Need Breast Feeding Help PLEASE

Honestly, it doesn't sound like you have a LACK of milk problem...but rather a heavy let down or over supply issue.

The arching the back, popping off, gas... those are classic signs of too much of a good thing. Does he seem to gag alot too when trying to nurse?

Try expressing some off first... when you feel let down let the milk just flow into a cloth or hand pump some off until the flow stops on it's own. NO worries you'll still have plenty of milk. But, it will be more of of the hindmilk.

Too much foremilk (which is low in fat content) can cause a baby to be VERY VERY gassy. Due to the low fat content the sugar concentration is higher. The hind milk has a higher fat content which balances out that sugar and baby will be less gassy.

Keep at it. Don't give up!!!

Why do you feel you're not producing enough? Don't worry so much. Keep putting baby to the breast often. If you feel like you REALLY need to increase your milk supply then one sure fire way is to have a beer. Seriously. The brewers yeast stimulates milk production. Drink it in the evening followed by a huge glass of water. According to my friend who is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, only 1% of your blood alcohol level actually gets into your milk. So even if you're drunk off your butt... it's still only drops. And I know from experience IT WORKS!

There are also recipes for things like lactation cookies. www.earthmamaangelbaby.com has some tea for milk production.

www.kellymom.com is a GREAT site to research nursing issues.

Also, getting in touch with a lactation consultant can SAVE your nursing relationship. Seriously. A good LC is worth her weight in GOLD!... wait... Titanium ... it's more valuable! LOL Seriously. They are amazing. And, some insurances will cover a session. So, check into that. I would seek out a private one... not one that works out of a hospital. In my experience, those that have a private business just seem to be more dedicated or something. The hospital ones just seem less... helpful.

I'm sorry I don't know any in your area. But, I could ask my friend... she might have a recommendation. Private message me if you want me to look into it.

Don't give up!!! You're doing great!

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I had issues like this every time my daughter had a growth spurt. You have to make sure the latch is good, (so you might want to call a lactation consultant) but keep putting him on the breast, and pump as well to increase supply. The best way to increase supply to his demand is to keep putting him on the breast. It is frustrating and may take a few days. I would supplement with the milk that I pumped at nap times or at night. I hope it works out, but remember, that any amount of breast feeding is great!

3 moms found this helpful

sounds like reflux. Keep nursing supplementing right now will just hurt your supply.

3 moms found this helpful

Have you looked for a local breastfeeding support group or La Leche League? When I was nervous if my daughter was getting enough, we weighed her before she nursed, then again after and saw that she gained 4 or 5 oz and I was relieved. They have special scales at those support meetings. You might be able to do this at your pediatrician's office, too. (Just make sure he is wearing the same clothes diaper, everything before and after so the only difference is the nursing.) Good luck!

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My friend had a similar problem and it turned out the dairy in her diet was bothering her baby's tummy! She cut out all dairy (had to read packages very carefully) and her son was fine! No more back arching and nipple refusal!

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First of all congrats on your new little bundle of joy and also for having to want and desire to breastfeed him! It is a lot of work but do not give up. Keep trying to nurse him as much as possible because the more you nurse the more milk you will produce. Also, you could always try to pump for a couple of minutes before you nurse him to help with your let down of milk. He might just be getting frustrated with waiting for the milk.
My other recommendation is to go to a breatfeeding support group or to call to get an appointment with the lactation consultant. i see you are from the Westlake area. I know that both St. John's and Fairview have lactation consultants. They would be the best people to help you!
Good luck!

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Starting to eat, un-latching, arching his back, grabbing his face, trying to nurse again.....these are some of the symptoms my LO had, and he had reflux. Arching his back is a huge concern to me. Talk to his dr. Untreated reflux can cause lots of damage. My LO was put on meds, and once we got the right one for him, he was a completely different baby....a happy baby! Yours may not be reflux, but please talk to his dr. Also, doing my own research helped me, here are the most helpful sites I found.

www.refluxrebels.com

www.marci-kids.com (site is currently under construction, but well worth it to check back)

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Hang in there! It looks like you have already gotten a lot of advice here. I would definitely agree that your best bet would be to see a good lactaction consultant. Were you able to see one in the hospital? I am not an expert but nursed my first son for 15 mo. and now my second is 8 weeks old and we are nursing too, even after a 6 week stay in the NICU b/c he was premature and I couldn't even hold him for the first week. I have had my share of nursing issues including reflux, which this may be and also both boys can't tolerate dairy in my diet. Another possible reason this is happening. Talk to your pediatrician about the reflux if that is why this is happening and you also may want to cut dairy from your diet for 1-2 weeks. That is how long it takes for it to leave your system. Check out www.kellymom.com for more info on that (bovine protein intolerance) and be sure to check all labels. there is so much hidden dairy in foods. Do one or the other first so you can see if one helps before doing too much too soon.

