Breastfeeding Problems - Woodhaven,NY

Hey there! I don't really know what to tell you about how to keep her interested in the breast(I have the opposite problem, my 6 month old refuses the bottle). But my lactation consultant started me on domperidone. It is actually some sort of drug for people who have problems digesting, but one of the major side effects of the pill is lactation (even people who aren't breastfeeding). It is safe to take while breastfeeding, and I have found that it has upped my supply significantly.
Apparently the herb 'fenugreek' helps some women too, it didn't work for me though.
Good Luck!

Mother's Milk tea helped me produce lots of milk. You can get it at Whole Foods or any health food store. Best of luck.

AM

M.. Are you sure your baby is rejecting your breastmilk, not what you ate? I found out that my baby did not like onions. When I ate it, he rejected drinking from me. He'd breastfeed even if I ate garlic, but when I ate something thinking there was small, small pieces of onions in it and it may not bother him...was I WRONG! He noticed and wouldn't nurse. So, I didn't bother with onions while nursing him. My second son didn't mind, but my third one did. See what you are eating that she may not like. Also, if your supply is low, I had the same problem, take Fenugreek. It's herbal supplement which was used during the Biblical times and helps produce more milk and it did for me and there are herbal teas out there too. Garlic and peanuts (or peanut butter...I used organic because I am allergic to regular ones and organic is better for you and your baby...your whole family for that matter)and they help produce more milk. Pediatricians will say they don't want you eating peanuts because of peanut allergy, but I did and they didn't have peanut allergy. That is another whole story about that.....why so many children with that and I know it has alot to do with those pesticides and hormones they put on foods and I am allergic to those chemicals...let us know what came of it....the nursing part, please.

You should try Healthy Nursing Tea by secrets of tea.It`s reaaalllly gooooood worked for me.

Definitely see a lactation consultant, not sure where your town is but Breastfeeding Resources in Stratford is definitely one of the few and is excellent. The head is Dr. Christine Smilllie Anyone you can see there is so knowledgeable, ( I saw Robin) they will even talk you through your problems on the telephone before you even see them because you cannot always get an appointment right away. I had issues a few days after my daughter was born (she is 5 months old). I was pumping and bottle feeding her for six weeks due to my nipple and breast infection and pain, and we got her back on the breast full time. It is worth the trip wherever you live. To keep your milk supply up, PUMP if your daughter will not breastfeed, because once it starts to deplete, its difficult to maintain. They say you should pump as many times a day as she eats (I know it seems like a lot). Good Luck!
A.

When my daughter and one son were babies, I ended up having to pump everyday. I then fed them from a bottle.
I know you don't get the same 'closeness' as when directly nursing, but at least they still get your milk.

I did this for several months and it worked out fine for us.
It also helps so that if you can't feed her for some reason, someone else can do it for you. Also, freeze some for taking along or if you happen to take a weekend away.

I agree with pumping more. But also use playtex bottles. My kids only liked those bottles because it was the closest to breastfeeding. This might help accept you more often.

Its hard to tell from your post if she has stopped eating completely or if she is just taking a bottle. So I have some questions:

-How long has this been going on? A day? A week?

-Could your daughter be teething? Maybe that is why she's not interested in eating?

As far as milk supply issues are concerned: drink lots of water, relax, and pump whenever you can. Try the 10-10-10 method: pump for 10 mins, take a break for 10 mins, pump another 10 minutes.

Check out www.kellymom.com and the breastfeeding boards at babycenter.com --they have some great resources.

hi M., you got lots of good advice here... i have to make this quick, but some keys to boosting your supply are to nurse as much as possible, be sure to finish the first breast first, relax, drink lots of water and NO caffiene or any meds that dehydrate you, and try eating oatmeal with pancake syrup in it each day. the syrup should be the fake kind, log cabin or whatever, they use fenugreek in it, along with the oatmeal was great for me, i really saw a difference. my gyn told me black beer also, though i never tried it myself. best of luck, D.

