Lactaing Enough??

HI J.,

I'm not sure if this is going to help or not, but after 4 months I am still pumping and feeding my son almost exclusively with breast milk. I have just started to give him a couple of bottles of just formula which he doesn't seem to mind. The only thing I can say is to try to massage your breasts before you start to pump. I also have found that an electric pump works alot better than a hand pump. I hope this might help a little. My little guy has tripled his birth weight without ever latching on. I know it's hard but don't give up.

This is a terrific amount of milk to be producing with that kind of frequency. At this point, a newborn baby's tummy is close to the size of a ping pong ball (probably not quite 3 ozs capacity). If you think this is not enough for your baby, then you need to pump more frequently. It all works on the theory of supply and demand - the more you take out, the more you will make. Increasing your fluids can help too. Also, you might want to talk to a lactation consultant about trying to get baby onto the breast. Ultimately this is a lot less complicated than the pumping routine!

I give you so much credit for persistence in giving him breast milk even with the difficulty getting him onto the breast. Enjoy your new little darling!

R.

My daughter took a little over a month to get the breastfeeding down. I would suggest trying every day to feed him from the breast. You lose milk when you are just pumping. they say to be close to your baby while pumping and look at him, rub his back...that will help with milk flow! Good luck mama!

Get yourself a lactation consultant to come to the house a few times. Ask your pediatrician for a recommendation. He is only a week old, it's WAY too early to give up on breastfeeding. It takes AT LEAST two weeks and sometimes more than a month to learn how to latch properly. As far as pumping, you will never get as much milk by pumping as your baby would be able to suck out. Your milk supply is probably fine. Babies are much more efficient than even the best breast pump, so there is probably a lot more milk that is still in your breasts that you are not getting out. Breastfeeding is all about supply and demand, so the more you pump, the more you will make. For a 1 week-old, you should be pumping every two hours or more for at least 15 minutes per breast. You need the stimulation even if you are not getting any more milk. My son was on my breast sometimes every hour. Or if you don't want to pump that frequently, keep trying to put the baby to your breast. Go out and buy The Breastfeeding Book by Dr. Sears. It's the best resource I ever had. Also go to www.kellymom.com for breastfeeding advice- it's one of the most comprehensive breastfeeding and parenting websites out there. Another, where you can see training videos is Dr. Jack Newman's website. www.drjacknewman.com He is a specialist in lactation from Canada.
I know how hard it is- I had my son via c-section and he was in the nicu for a few days so he was given bottles before I could get in to breastfeed him. When this happens, they sort of imprint on whatever goes in their mouth first, and it creates lots of difficulties getting them to latch properly. It was complicated further by a well-meaning (but WRONG) nurse at the hospital who gave me a nipple shield (BAD IDEA) to help me latch, and while he did latch with it, I had to use the nipple shield for a long time. It took almost 3 months for me to wean him off the nipple shield and get him to nurse exclusively at my breast. It also caused me to have mastitis twice. So if anyone suggests a nipple shield, DO NOT take their advice. I had a really hard time, but with the help of a lactation consultant and the support of my husband and the book I mentioned, I was able to do it and though it took time and a ton of patience, I am so glad I did not give up. Now at 11 months old, my son is still happily breastfed and I don't regret one bit of the struggle. Think of all the time and energy that you will save by not having to pump constantly and then wash bottles out all the time. Not to mention all the benefits for your son. Good luck!

Have you seen a lactations consultant? Why would he not take your breast? Did you try different positions? Breastfeeding is waaaay easier than pumping but I applaud you for trying to give him breastmilk in addition to formula. Pump as much as you can as any breastmilk is better than none but please see someone for help.

J.,
Don't give up on nursing her. Try La Leche League; they helped me a lot. Just give them a call. They will talk you through working on latch and everything.

The more your baby nurses - your BABY will help you make more milk. That being said, pumping is not a bad thing either. The less formula you use, the more milk he will want, boosting your supply.

Good luck, and congratulations on your new miracle!
M.

Hi! My advice is to go to a lactation consultant. What you can do right now is go to www.llli.org (la leche league) and find your local group and call one or all the leaders if needed. They know what they are doing and talking about and can give you the kind of support you need. I'm not sure if it's far from you but there's a wonderful place called The Postpartum Place (you can add .com to that for the web address)in Chatham on Main St. I went there and got help when I needed it. I wish you the best and Happy holidays to you!