I do know that if you feel your supply is going down, then the more stimulation you can get with either nursing or pumping will boost the supply. If the baby is having a hard time, then pump for awhile. It may take a few minutes before the let down so be patient wtih yourself. It takes 2 days for these changes to really start showing with supply. Try to relax when you are doing it and think positive thoughts. That will help with let down too.

Hang in there. Breastfeeding is not easy but it is best and with the proper help, you should be able to turn this around. Good luck!!!

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Sounds like reflux to me!! Call your babies Doctor in the mean time during the weekend refer to "website reflex rebels that Brenda B recommended." This site will help you evaluate his symptoms & help give both of you some relief.

My grandson suffered needlessly because the Nurse Practitioner was clueless regarding Reflux. Grandson had so much acid in his esophagus & stomach that he was coughing & aspirating breast milk into his lungs, it's a miracle he didn't get pneumonia.

With proper help you won't need to stop nursing. You may contact me privately if you want some extra help or moral support. I may have some suggestions that we learned from my Grandsons experience.

I am wishing you and baby the best.
A.

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Call your hospital and ask for the Lactation Consultatnt. They often do home visits. She was extremely helpful when I was having problems BF my first baby and showed me things that I used for my other babies. The next step would be call your pediatrician for advice regarding your baby's symptoms.
Don't worry about these last few days and reduced milk output; once you get help your milk will come back full force. I wish you the best.

By the way, it is very UNcommon for the mother to not be able to produce enough milk. It is likely a different problem that the lactation consultant will help with. If you happen to be on WIC, there are usually peer counselors or lactation consultants that will visit you or see you.

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Your baby might be upset because the milk from you is not coming fast enough for him...it takes a min or 2 of sucking from him before the let down happends. I also had issues with pumping..my milk didnt come out...how I knew this is after I was done pumping for over 30 mins, I then squeezed my breasts and milk poured out. Keep encouraging him on the breast and you drink lots of water...proper diet helps with milk production
one last thing..have you eaten anything spicey or different that could make your milk taste different? (tuna,spicey foods etc) whatever you eat, your baby eats and sometimes they will tell you what they dont like by refusing to eat from you
Congrats on making it this far and keep up the good work

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I agree he might be going through a growth spurt and needs to be breastfeed more often. by the way do not worry about the amount of milk you get when you pump, the pump does not work as well as our little ones when it comes to sucking out all the milk.
just make sure you are drinking plenty of water, I drank a tea called mother's milk (I got it at target) and it did wonders, I couldn't stomach the fenugreek but some women have done great on it. You're doing great mamma! don't get discouraged and whatever you decide that makes both baby and mommy happy is ultimately what matters.

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Call a lactation consultant or a La Leche League leader in your area, and do it right away!! It's possible that he is picking up on your stress about breastfeeding not going as well as you would like. Be patient with him and don't overreact and jump straight to formula. Also, try some Gripe Water. It's available over the counter. My son was a very fussy nurser at first and when I got no help from my pedi I had someone suggest Gripe Water to me and it worked wonders. He just weaned a couple weeks ago at 21 months! Good luck and stick with it. I still vividly remember how tough and stressful those first few weeks were. It does get easier!