Hi M. D. I can sympathize with the BF problems; my DD was a challenge from day one. I am not completely clear on your current status - are you still nursing exclusively or are you supplementing as well? Also, what types of behaviors does your daughter display at the breast? Is she pulling on and off? Refusing to nurse? I know that the only way to keep your supply up is to nurse and/or pump as often as possible. That way the body gets the message to make more milk. If you are already supplementing with formula and have cut back on your sessions, your supply is likely going down quickly. If you don't want to lose it altogether, I would try nursing her more, and if she is giving you a hard time try pumping too. I know if a baby is fussy at the breast, nursing more frequently can seem like a nightmare. If this is the case, try nuring her in a dark room. I used to have to get my daughter to latch by walking and moving with her while I nursed in a pitch black closet. Lovely, right? Also, if she does a lot of back arching and pulling off, she could have reflux. I would definitely talk to your doctor about that. There's so many complex issues that could be at play; I can't really summarize them all here. There are two good websites with tons of information: www.kellymom.com, and www.lllusa.org. Also, you could consider hiring a lactation consultant, somtimes insurance will reimburse. If you write me with more specifics I might be able to help more. Hang in there, you are doing the best possible thing for your baby by nursing!

My 2 1/2 month old baby is a "switch-hitter". Sometimes he likes the breast and others the bottle. I've been pumping milk for the bottle feedings. My milk supply is fine and we haven't had to go to formula. It sounds as though you want to feed exclusively from the breast so this way wouldn't work for you. We found some of the feedings so stressful though that it has worked for us so far.

Hi M.,

Have you tried pumping? It is a bit time consuming, but it should help keep up your milk supply and your daughter can drink it from a bottle.

My 6 month old daughter takes it both ways. I started pumping so my husband could be more invloved with her care, but it also lets me out of the house for a few hours or so without having to worry about my daughter going hungry.

Good luck!

If you live close to Stratford, CT I suggest you visit Breastfeeding Resources (Dr. Smilie). They accept insurance.

dont have any experience, but i would just concentrate on keeping your supply up. try the fenugeek(spelling?) and drink lots of water. i would also get, actually under these circumstances, just rent a hospital grade pump, just to keep your supply high(then you can always freeze it for if needed). everytime she eats, then pump, and i would also pump while she is sleeping to help.

now thats all just for your supply to protect it while you get things fixed. im not sure if you NEED to give bottles, but if you arent working, i would stop completely. she will not starve. once she realizes there is nothing else, she will eat. then the nipple confusion will cease at well. if you stop giving formula alltogether, she will breastfeed more knowing there is no alternative. your supply will rise, and all will be good. if you need bottles for work, i would at least pump(it might take a few days but you can get your milk back up) so there at least is no confusion in the taste. if you eliminate the formula, there will be no choice for her and she will eat what you give her. also i would suggest you feeding her the breast prior to solids if you are giving them already.

i would also look into the possibility of something in your diet she is tasting. also perfumes and other scent items. try to get a nursing necklace as well only allowing her to have it anytime but nursing. try white noise or something she finds soothing to drown out any distractions. good luck. just remember its a cycle, the more formula, the less breastmilk, so then you go and feed more formula. break the cycle!!!

M.:

I'm sorry you're having difficulty nursing. I have 3 boys and the last 2 out of the three I breast fed for appx 20 mos. I had the opposite problem w/them. They would have kept nursing - but mama wanted her body back (finally).

As for creating a better milk supply - you could try a breast pump in between you baby nursing - or - it sounds like your baby has stopped altogether? If so, you can pump and put your milk in a bottle if he/she likes the bottle. That way your baby will still get the benefits of breast milk.

Have you contacted La Leche in your area? They have a web-site and you can find a support group in your area.

Good luck.

C.

Hello M.,
I have5 children who were all breast-fed. The last one is 8 months old now and still breast feeding. There is a tea called " Mother's Milk", that is great in helping with milk production. Also you have to continue to be patient with the baby as the baby maybe having problems latching on. Please find out if there is a lactation consultant in your area as they are a great help in these matters. Check the hospital where you had the baby or go on line to La Leche League's website. They are the best in these matters. I hope this helps.