If you haven't gotten the help of a lactation specialist it is not too late to try to get him on the breast. Some babies need extra help and don't "wake up" to feeding depending on the kind of delivery you had/medication/etc.
Try again to nurse him. Try putting him skin to skin with you. There is a reflex that will guide him to your nipple if he is lying between your breasts at the level of your heart. Just hold him there, with no shirt on you, only a diaper on him, covered by a blanket for warmth if needed. Please try this. I have seen many babies latch after this.
good luck. If you have any questions, I would be happy to follow up with you. Send me a message.
L.

Definitely see a lactation consultant. Call the hospital where you just had your son, tell them what is going on and ask to be directed to their lactation person. They will have one, and since you are so new, and were only there last week! she probably will offer you some advice on the phone or even just tell you to come in with your son so she can see what is going on. If she doesn't offer then just ASK! I have known some who will see you a few times just because they really want to help - if there is a problem or they need more time with you, then you can go thru your pediatrician to get a referral - but don't wait for that! call asap.

My first took to breastfeeding after a few days, and it was perfectly smooth. My second latched on immediately, but it took us nearly 2 months to get the latch perfected and for it to go smoothly! Please ask for help tho and let your pediatrician know what is going on too - keep asking for help, and you will find really supportive people who CAN help! Congrats on your son, and keep trying - he's only been in the world a few days and you both have to try to figure it all out together! :o) good luck

That is about what I pumped for my first month. I was always so nervous about that amount. I always offered the amount i pumped, and then I offered formula to supplement. There is a herbal supplement that you can take that helps milk come in. I believe it's called More Milk Plus. You can purchase it from Amazon. It's a bit pricey, but it really does help.

A mother's body typical supplies to the level of the demand.

I had the same issue and it was that I did not set the pump to a high suction level. I would recommend that you visit someone with nursing experience/expertise (pediatrician, lactation specialist, etc.)

My son did not latch on properly until he was 4 months. In the early weeks of life he did not gain the enough weight, therefore, I did what you are doing--pumping and giving him the milk in a bottle. I am not sure this was the best move. He gained the weight, but it took him a long time to latch on properly. Also, I was exhausted -- pumping every 3 hours and then feeding him a bottle was a lot of work and the lack of sleep almost drove me to maddness.

This is my experience so I don't want to discourage you from doing what you are doing. I just want you to get some help getting him to latch on, taking care of yourself and your family.

All the best and Merry Christmas!

Congratulations! If your son is only a week old, you should try again to get him to take the breast (unless there is a medical reason he can not). 3oz is about what the baby would need at this age. Unfortunately pumping may also not get you as much milk as breastfeeding, especially in the beginning. The first few weeks are the hardest. Good Luck and keep at it!

Please don't give up on breastfeeding yet!! One week is nothing, it could take weeks or months to be perfect....my son didn't nurse perfectly until he was 4 months old. I tried everyone and everything for help, and it finally happened. There is so much help out there, woman who only specialize in breastfeeding!!! Lactation consultants, la leche league, books..... In Stratford, CT they have a place called Breastfeeding Resources and ALL they do is help woman to breastfeed!! Dr. Smiley is the doctor there and they have many lactation consultants, very warm and friendly place!! I ended up having to supplement with formula every other feeding when he was 9 weeks old, due to my problems, but i never gave up on the breast, ever!!! I am pregnant now with my second, and have confidence that it will go much smoother this time, and hope not to have to introduce formula at all!! Good luck, and please use your resources and don't give up, breastfeeding your baby is the most wonderful, rewarding things i have ever done in my life!! Just remember, it could take a lot of time and effort.....but, it WILL eventually work, especially if you really want it to!! Good luck and congrats!!

Call a lactation consultant to help with your latch! It's definitely not too late to get your little one nursing, which you will find so much more enjoyable than constantly pumping. (Not that pumping isn't awesome, as a way of getting that breastmilk to your son!) But nursing can be so fun, once you're not sore anymore... :)

And don't stress about amounts of pumped milk. You are doing great! At 4 weeks, I could still only get 2-3 ounces of milk at a time. Your little guy isn't taking more than that in one feeding, in all likelihood. He's still got a tiny belly! But a lactation consultant will help you get a good understanding of the whole milk business, and give you all sorts of fantastic help.

