I have a 13week old daughter. I returned to work (12 hr shifts as a nurse) about 4 weeks ago. I have started to notice that she gets fussy when breastfeeding. She feeds really well for about 5-10 mins then seems to get upset like maybe the milk is not coming out as fast as she would like. I worry that she is getting lazy with the bottles she gets while Im gone. So I am wondering if there is something I can do different to help her and me! I have some mothers milk tea! I am gonna try that on my next shift! Any advice is helpful!
I haven't try it, but a friend of mine how is breastfeeding right now recommended that when my baby is born I should take Fenugreek supplement. That it is really good increasing milk supply, her family has taken it for generations apparently.
I'm not breastfeeding yet, but are considering taking the advice after seeing her milk production.
I hope it helps. and good luck
Drink as much WATER as you can, eat oatmeal and oatmeal cookies and take 3 capsules 3 times a day of Fenugreek! You can buy it at almost any pharmacy and healthfood stores. I buy mine at Puritans Pride online and get 5 bottles for the price of 1 at the stores. The Mothers Milk Tea you will have to almost drown yourself drinking it to get any results from it as it contains a very very small amount of Fenugreek in it. It also has blessed thistle which I have tried in capsule form and it never helped my supply at all. Fenugreek when taken as described above worked wonders for me through all 5 of my babies. I am still nursing my 25 month old and when she goes through growth spurts I get back to taking Fenugreek to help meet her demands. When you are home with her NURSE NURSE NURSE!!! A baby can best help with supply over any pump out there. Good Luck!
It might not have anything to do with your milk supply. If she gets fussy after a couple minutes of nursing it could be acid reflux. If there is any spit up within a minute or two after feedings check with your pediatrician. My third had reflux and it was easily fixed with medication.
this may sound silly, but my aunt advised me to use a hair comb, and comb downward on the top of your breast, I tried it, I guess it worked. Also use a warm washcloth on your breast. Hope that helped.
I like a lot of the advice you have received already, but just wanted to add a couple of things...
You might try to maximize the skin to skin contact while you're nursing her. Take her clothes off and expose your belly to hers while feeding her and it may help to both calm her and increase your milk letdown...
You may also want to look at your diet - are you eating something that may be causing her uncomfortable gas? Maybe she needs to be burped more often than usual.
Good luck!
-H
Google La Leche League and find out when the next meeting is. They are the sweetest most helpful people around and perfect for these types of questions. Also, are there lactation consultants on staff at the hospital you can ask?
Eat oatmeal... if you dont like oatmeal try homemade granola. Make lactation cookies http://realilfemum.blogspot.com/2010/08/lactation-cookies...
Drink the tea, lots of water, pump as often as you can, and take fenugreek. You have to take lots of it. i have hear there are some playtex bottles called natural flow or something like that. They are supposed to have slow nipples. Make sure you are using the slowest nipple on the bottles. Also if you do think it is a letdown thing try warm wet washcloth before nursing.
Please call La Leche League.
They can help you, even though you're not able to be at home
with your daughter 24/7. Also, can the person who cares for your child when you are at work bring her to you for a feeding
halfway through your shift?
Good luck.
Are you pumping at work? If not your milk supply may be drying up. I know woking as an nurse 12 hour shifts it is hard to find the time to pump but I am sure that your hospital will work with you. I work in the NICU and we have several nurses that pump during work but we happen to have seveal pumping rooms on our unit so it makes is so much easyer. Breastfeeding is totally supply and demand so pumping when you can not breastfeed her is required. Most infants swiching from bottle to breast will prefer the breast so I would think that it may be your supply that is the issue. Good luck.
Are you sure your milk is decreasing? My son acts the same way and it will cross my mind that my milk is decreasing but he acts that way only when he's tired. It will seem like I don't have milk but then he'll burp a loud burp and spit up. He acts like he's starving and not content when he's tired. He always has wet diapers and is gaining weight and growing good, but I think it's weird that when he is tired, he acts hungry. Keep nursing her when you can and pump. Try not to supplement with formula. Keep taking your prenatals and drink plenty of water. Good luck to you and congratulations!!