Hi M. D,
Eat oatmeal and pump frequently. My daughter had latching problems due to her tounge being tounge-tied. I pumped every two hours in the beginning. At your daughters age you might want to pump 3-6 times a day. You can feed your daughter breatmilk in a bottle. I would give my daughter a bottle but have her nurse either before or after the bottle just to try to improve her latch or nurse at a seperate time of day. It takes quite a while for everything to work. My daughter is 11 mo old and loves to nurse.
My lactation consiltant also told me to have an occasional beer. There are teas that my LC gave me. I am sure you can find them in a health food store. It is marked as a mother's tea not as a specific tea. I am sorry I do not recall the name or the brand.
Good luck.

my daughter is this exact age and becoming a pest about nursing too. 2 major factors i've noticed. first she's too nosy and gets distracted if she hears anything that she might be missing out on. so when possible, i nurse in a quiet area. second, its harder to feed her simply for soothing anymore. i used to nurse simply if she was crabby. now it helps i shes actually hungry. good luck!

Hi M.-

I also am not completely clear on your situation, but I agree with Emma's post. My daughter and I had some latching problems on one breast, so I pumped from that breast most often. When she was born, she was admitted to the NICU and I had some issues from the delivery, so she was given formula and I supplemented with the breast. When we came home from the hospital, I stopped giving her formula all together and she hasn't had any since.

Do you want her to nurse more, or do you just want to make sure that she gets your milk? If you want to just make sure that she nurses more, you should stop giving her a bottle and just get her focused on the breast again - it's so much easier to get milk/formula from a bottle, and some babies don't go between breast and bottle as easily as others.

I agree with one of the other posters that you should look into hiring a lactation consultant, or call your local La Leche leader for help.

As far as producing more milk is concerned, drink LOADS of water. I have never had any of the teas or other drinks, just lots of water. I produce way more than my baby needs and have stock in the freezer. I have so much in the freezer that I am donating a bunch to a milk bank.

Breastfeeding can be a real challenge, but if you stick with it, you will be rewarded. Good luck!!

Hi M.,

Sorry to hear you're having trouble, but glad to hear you're committed to persevering with breastfeeding for your daughter. I would highly recommend contacting your local La Leche League chapter -- not only are the meetings wonderfully informative and generally pleasant, but the chapter leaders are qualified and available to give advice over the phone (and some will even make a house call if it is an urgent situation).

Best of luck to you -- hang in there!
C.

Breast feeding is supply and demand. When I had my 3rd my twins were 3. I didnt have time for bottles. She went directly from breast to cup when weaned. The breast is more of a challenge than a bottle. So humans always take the easier path.
I suggest you find a local chapter of the breast feeding support oranization, La Leche League. They will help you.

Is there a la leche league meeting near you? I'd check that out if you could.

I recommend spending as much time as you can skin to skin with your baby to help your baby "love the breast". Take your shirt off, put your baby in just a diaper and lie down on your bed or some other place with your baby on your chest. Even if the nursing is still difficult, the feeling of physical closeness will help both of you.

With breastfeeding problems, Relax and allow was the greatest advice for me. You can offer the breast with love, peace in your heart and intention, not with fear of your baby rejecting it or control issues or shoulds... When I relaxed fully and offered, surrenduring to the process my baby nursed like crazy!

Hey M.-

A lot of good questions were asked - like your daughter's actions at the breast and what not. There has also been a lot of good advice - especially the part about seeking help from your local La Leche League. All I can do is add my two cents about my experiences BFing.

I had trouble about the same age. It seemed to me to be more about my body with the return of a more "normal" hormone cycle. My husband and I made the decision that I would not take birth control while nursing and I noted a significant dip in supply right before I started menstrating. My little girl would get fussy then too. I think maybe the texture and taste changed as well due to the hormones.

What I did to increase and maintain my supply (at one point I was leaving my hubby with 24 ounces for an 8 hour period while I was in the office), was pump in smaller sessions throughout the day. The one thing LLL told me was that milk production is primarily about stimulation and supply & demand. What these smaller pumping sesssions allowed me to do was get increased stimulation while creating a false "demand". She always got BM when I was away from her and this took a major committment on my part and hubby's. Once I returned home, she greedily took Mama back and nursed not only when I got home, but after dinner and right before she went to bed! Weekends were also all about us being together.