On a folk remedy level, here's what my midwife told me to eat while nursing:

-cornmeal products (cornbread, tortillas, etc.)
-oatmeal and granola bars
-alfalfa sprouts
-and TONS of fluids- push that water!

Good luck with the nursing, and congrats on pumping so much. You're a rock star- it's hard work!!!

Hello J.-

I think 3 oz. is a lot for you to be getting from the pump at one week. At one week, my daughter was still only taking 1 1/2 ounces of milk at a time, and I think I was probably only pumping 2 ounces at a time, about every 2 hours.

My daughter was in the NICU the whole time we were in the hospital, making it difficult for me to nurse her. I allowed the nurses to convince me that she wasn't getting enough milk at every feeding (how the *H* could they know that!) - and they ended up supplementing her with formula. When we got home, I stopped the formula completely and focused on nursing. Things were fine for the first couple of days, and then the slurping started. It was painful and frustrating, and with those baby blues, it was just awful. I was very committed to breastfeeding exclusively, so I called a lactation consultant to come over. She was fabulous - even though she wasn't able to help me resolve the issue completely, she provided some much needed support (that was harder for me to get from my family). I had started pumping in the hospital and had pumped in between nursing sessions. After about 8 weeks, I gave up on nursing and exclusively pumped. When I was exclusively pumping, I was able to get up to 15 ounces in my morning pumping. Even at that point, my girl was still only getting 5 ounces at the most in a bottle. I was able to stockpile loads of milk in my freezer...I even had to give some to family to store in their deep freezers. She was eating every three hours, so I didn't get the time break between feedings that formula would have provided, but I was okay with that.

Around 6 months, I decided to try nursing again, and voila! It was almost like magic. Our latching issues were gone. I now nurse exclusively, and only pump every now and then so hubby can feed her. I can't explain what happened - I'm fairly large breasted, so maybe her mouth got bigger and that helped. I don't know.

My point is keep trying! Your beautiful boy is only a week; it hasn't been long enough for the two of you to get the hang of it. Most breastfeeding experts say that it takes 6 weeks to get in the groove of it. Stay focused and good luck!

At this point, your breastmilk should match what you're feeding the baby. That being said, unless you're using a very good pump, you'll likely have trouble pumping the milk your baby would be taking from your breast simply because a pump isn't nearly as efficent as a baby!
I find that if I don't experience a let-down while pumping I tend to pump an ounce or so less then I know is there...it helps to squeeze and massage the breast while you're pumping to encourage let-down and squeeze out the excess milk. Don't over pump though or you will be doing more harm then good.
A good rule to remember is that an "established" breast produces one to two ounces of milk per hour under normal nursing conditions. Eat well and rest enough and you'll have enough for your boy in no time!

Hello J.
I know I'm late in responding but I could not help making a reply. I know its difficult with two other childrenand stressful situations can cause a reduction in your milk supply. I suggest you get some help with the other children so you can spend more time with your new born. And yes usaully after a week you should start producing more milkbut everyone has different experience with supply. Breastfeeding has alot of challenges and I can be identified with some but as a health professional I was determined to give my children what was best. Breastfeeding takes alot of time and patience and your baby at only a week needs nothing else but the breast. I suggest that you put the baby on the breast insted of pumping, this will better help with the 'let down' of the milk. Being relaxed and having a drink just prior to breastfeeding will also help with the milk flow. I hope this is what you want to do so you will feel comfortable with it, if not it wont work. Try to be as comfortable as possible and ensure that the baby is properly attached to the breast. Nipple bottle confuses the baby and so its advisable not to give any form of nipple if you want to successfully breastfeed your baby. Surprisingly some people are not aware that a new born baby can drink from a cup and spoon but again this takes a lot of patience on the part of the mother. I encourage you to attach the baby to the breast and allow him to suckle and this will help to form that bond between you and your child. Remember breastmilk is always available,at the right temperature, needs no preparation, has all the nutrients the baby needs for the first 6 months of life and I could go on and on. Try it you will love it. All the best to you and your new born and remember everone will have different experince with supply.Others have done so can you.
D