Breatfeeding and Frustrated

I know people are going to repsond negatively to this but they are not in your shoes. With my first child, I had a lactation consultant and did all the stuff they recommend, but when it came down to it I was not producing enough milk... Ladies think what you want until you walked in our shoes... I was not going to give my baby formula whatsoever! But after doing everything possible and my milk just not producing, I supplemented. I would let my baby nurse and then if she was still fussy I supplemented with some formula (I used the playtex nurser bottle) and no she did not get nipple confusion. We had a happy baby and a happier Mom! I did not start doing this until after a week or so of frustration, pumpling, consulting, etc... etc... Do what you feel is best. Each pregnancy is different and I have ran into many mothers that had to do this as well with their first baby and then the second baby they had more milk than they could pump! Congratulations on your baby and hope this helps!

Hi Kathleen,

It is normal to produce that amount in the beginning. Don't give up and be sure to be drinking plenty of liquids. It can take up to 6 weeks to adjust to breastfeeding but it is well worth the wait. Hang in there and keep up the good work!

How often does she eat? I used to nurse my girl every two or three hours and when I pumped it would only be 1 or 2 ounces. They are very small and their tummies don't really hold that much. Breastmilk is digested alot faster and they eat every 2 or 3 hours. To produce more milk you will have to let her nurse longer, thats how your body knows that she needs more milk and it better start making that milk. I would leave my daughter on until she was done and let go on her own. Good luck.

You could try some Mother's milk tea. I know that they sell it online but I also found it in the natural foods aisle at the Kroger near my house.

It could be something as simple as feeding her on one side longer to get more higher fat content in your milk. In the hospital we feed 10-15 on each side but if you will increase that to 20-30 on one side and switch if you need to you will make more milk and she may be more satisfied.
Please feel free to contact me for a consultation if this doesn't help.

K. (RN, IBCLC) @ The Nestingplace

There are many reasons why your daughter might be fussy after a feeding, but as long as she's gaining weight and having at least 6-8 very wet diapers every day and 2 poopy diapers, she's getting plenty to eat! The pump is NOT an accurate way to measure how much milk you make - your baby is much more efficient in removing milk than a pump is. There is some good information about fussing after eating at http://www.kellymom.com/bf/concerns/baby/fussy-while-nurs...
And of course contacting LLL or a lactation consultant is always a good idea. (And don't give her a bottle of formula because you think she needs more to eat - that WILL begin to reduce your milk supply, because milk is produced on a supply and demand basis. Like I said, as long as your daughter is gaining weight and having the right number of wet and poopy diapers, she's getting enough to eat.)

Also I just noticed your 'about me' section - if you're still looking for in-home daycare, my mother and aunt have just begun one for infants in the Ft. Worth/Saginaw area - please contact me if you want more information.

As the PPs said, your baby doesn't need much milk at a time just yet. However, if you want to increase your supply to store milk, you can start pumping after nursing your baby. Initally, you won't get much. You're just trying to trick your body into thinking that your LO is still hungry and in about a week, you'll produce more. BFing is supply and demand. All you need to do is demand your body make more, and the supply will come.

Congrats on your new arrival.

she might have bubbles in her tummy that are not coming out. try burping her on one shoulder for a while, lay her belly down on your lap and rub her back, then burp her on the other side for a while.

if you think she's just not satisfied, you might try giving her a little formula after you nurse. i had to do that with my daughter for a week or so. she was just too hungry and i was too exhausted to produce any more milk! the more sleep, the more milk! well, that's my philosohy anyway.

or she might just want to suckle a bit longer. if that's the case, give her a paci afterward for a while and see if that helps.

if you are having a hard time getting milk when you are pumping, it's probably because your milk is not letting down. have you felt that electric shock feeling in your boobs? that's your milk letting down. i really didn't feel it all that much with my son, but i felt it every time i fed my girl until she was a year. but she was a bigger eater than he was. try taking a picture of her and looking at it when you pump. that will help that let down feeling happen easier. and the more you pump, the easier it will get.

hope this helps. keep up the good work! nursing is so rewarding. get to the 6th week and then it will be a piece of cake for you both. best wishes!

Do not -- I repeat do not -- think that what you pump is what the baby gets. The only way to know how much a breast fed baby is getting in a feeding is to weigh the baby before and then after the feeding on an infant scale. (Yes, I have done this.) Babies are much much more efficient than any breast pump (and I had a hospital grade Medela). Looking at the output is depressing for some of us.

There could be a number of reasons why your child continues to be fussy. Do you let her detach or are you taking her off after 15 minutes. It could be she wants to comfort suck longer. It could also be something you're eating. I'm sure there's a myriad of reasons why this is happening so I would suggest getting in contact with your local La Leche League and possibly a lactation consultant to make sure all is going well. In my experience, you get a lot lot better advice and information from an LLL Leader or an LC than I ever got from my non-breastfeeding ped.

Congratulations on your new baby. The first months are such an adjustment. If you haven't checked it out, get the book and dvd for Dr Karp's Happiest Baby on the Block. Some of those techniques might also be helpful for you right now. Good luck!

She may be getting gassy from the milk (esp. if it comes out fast) Fussiness at this age might very well be something you are eating (my son could not handle coffee while my older daughter could not tolerate dairy). Give her a good burp and do a food diary to see when she get super fussy. If it continues, you may want to have her tested for reflux.
Hang it there--every single day gets easier and easier!!!
Congrats on your new girl and HUGS!!!

Please contact a LaLeche League leader in your area. There are different reasons why your baby may be fussy and also why you aren't getting a lot of milk when you pump. You can find contact information at www.lalecheleague.org, and the are the leaders in anything and everything breastfeeding!

She might be full, but having reflux issues. Very true - a pump will not tell you exactly what you're producing, babies are much better at emptying the breast. Give her a warmed up bottle of your breast milk and see if she continues to eat, if so, then she's still hungry. If she takes an ounce or less and pulls away, still fussing, it might be reflux. Hang in there!