pair of tongs (Breastmilk literally melts and warms in just a few seconds). Its just important that you dont ever put it in the microwave. The microwave creates hot spots in a bottle that could burn your babies mouth/throat and it also has the potential to break down a lot of the essential protiens/nutrients in the breastmilk... So..With that said.. Hope you have a great day! It looks like the sun is finally going to peek out today! :)

You still have time to get him to nurse from the breast. Call your local Le Leche League leader. They will help you for free!

Okay I am by no means a breastfeeding expert but these are the things that I have done. With my first son I fought getting enough milk for him for 11 months now I am pumpimg with my second and I have too much! So if you feel like you are not getting enough first thing to do is relax! Stress is not good for milk production! Second cut back on caffeine if you are drinking any.and increase other fluids such as water and I drink alot of gatorade. You can also increase the number of times that you pump. For example if you are pumping every 4 hours try every 2-3. Then there are some natural things you can do. I drink Mothers Milk tea. You can get it at GNC or I prefer the one that you can get at Meijer it is Yogi brand and it tastes better. Then you can also take Fenugreek. But you have to take like 10 a day for it to help. But only try one thing to a time to see what works for you. Congrats on the new baby and relax.

3-4 ounces out of each breast actually sounds pretty good seeing as your son is only one week old. Just make sure you are drinking plenty of water, and pump as often as you feel like you can. You are NOT letting your son down - he will turn out fine no matter what you end up doing! You are a great mom for caring so much. Do what your instincts tell you and don't be afraid to talk to a lactation consultant. They can be very helpful. Also, I would keep giving him your milk in a bottle, but let him keep trying the breast too. However, you say he seems more satisfied when he takes your milk from a bottle, and that is fine too.

You are doing great - Stick with it!! 3-4oz. is alot at that age, so you are doing fine. I would try a nipple shield ($6 at Babies R Us). I also had trouble with my son's latch, and that worked great. I would try it without the shield every few feedings at first, then used it if needed. I think it took about 4-6 weeks to be able to nurse completely without the shield. Then it went well... bfed my son for 18 months.
Nursing that often and long was very common for me in the first few months. It seemed like I was either getting ready to feed him, feeding him, or finishing up feeding him. Seemed constant for many weeks... but slowly as we got more efficient at nursing, the length of feedings will go down, as well as the time between feedings will go up since he will be getting more milk.
Good luck and remember... the more calm and relaxed you are about nursing, the easier it will be for him to latch on so you can enjoy the experience together.

I don't think that the bottle is necessarily more satisfying, just not such a soothing activity as being up against you. I would call a lactation consultant (call the hospital or ped to get names/numbers if you need to) to help with the latch. And definitely, keep trying to get him on. Don't give up, it is such a rewarding thing, and it sounds like you really want it to work. As far as drying up, he is still so young, that is probably all he is eating each feeding, so that is all you are producing right now. Again, the lactation consultant can help with all your fears/worries. Good luck!