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This worked for me when I went back to work and my milk supply sagged:
1. Eat oatmeal, the original old fashioned type. You can add milk, fruit, or whatever but stay away from the instant as it is not as beneficial. There is argument over whether this is myth or fact, it worked for me. Think moo.
2. Always drink a glass of water before you breastfeed or even pump. ALWAYS.
3. Make a photo album with your child's newborn pictures and flip through them while you are pumping. (I keep a small brag book in my pump case.) Becoming emotional usually gets the milk flowing!
4. Don't drink caffeinated beverages, soda, or take antihistamines. Caffeine, sudafed and allergies meds will dry up your sinuses and your milk!
5. Try not to stress out. Try. Drink that tea, and relax.
6. Call La Leche League or go to their website: http://www.llli.org/resources.html for more help.
Good luck. ;)

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Try not to beat yourself up over this. I know from my experience that stressing your self can make it worse, you can actually "want" too much. While breast milk is best, formula isn't going to hurt your child in any way. It could be that you are just one of those who dry up sooner then the 6 month recommendation for breast feeding. It happens, you aren't a bad mother, you haven't failed you son in any way. I would suggest try for another day or two, if it doesn't improve then no sense in tormenting yourself and frustrating your baby any longer. Just smiled and enjoy holding him while he takes the bottle.

Good luck, you are a good mother!!

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Call a lactation consultant but if you feel they aren't suportive of you BF'ing talk to someone else. Some of the hospital consultants that I've seen and spoken with were total nutters.
Contact LLL and find a group close to you if you can and get recomendations from them for what lactation consultant to see. Also check out bfmedneo.com it sounds like a really good resource that is about 30min from westlake.
While breast IS best and I believe that every woman can breastfeed (humans would have died out long ago if it was as hard as some would have us believe) the relationship between you and your child is even more important. If you choose to bottle feed it is ok. He will still grow and get nutrition and you will have a wonderful child. You need to have people that suport you nursing around you as much as you can and RELAX! You can't take the amount that you pumped as an indication as to how much milk you are actually producing.
Does anyone in the family have food alergies? If so you may want to look into cutting out dairy, gluten or nuts from your diet one at a time to see if that ios a problem for him.

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I would definitely contact a lactation consultant. Sounds like hes not getting enough. Your supply might be low so keep pumping and try to nurse often. When my son gets fussy while nursing I try to burp him, calm him down, and then see if he will nurse some more. If you want to avoid the bottle since its apparently a different sucking method for baby, try to feed the breast milk or formula with a small cup or syringe. good luck

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That might be a supply issue. Here's the La Leche League page with information on making sure your baby is getting enough milk. http://www.llli.org/FAQ/enough.html Here's the page with information on increasing supply. http://www.llli.org/FAQ/increase.html

Some women who need to supplement while increasing their supply have good luck with a nursing supplementer which is a bag of milk hung from the neck with two fine tubes running down to the nipples. The nice thing about supplementing that way is that your body continues to get the signals it needs to produce more milk. Every time the baby eats off the breast, it reduces the demand and tells the body to make less milk. With a supplementer, it keeps baby nursing but give him that little extra while you work on the supply. Here's what Dr. Sears says about them. "There are two kinds of supplementers: the Medela Supplemental Nursing System and the Lact-Aid Nursing Trainer System , http://www.lact-aid.com/webmap.htm. The Medela SNS uses a hard plastic bottle to hold the milk; the Lact-Aid system used a plastic bag. Both come with detailed instructions on how to use the device and how to clean it. Talk to a lactation consultant before using a nursing supplementer. She can help you decide if this is the best choice in your situation. She will also help you resolve the breastfeeding problem that has created the need for a supplementer."

If it is a supply issue, there are lots of ways to increase supply. Fenugreek and Blessed Thistle are popular herbal remedies. Fenugreek you'd want to take 3 capsules (at least 500 mg per capsule) 3 times a day. This can taken alone or with Blessed Thistle (3 capsule 3x a day). There are also medicines your doctor can prescribe.

Your first stop though should definitely be a Lactation consultant and/or La Leche League.

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How do your breasts feel? Are you uncomfortable or full feeling when you supplement? I would wonder if your let down is too much for him. I know you didn't get much when you pumped, but it could be your body let's down for him not a machine. Your description of his behavior sounds exactly like what both my kids do when they are frustrated by too much milk. They are hungry but every time they try to latch on they get too much milk so they pull away. They then root around because they are hungry and just get frustrated. I hand express a bit and then allow them to attempt to latch on as many times as needed until they settle in and feed. Good luck. Nursing is sooo wonderful but you already know that it does not define your ability to mother and bond with your baby. I always think of my friends who could not nurse (adoption or medical issues) and they are phenomenal parents. Try your best for piece of mind but don't beat yourself up if you end up not nursing. Pat yourself on the back for the time it did work, your efforts to continue, and then enjoy your baby!