My first thoughts based on your post are to cut out the formula immediately. Formula is a consistent sweet taste and babies get lulled into a "routine" and preference for it. Your milk changes every day, every hour even based on all sorts of factors from food to hormones to temperature so there is never any consistency (other then your cuddle time and love as you nurse).

If possible, stick with the breast and avoid bottles too. Not an option in my case since I am a full time engineer, but BM in the bottle is better than formula.

Third, create a nursing routine. Pick a calming location where you can both relax and focus on one another. Make sure she is fully supported (I still use my breastfriend pillow and she is 1 yrs old) and that she feels secure in your arms. Some soft music to cover up "background" noise is useful too. My little girl gets distracted when the cats and dog visit her room so when she lifts her head or squirms, I bring her attention back to me by repositioning her and placing her at the breast for a new latch.

Her latest thing (over the last 2 months or so) is that she wants to nurse on her belly as she sleeps mostly on her belly. For this I have gone back to nursing her in my bed where I can lay down and she can lay on my tummy, but sometimes this is more a distraction and we go back to our rocking chair and I just keep returning her to the breast. When she sits up fully, I know she is done. When there is a really big distraction that she can not get over, I end the session by putting her down to play/explore and try 1/2 hour to an hour later (or later now that she is older). She seems to be catching on that she needs to be focused while nursing.

Just be diligent. Your question here shows how much you want this to work. Congrats and good luck!!

~C.

M.,
I just went through a decreasing supply. La Leche League has a wonderful helpline 1-877-4-LALECHE (1-877-452-5324).

Another place that was helpful: http://www.breastfeedingbasics.com/html/increasing.shtml

First: The more you feed from the breast, the more you will supply from the breast. No doubt you can replace formula, just add pumping to your ritual.

Water is your drink of choice, but anything will do. That being said, is there something in your diet your daughter objects to? My son would not nurse after the (one) time I had broccoli. He was hungry! It is hard isolating things that your child may not like in your diet (and takes a bit of time eliminating things too, not to mention you can go crazy with a bland diet! :) Cruciferous vegetables, garlic, all types of onions, for a long time (over 7 months) were things I couldn't eat.

If you don't have any problems lactating, I don't think you need to be taking anything to increase your supply.

Getting your daughter interested may take some more creativity on your part. Talk to her, softly, make it a one-on-one time that is quiet, non-distracting, safe, something you both look forward to. Sit, offer her what you wish her to feed from, and work through this together.

Another thought came to mind: do you wear perfume? perfumed deodorant? Hairspray? conditioner/shampoo? She may object to the scent of any one of these things. I have a perfumed soap that my son objects to.

Same would go for your clothes, or the place where you nurse - are there scented distractions that may detract from the viability of nursing her?

Oh, and the biggest thing that helps the most, nursing or pumping, RELAX!

So, I'm sure you have a lot of responses by now, and wish you good luck with your quest.
M.

2 strange words...beer and garlic...the hops in beer helps you produce more milk...one beer won't hurt baby but you can use a non alcoholic beer if it makes you feel better...my midwife told me this and seriously it worked! ...Garlic...changes the taste of your milk...so if you like Italian food your in luck! I'd go easy on it though just in case baby doesn't like it(and your husband probably doesn't want to smell it coming out your pours :) Good luck and remember if it doesn't work out, it's okay...you're not a bad mom if plans change...I tried to nurse all 5 of my boys and baby #3 only got 4 mo's and I had to stop...I don't love him any less than the other 4 that nursed a year longer and he is my healthiest...go figure never had an ear ache til this year at 5 years old! Try your best and if it doesn't work out change plans.
C.

ps...it's hot outside now...it may just not be comfortable for baby to nurse!

Hi M.-
I suggest that you contact a la leche league leader in your area. Google the org and you should find a chapter near you. These women take on this role as a labor of love. They are experts and they are free. Someone will sit down with you while you nurse, help you assess the problem, and help you work through it. I have 4 childen all of whom have nursed long-term. The la leche league has been a tremendous help to me and many other women over the years. I wish you all the best luck. Don't give up!!
L.