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and, CALL LA LECHE LEAGUE.
They've seen it all.

The 1st thing I would say is for you to keep pumping in the meanwhile, so you don't loose what you have and to keep stimulating. Try to do it as often as your son would eat.
2nd, check what your eating, my son was getting colic because of what I was eating (spicy foods, coffee, etc.), so I had to change that. Fortunately, I didn't have to eliminate dairy, but some people must.
I had to supplement with formula until my new diet was on its way, but kept pumping to make sure my production didn't diminish. My son its almost one year old and I'm still pumping, but I'M ALMOST DONE!!!
Also, ask a lactation consultant and go to lalecheleague.com for more information.
Good luck! I know the frustration and disapointment you can feel when you feel you may not be able to feed your baby.
After reading the answer from Renee, I remembered that I had that problem with my first son (heave let down) and that's why I ended up pumping through almost the whole year, instead of having him eat at the breast. He was fussy and made his reflux worse. He was very gassy and had explosive poops. So Renee might just be up to something with her post.
Good luck again!

One thing I haven't seen mentioned is to try to breastfeed before he becomes starving. He will be a little more patient. If it is a supply problem, and your milk isn't readily there, then that will test his patience, and make him angry if he is starving. If you catch him early in his hunger, that should help his tolerance. Three weeks is a growth spurt, so it could be a supply problem, or not. I agree, as everyone has said, contact an LC. I have 4 children, all breastfed. I do recall having a child who would get mad when milk was coming out when all they wanted was a pacifier.
So see a LC. There is too much to sort out here without having an expert help you.
R.

I have been away from it for a while but my last had a lot of gas too. We used the drops. Also we found out at 6 weeks my daughter had a double ear infection. She could not be calmed down. Took her to the doctor and it was the ears. I would definitely get support from support gruups and talk to your pediatrican to make sure there are better options for him if it is his tummy. Don't give up. It was so relaxing. I nursed my 4th and last one the longest. Also relax and enjoy.

Drink, drink, drink! Are you leaking at all, do your breasts feel firm--use a breast pump and pump fifteen minutes on each side to stimulate your milk supply after feeding your baby--do not use a shield. Good Luck.

I'm a LLL leader in the Dayton, OH area...if you need to call me, email me: b_luvs_j at yahoo
and I'll send you my phone number :D

Ok--arching back = either your milk ejection reflex is too strong, or he is refluxing

How are his diapers? Is he wetting 6-8 diapers a day? (poop counts as a 'wet diaper') If he is, he is getting enough breastmilk--no need to supplement at all. In fact, supplementing could make it worse if DAIRY is the issue.
Dairy doesn't usually make baby fussy until after 2 weeks--then it is 'manifesting' in his system and causing a gassy/fussy baby. If that is the case, you should cut dairy from your diet for at least 2 wks ...may take that long to notice a difference.
Another issue...a gassy tummy causing fussiness may make baby want to SUCK, but not EAT. So you try to latch him on and he may want to suck, but doesn't want the milk--and then he arches...in that case, a pacifier may work. I don't usually advise paci's but in some babies, they have a stronger sucking NEED and then are getting over full by nursing soo much (often with an oversupply in mom)...
So, does he spit up a lot?
Here is a good website for you:
www.kellymom.com
Email me if you need!
PS....the pump will not tell you if you are making enough milk or not...most people don't produce for the pump like they produce for the baby. Check diaper output to see if baby is getting enough to eat! :D
kellymom :: Breastfeeding and Parenting
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kellymom.com - Breastfeeding and Parenting. Evidence-based information on breastfeeding and parenting issues.
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I was also going to suggest that you might be letting down so much so quickly that the can't actually drink it, think a bathtub of water instead of glass being poured in your mouth. I would hand express some into a bottle, then offer him the breast, really being patient to get a good latch and then if you've tried that for a day, supplement with the milk you have expressed and see the breastfeeding consult associated with your hospital. they should be able to help you a little over the phone and if not should be willing to have you bring the baby in.

OH and keep him swaddled too.

There are so many replies so maybe someone has already mentioned this but I went through the same thing and here's what worked for me. If it really is a supply issue - send an entire day in bed with him (if you can:)) Just snuggling with him, relaxing and letting him feed on demand will increase your supply. It only took one day of that and my son and I were back on track. If you can't stay in bed for a day, try to relax. I know it's hard but getting stressed about it just makes it worse. Good luck - its worth all the effort!

It's just his age. Keep at it. He's probably going through a growth spurt. Plus, around 3 weeks babies wake up more and have fussy evening periods.
You can get fenugreek online, it's best when taken with blessed thistle, there are supplements that have both.
Do you switch sides when nursing? If not, try it. If you do, try not switching and go back to the same side at the next feeding before moving to the other side.
Pumping is not a good way to find out how much he gets. The pump just doesn't work as well. Call the doctor and ask for a weight check. Also, ask if their scare is done by pounds and ounces (8lb 7oz) or just pounds (8.45pounds). Go in, strip him to a clean diaper, weigh him. Then nurse him. Then weigh him again. Don't change the diaper until after you're done even if he poops, what was in when you weight the first time needs to be included in the second weight. If the scale lists ounces, you know exactly how much he took. If it is only by pounds, then you'll have to do the math to figure out how many ounces he took.
He should be getting 2-4 ounces at a time at his age.

Contact your local La Leche League leaders and ask for help or go to a meeting. See if your local hospitals have lactation consultants you can see for free or a small fee. And many hospitals have support groups run by LCs. Your pediatrician may even have an LC on staff you can talk to.

maybe he doesn't want to breast feed and wants the formula.It sounds like he does better on that or at least you have better luck with that.Not all babies like the breast milk..

For fenugreek, as well as something else...can't remember the name of it, go to www.motherslove.com It has great breastfeeding help:) Also, your son might have thrush. My middle son had that exact thing happen and he didn't want to nurse b/c his mouth hurt. It's easier to suck a bottle than to nurse so it might have just been more comfortable. Go to your pediatrician and check for thrush. They'll give you a prescription. My son's was extreme and our pediatrician told me to put Lotrimin lightly on my nipples and on/around my son's tongue/lips/gums/cheeks. The other prescriptions didn't work, but the Lotrimin cream did! Anyway, check out the thrush, and also remember that 3 weeks is around growth-spurt time, so feeding crazily is normal...but he probably has an issue along with the feeding frenzy:) Good luck and hang in there! The more you relax, the better you'll be able to nurse and the easier of a time your son will have as well! You can do it! Have faith in yourself!!!!

What Rachel B said.

Call La Leche League. There are groups in the Cleveland area.

I would try burping him frequently also.

Keep trying to nurse him. If that doesn't work, keep pumping, but don't judge your supply by how much you can pump. The baby is much more efficient. And your pump may have issues--a tiny leak somewhere will impact its performance.

He may be eating the formula because it is less effort than sucking from the breast. Have you tried putting your expressed milk in a bottle and seeing if he'll take that? If he doesn't do the arched-back/fussy routine with the breastmilk in the bottle, then I would say it is not a problem with him "liking/disliking" your milk, rather it would seem to be more of an issue of something of the process of breastfeeding (to get the milk) is not agreeing with him. I hope that made sense.

If he does get fussy after taking breastmilk from a bottle, then it would seem that there is something in the milk itself that is bothering him.

Kudos to you for wanting to breastfeed, and for keeping it up this long so far!! Hang in there!

K. Z.

You should be able to get fenugreek easily online. Try vitaminshoppe.com or vitacost.com. I plan to try shatavari next time around.
http://www.vitacost.com/Ayurceutics-Shatavari?csrc=PPCADW...#

This is also a very helpful website: http://www.lowmilksupply.org/causes.shtml

Good luck!

I will second the following suggestions:
1. Please call a lactation consultant. There are many and the La Leche League calls are free. They will help you immensely!!!!
2. Eat oatmeal and avocado will help you produce more.
3. Keep pumping so you don't lose your supply.

One thing I will add, you may want to talk to the pediatrician. You could be looking at a diet change for you (maybe taking out dairy for a while) or maybe he has acid reflux. Either way, I would suggest you talk to the pediatrician and the lactation consultant.

Your son will get so very much from your antibody-full milk. Please don't give up!